No one had previously identified non-ortho PCB levels in the stranded dolphins because scientists do not routinely measure some of the very rare, but potentially toxic, forms when they study PCB levels. But even with this additional information, Busbee said, scientists still do not know what killed the 10 dolphins. Because they were stressed and using up their normal blubber reserves, they were releasing chemicals stored in the blubber, exposing themselves to extremely high levels of compounds. This finding raises questions about whether people living near the bay or eating seafood are also accumulating high levels of potentially poisonous PCBs. Research suggests that humans may be even more vulnerable to PCBs and related chemicals than dolphins, Busbee said.
People eat fish.
People accumulate these compounds in their body fat just like dolphins. A happy Matagorda Bay fisherman Matagorda offers some of the finest saltwater fishing on the entire Texas Gulf Coast. Its coastlines stretch for over 50 miles, from Sargent in the east, to the Port O'Conner Jetties in the west, and north to Palacios. The historic town of Matagorda is in the center of the coastline on the Colorado River. The entire area supports a thriving recreational fishing industry.