Catalogus

Marine fish are categorized depending on their habitats and habits. Three major categories are identified according to their habitats, namely neritic, pelagic, and benthic, and several groups are identified considering their feeding habits, viz. filter feeders, planktivores (phytoplanktivores and zooplanktivores), herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, benthivores, scavengers, detritivores, coralivores, piscivores, etc. Incidents connected to MV X-Press Pearl disaster include acid leakage; fire; release of noxious gasses to the atmosphere; explosions; falling of containers and debris into marine waters; release of thousands of tons of plastic nurdles (unburned and burned), lithium batteries, food items, fertilizer, hazardous chemicals, fuel and crude oil, and other unidentified cargo, which can occur and distributed in marine waters in different forms (dissolved, floating, suspended and deposited among sediments) causing possible acute and chronic impacts to fish and their sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems, depending on how they come in contact with fish and enter their biological systems (e.g. bioaccumulation along food chains). Immediate impacts from plastic nurdles were observed during the accident and medium-term and long-term impacts on fish, fisheries, and fish consumers are yet to be revealed through careful monitoring and scientific investigations.