Since 2009, the Canadian and Alberta governments have been developing monitoring plans for surface water quality and quantity of the lower Athabasca River and its tributaries (2010-2013). The objectives of the present study to the fish monitoring program were to 1) assess the current status of fish in a tributary of the lower Athabasca River, 2) identify existing differences between upstream reference and within the oil sands deposit exposure sites, and 3) identify trends/changes in fish performance indicators relative to historical studies. The present study examines the fish performance indicators in slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) in the Steepbank River, Alberta, in terms of growth, gonad size, condition, and hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity as an indicator of exposure to oil-sands-related compounds. The sampling program followed historical sampling methods (1999-2000) to provide comparable data over time with an additional upstream site (n = 2) added as development progressed. Consistent changes were documented in sculpin collected from downstream sections of the Steepbank River within the oil sands deposit (n = 2) in 2010 through 2013. Sculpin demonstrated increased liver size with corresponding induction of EROD activity consistent with historical data and reductions in energy investment relative to reproductive development and gonadal steroid production capacity. There was no consistent evidence of changes in fish performance indicators with increased surface mining development, particularly adjacent to the Steepbank River Mid site. Although physical development in the Steepbank watershed has increased over the last 15 yr, these results are consistent with historical data suggesting that the magnitude of the response in the aquatic environment adjacent to the development has not changed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:396-409. © 2019 SETAC.

中文翻译：

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靠近油砂活动的鱼类性能指标：艾伯塔省陡峭河岸的Slimy Sculpin绩效指标与油砂开采活动相邻的响应。

自2009年以来，加拿大和艾伯塔省政府一直在制定阿萨巴斯卡河下游及其支流的地表水水质和水量监测计划（2010-2013年）。鱼类监测计划的本研究目标是：1）评估阿萨巴斯卡河下游支流的鱼类现状，2）识别上游参考与油砂沉积物暴露地点之间的现有差异，以及3）确定与历史研究相关的鱼类绩效指标的趋势/变化。本研究从生长，性腺大小，状况和肝7-乙氧基异色质素-O-脱乙基酶（EROD）活性作为暴露指标的角度，研究了艾伯塔省陡峭河岸粘粘鱼（Cottus cognatus）的鱼类性能指标。与油砂有关的化合物。采样程序遵循历史采样方法（1999-2000年），以提供随时间变化的可比数据，并随着开发的进行增加了额外的上游站点（n = 2）。从2010年到2013年从Steepbank河下游段油砂矿床（n = 2）中收集的sculpin记录了一致的变化。Sculpin证明肝脏大小增加，相应地诱发了EROD活性，与历史数据一致，并且相对于能源投资减少了以生殖发育和性腺激素的生产能力。没有一致的证据表明，随着露天采矿业的发展，特别是在Steepbank River Mid Site附近，鱼类性能指标发生了变化。尽管在过去15年中，Steepbank流域的物理发展有所增加，这些结果与历史数据一致，表明与开发区相邻的水生环境中的响应强度没有改变。Environ Toxicol Chem 2020； 39：396-409。©2019 SETAC。