CEFAS3b1e9529-a029-4f6b-bb1d-d65080bdc7f5 English series series Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk pointOfContact 2024-08-29T12:16:41 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2022-01-07 revision WGS 84 Trends and status of liver neoplasms in flatfish from UK waters collected between 2004 and 2015 2019-09-04 publication 2024-08-29 revision 2019-09-03 creation CEFAS20003 https://data.cefas.co.uk These data are the results from histological analysis of liver neoplasms (lesions) found in flatfish taken from UK waters between 2004 and 2015. Data on the length, weight, sex and age of individuals are also included alongside the histological results. Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk originator Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk custodian Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk distributor Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk owner notPlanned Disease, damage and mortality Fish SeaDataNet P03 parameter discovery vocabulary 2011-03-25 revision Cancer Ecotoxicity GEMET, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Unknown SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2010-05-18 revision Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication data.gov.uk MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication otherRestrictions noLimitations otherRestrictions **Open Government Licence (OGL) terms and conditions apply. These datasets are from work funded by DEFRA therefore access is public and use will be under Crown Copyright and Open Government Licence** **Data are freely available for research or commercial use providing that the originators are acknowledged in any publications produced.** ( `http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/`_) .. _`http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/`: https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk%2Fdoc%2Fopen-government-licence%2Fversion%2F3%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cea29e5b42c17457ecdc108d7306c2bcc%7Ceeea3199afa041ebbbf2f6e42c3da7cf%7C0%7C0%7C637031113473012890&sdata=YWU4VM1ioEnTk9QopVl4bzfkEAL8gyoYc8ds1KM2%2Fo0%3D&reserved=0 English biota -13.00 14.00 47.50 62.50 2004-01-01 2015-12-31 Binary Delimited Geographic Information System Unknown https://data.cefas.co.uk/view/20003 Cefas Data Portal download The Cefas Data Portal contains metadata records and data sets available to download and connect to in support of our commitment to open science. Data is available in the following formats: Binary download, CSV, ESRI Shapefile. The data can also be accessed via the WFS and WMS protocols. dataset INSPIRE Data Specification on Species Distribution – Technical Guidelines 2013-12-10 publication false See the referenced specification Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 publication true See the referenced specification The 2016 assessment of the UK's Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme described the status and trends of contaminant concentrations and biological effects measurements in biota and sediment at monitoring stations in waters around the UK. Liver neoplasm assessment was conducted on simplified data previously submitted to the MERMAN database between 2004 – 2015. All data were quality assured in accordance to the Biological Effects Quality Assurance in Monitoring Programmes (BEQUALM) Fish Disease Measurement scheme. The E&W CSEMP programme was redesigned in 2011 to adopt a biennial sampling cycle to include the Greater North Sea one year, followed by the Celtic Seas the next. This redesign resulted in an inability to conduct a continuous year-on-year temporal trend assessment. A preliminary analysis was conducted to ensure the most appropriate use of the data collected. Specifically, this was to avoid any bias caused by potentially disproportionate numbers of fish within a given age class. Data were subsequently split into two periods to include a baseline (2004-10) and assessment (2011-15) period. Furthermore, the Scotland data were collected from 2010-15, therefore the Scotland data for 2010 was removed from the analysis because it fell outside of the assessment period assigned to the E&W data (2011-15). This was done because the analysis of data periods, comprised of different durations, are not directly comparable i.e. comparing 5 years of E&W data (2011-15) to 6 years of Scotland data (2010-15). The treatment of the data in this manner allowed for efficient use of UK data for the purposes of conducting a UK-wide assessment. The results of the preliminary data analysis, used to develop the assessment tool, are located within the Results (extended) section of the indicator assessment. Following the preliminary data analysis, a generalised linear model (GLM) was used to normalise for the effects of sex and age, and determine any temporal trend increase or decrease in the prevalence of neoplasms between the baseline and assessment periods. Two levels of assessment were conducted using E&W data: (1) MSFD sub-Regions and (2) UK biohydrographic marine regions (UKMMAS, 2010). The prevalence range of liver neoplasms in E&W waters is reportedly the highest observed within the OSPAR region of the North East Atlantic (Stentiford et al., 2009; Stentiford et al., 2010; Lang et al., 2015). Thus, the indicator response was classified into three categories of background, elevated and significant, by separating the total observable range of liver neoplasm prevalence, corresponding to MSFD sub-Region or UK marine region, into thirds. Scotland data were treated independently of E&W data resulting from (a) limitations in the number of fish and (b) lack of data from baseline period (2004-2010). As a result, the E&W and Scotland data were not directly comparable. Consequently, it was not possible to incorporate Scotland data into the GLM, alongside E&W data, for an assessment at the MSFD sub-regional level, or for the development of assessment criteria thresholds. However, an indicative assessment of Scotland data at the UK biohydrographic regional level was conducted against proposed assessment criteria derived from E&W marine regional data, although this data could not be normalised for age or sex. One level of assessment was conducted using Scotland data: UK biohydrographic marine regions (UKMMAS, 2010). Since older age and the number of females has a positive influence i.e. liver neoplasms increase; a brief analysis of age and sex distribution using the Scotland data was conducted to inform any assessment as best as possible. The results of this analysis are located within the extended results section of this indicator assessment. There has been a significant decrease in the prevalence of toxicopathic liver neoplasms (cancer) in flatfish from the Celtic Seas and Greater North Sea MSFD sub regions. Whilst Celtic Seas fish still exhibit a ‘significant response’, Greater North Sea fish exhibit an ‘elevated response’ and are marginally above background levels. The evidence provided in this assessment indicates that pollution effects in the marine environment are decreasing, specifically concerning the formation of liver neoplasms. This finding informs good progress towards reducing chronic pollution effects. MEDIN 3.1.1