Abstract

Marine ecosystems are highly sensitive to human activities, and growing industrial shipping practices has exacerbated the risk of heavy metals inflicting even more damage on the already weakened habitats. Heavy metals adversely affect the reproductive functions of marine fish species which leads to a staggering impact on the ecosystems. The objective of this research is to understand the level of bioaccumulation of the noxious heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic within marine fish and analyze their impact on the reproductive physiology and functions of the fish. Environmental studies have shown that chronic exposure of these metals to the environment causes dysregulation of endocrine systems, impaired gonad morphogenesis, and decreased embryo and larval survival resulting in significant risks to global fish populations and biodiversity. The analysis provided through the mentioned techniques outlines the clear implications for fisheries and consumer safety due the imbalanced vulnerability to different species at various tissues and levels of bioaccumulation. The ramifications suggest immediate modification of maritime policies like alteration of industrial emission zones adjacent to coastal ecosystems and decommissioning of shipping lanes in close proximity to industrial ports. By channeling these efforts, sustainably integrating them into maritime ecological evaluation through strategic frameworks can exponentially assist in the preservation of biodiversity and establishing a steady economy.

Keywords: Heavy metals, Marine pollution, Fish reproduction, Growth inhibition, Bioaccumulation, Marine ecosystems, Ecotoxicology