Sixty species of finfish were collected over a one year period from the estuarine waters around Sapelo Island, Georgia. Forty-eight of these species had individuals in which gross pathology was evident. Lesions caused by viral agents were identified in three species and sporozoans infected twelve species of fish. Crustaceans (isopod and copepod) caused pathology in twenty-three species. Nematodes were found associated with pathology in sixteen species of fish. Monogenetic trematodes were found on eight species and digenetic trematodes caused gross pathology in fish of twenty-six species. Leeches were found on seven species of fish. other findings included developmental anomalies, mechanical injuries and attached epibionts.

The three principal problems in the fish of this area as judged by severity of pathology and number of individuals affected appear to be lymphocystis disease (viral), copepod ectoparasites and visceral migration of digenetic trematodes. The latter problem is the most severe and widespread among the species of fish.