Dave Whitall

2015

Land based sources of pollution, such as heavy metals, pesticides, and PCBs, can have adverse effects on marine ecosystems, including fisheries. Local concerns persist about the potential for land based sources of pollution from historical Naval activities and their effects on fish populations on the south shore of Vieques. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the contaminant body burdens in fish as they compare to ecological thresholds, determine spatial patterns in fish tissue contaminant concentrations and to compare the fish tissue contaminant data with existing sediment and coral contaminant information for the area (NOAA 2009 study). This study is coordinating closely with Navy, EPA and NOAA (OR&R) cleanup and restoration activities. The PI's have previously conducted research in Vieques and have worked successfully with the other federal agencies working on the island, including USFWS. Local fishermen were consulted 2014 in order to determine the areas most commonly fished, as well as targeted species. A stratified sampling design will be used for field work in August of 2014. Steps will be taken to sample representative numbers of each relevant species and a geographic distribution that is representative of the study area, but we recognize that fish abundance may require adjustment of the sampling design post-hoc. Sixty-three samples will be frozen whole and processed upon return to the lab. Whole organisms will be analyzed for the standard suite of NS&T analytes (e.g. heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs), as well as energetic compounds associated with unexploded ordnance. All analyses will be performed at the Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research (NOAA-NCCOS) lab in Charleston, using previously published laboratory techniques. Data will be analyzed with appropriate statistical techniques using SAS software products, and will be spatially analyzed using ArcGIS.

This project will describe the magnitude and spatial extent of contaminants in fish tissues on the south shore of Vieques. This has important management implications as it relates to several important fisheries management questions; for example, are contaminants driving declines in fish populations or is it some other forcing factor (e.g. overfishing)? Are contaminant levels in fish at levels of for ecological health of the species? The outcomes of this study may further inform ongoing and future cleanup activities under its status as a USEPA Superfund site.

• Puerto Rico

Land-based Sources of Pollution (LBSP)

Closed

Funding Ended

https://www.coris.noaa.gov/search/rest/find/document?searchText=projectNumber%3A1085%20OR%20projectTitle%3A"Contaminants%20in%20the%20marine%20resources%20of%20Vieques"&start=1&max=10&f=searchPage