Progress report summarizing the reef fish sampling, PCB - Earthjustice

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 3 List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ 4 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... 5 Part I. EPA Monitoring Requirements, Oriskany Reef Project Historical Background, and Methodology for Field Sampling and Sample PCB Analysis Methodology (A) Introduction ........................................................................................................ 6 (B) Overview of PCBs .............................................................................................. 10 (C) Oriskany Reef Project Background History ...................................................... 13 (D) Materials and Methods ..................................................................................... 22 Part II. Results and Discussion (A) Sampling Additions to the Tier 1 Monitoring Work Plan (1) Visual Monitoring on the Oriskany Reef .................................................... 39 (2) Nearby Site #1 Assessment ....................................................................... 46 (3) University of West Florida Underwater Video Surveys .............................. 49 (4) Oriskany Reef Post Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Dive Reconnaissance .. 50 (B) Oriskany Reef Pilot Tagging Project ................................................................. 51 (C) Overview of the First Eight Rounds of Oriskany Reef Fish Sampling and Two Rounds of Nearby Reef Sampling ............................................................ 58 (D) PCB Analysis Results and Discussion for Each Species (1) Red Snapper ............................................................................................... 64 (2) Vermilion Snapper ...................................................................................... 76 (3) Red Porgy .................................................................................................... 80 (4) Whitebone Porgy ......................................................................................... 84 (5) Gray Triggerfish ........................................................................................... 88 (6) Scamp .......................................................................................................... 92 (E) Distribution of PCB Congeners by Homologs ................................................... 96 (F) Other Discussion Issues .................................................................................... 96 (G) Summary ........................................................................................................... 106 Part III, Suggested options for future actions through December 2011 .......................... 107 References Cited .................................................................................................................. 108 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 115 Appendix 1, Tables ............................................................................................................... 116 Appendix 2, Sample FWC underwater fish census sheet .................................................. 136 2 | Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In compliance with the Tier 1 monitoring requirements of the risk-based PCB bulk product waste disposal approval document issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the U.S. Navy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and Escambia County, this report summarizes the results of the first four years of reef fish sampling, PCB analysis, and dive assessment monitoring of the Oriskany Reef, a decommissioned former aircraft carrier deployed in May 2006 as an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico, 23.5 nm southeast of Pensacola, FL. Between December 14, 2006, and November 18, 2010, eight reef fish sample collection events funded by FWC were completed resulting in a total of 315 legal size reef fish retained for skin-on congener-specific analysis of 209 PCB congeners (254 fish from the Oriskany Reef, and 61 fish from the nearby Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge Reef). The 254 retained reef fish from the Oriskany Reef included: 184 red snapper, 42 vermilion snapper, 14 red porgy, 6 whitebone porgy, 4 scamp grouper, 2 gray triggerfish, and 1 red grouper. Initially the mean PCB level for fish samples from the Oriskany Reef collected within the first two years post-deployment (sample rounds 1-4) had combined mean total PCB values exceeding the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) screening value of 50 ppb and the EPA screening value of 20 ppb. By sample round 5, collected at 2.9 years, the mean PCB level measured decreased to below the FDOH value and slightly above the EPA value. By sample round 6 and 7, collected at 3.5 and 3.9 years, the mean PCB levels were below both the FDOH and EPA thresholds. Sample round 8 samples (n=39), collected at 4.5 years are currently being processed and are expected by June 2011. Sample round 9 is scheduled for April 26, 2011 (4.9 years postdeployment). The species with the highest PCB levels observed included red snapper (n=172), red porgy (n=7), and whitebone porgy (n=4). No samples of vermillion snapper (n=28) or scamp (n=1) exceeded the FDOH or EPA thresholds. Overall, these results indicate a declining trend during the last 2 years of sampling. Additionally, 10 underwater visual assessments were conducted on the Oriskany Reef by FWC divers, confirming the observed recreationally targeted species found on the Oriskany are well represented among the fish retained for PCB analysis. Visual observations by FWC divers also documented that the Oriskany Reef had settled into the sediments about 10 ft at 2.5 years post deployment and sustained minor structural change to the exterior covering of the smoke stack at 3.5 years post deployment following the tropical storm events of 2007 and 2008, respectively. Results from 199 fish tagged and released on the Oriskany reef provide preliminary reef fish site fidelity and considerations of localized fishing effort. Review of the results of other FWC funded reef fish research projects in the vicinity are discussed as they relate to the fish species sampled on the Oriskany Reef. Options for consideration of future sample collection efforts at the Oriskany Reef through the end of 2011 are provided. 3 | Page
Page 1: Progress report summarizing the ree
Page 5 and 6: LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page No. 1.
Page 7 and 8: I (A) (1) EPA Oriskany Reef PCB Tie
Page 9 and 10: validate the Navy developed PCB fat
Page 11 and 12: that “the numbering standard for
Page 13 and 14: ship material leachate experiments
Page 15 and 16: solid PCB containing materials woul
Page 17 and 18: EPA review included: 1) a human hea
Page 19 and 20: I(C)(6) PCB Containing Materials On
Page 21 and 22: I(C) (8) Oriskany Reef Created In a
Page 23 and 24: fishes for the Monitoring Work Plan
Page 25 and 26: I (D) (2) Fishing Vessel Sampling P
Page 27 and 28: long from the top to the mouth of t
Page 29 and 30: During sample round #2 all four che
Page 31 and 32: The rod and reel manpower sampling
Page 33 and 34: was intentionally scheduled after t
Page 35 and 36: weren’t running after each fish w
Page 37 and 38: actually shipped to GERG on Februar
Page 39 and 40: samples during Sampling Rounds 1-8
Page 41 and 42: harvesting at least 15 legal size r
Page 43 and 44: attraction as expressed by an incre
Page 45 and 46: Of these 10 reef assessment dives,
Page 47 and 48: assessments which were limited to t
Page 49 and 50: not considered target species for a
Page 51 and 52: have had any PAH levels approaching
Page 53 and 54:
Oriskany, and one recapture at a
Page 55 and 56:
ed snapper season commencement. The
Page 57 and 58:
Table 8a. List of reef fish species
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Oriskany Reef during Sampling Round
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Species Composition of Oriskany Sam
Page 63 and 64:
The GERG lab reported their receipt
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pectoral fins of the blackfin snapp
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Trophic level or position Trophic p
Page 69 and 70:
that means after five years only 3%
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II (D) (1) (c) Red Snapper Discussi
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1,000,000 ΣPCB (pg/g) a. Sample Da
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The PCB levels measured from red sn
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fins relatively short, not reaching
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Results of PCB analysis by sample d
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ody, these spots giving a yellow-st
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II (D) (3) (c) Red Porgy Discussion
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cheeks that are speckled with brigh
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II (D) (4) (c) Whitebone Porgy Disc
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(common) name. The first spine is l
Page 91 and 92:
II (D) (5) (c) Gray Triggerfish Dis
Page 93 and 94:
The Scamp inhabits continental shel
Page 95 and 96:
Results of PCB analysis by sample d
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species was not among the first 30
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elieved to be unlikely since most o
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trip less than 15% of the time due
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II F (6) (b) Current Florida Marine
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assessment, technological feasibili
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III Oriskany Reef Monitoring Projec
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Fishbase.org (Internet site). 2011.
Page 111 and 112:
Ingram, G.W., Jr. and W.F. Patterso
Page 113 and 114:
Patterson, W. F., J. H. Cowan Jr, e
Page 115 and 116:
Thompson, M.J., W.W. Schroeder, and
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Table 2. FWC Fish Census data taken
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Table 4. Fish census data taken by
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frogfish Antennarius sp.
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eef butterflyfish Chaetodon sedenta
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Vermilion snapper Rhomboplites auro
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OR-RS-042 Red Snapper 4/12/2007 HnL
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OR-RS-155 Red Snapper 11/18/2009 Hn
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Table 14. Tissue sample characteris
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Table 15. Percent composition of to
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Table 16b. Percent composition of t
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Progress report summarizing the reef fish sampling, PCB - Earthjustice

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