Progress report summarizing the reef fish sampling, PCB - Earthjustice

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I (D) (1) (b) Selection of Sample Size For each sampling round, a minimum of 30 legal size reef fish typically targeted by recreational fishermen were collected from the Oriskany Reef. The preferred sampling alternative as specified in the Monitoring Work Plan was to collect fifteen specimens of each of two different reef fish species, ideally representing two different trophic levels or feeding guilds, during each sampling round. Changes, if any, in the mean total PCB levels averaged from the sum of the individual total PCB values of each of the 15 specimens of the two different species would be evaluated over the initial five year sampling period. If mean total PCB values derived from individual values of 15 or more specimens of a particular species showed a trend over time of exceeding the screening value of 0.020 ppm total PCBs wet weight, monitoring efforts were to be expanded. After the initial two sampling rounds, in December of 2006 and April of 2007, it was realized that the current sampling regimes would be unable to achieve the Monitoring Work Plan preferred alternative of securing a minimum of 15 legal size specimens of each of two different reef fish species during each sampling round. The two primary target species were initially proposed to be red snapper and gray triggerfish. At the Oriskany Reef, gray triggerfish were neither caught nor visually observed by SCUBA divers during the first three years of monitoring. The backup alternative was implemented to retain any additional legal size targeted reef fish species until a minimum number of 30 reef fish were caught during a particular sampling round in order to get a minimum sample size of 15 legal red snapper per sampling round. The minimum number of 30 legal size reef fish sought and analyzed per sampling round was a statistically valid sample round number based on the ability of the FWC and ECMRD to fund a Tier 1 PCB screening level sampling number that could be collected, twice a year, during two different seasons (typically fall and spring) over a period of at least five years. This target number of fish retained was increased for analysis to 35 in Sampling Round #7 and to 39 in Sampling Round #8 in an effort to procure additional piscivores (e.g. grouper) and invertivores (e.g. triggerfish and porgies) for PCB analysis. When the target number of specimens had been collected in the order of their capture availability, then the fishing operations were terminated and the fishing vessel returned to port unless there was some other specific additional objective such as a pilot tagging project or a nearby artificial reef to be sampled. 24 | P age
I (D) (2) Fishing Vessel Sampling Platforms During the Monitoring Plan development process it was recognized that the large deck space required for fish specimen collecting and processing 23.5 nautical miles offshore of Pensacola Pass, working from one or two small vessels would not consistently meet our monitoring requirements. The FWC artificial reef program and the ECMRD program had available to them respectively, a 22 foot and a 19 foot single engine outboard open console vessel. These vessels were mentioned as possible vessel sampling platforms in the Monitoring Work Plan. It was realized that the fish capture requirements and processing, packaging and storage of fish along with data recording would be impractical due to limited deck space both for gear, and participating personnel. Use of these smaller vessels would also reduce the weather/sea state window for safe offshore boating operations. It was decided that prior to the beginning of formal sampling to proceed with larger vessels to provide a greater deck space, more stable offshore work platform and to better ensure that the target of a minimum of 30 legal recreationally target reef fish could be procured on the same sampling day. For sampling, particularly utilizing multiple personnel and recreational fishing gear, optimal vessel configuration, equipment, and other attributes include: large deck space adequate for fish collection and sample processing; sufficient capacity to store at least 800 quarts of food grade ice and six large (96-150 quart coolers), precise and accurate vessel electronics (i.e. Global Positioning System, fathometer, etc.); and a skilled captain able to hold an unanchored vessel in place at strategic locations at the Oriskany Reef as fish are collected. Vessel hiring prices for these larger vessels and their availability were determined and the National Marine Fisheries Service was notified of our intent to use alternate vessels in this sampling program. During the first eight Oriskany Reef fish sampling rounds (December 14, 2006- November 18, 2010), four different vessel sampling platforms (55-85 ft. in total length) were utilized. These included a commercial snapper fishing vessel, Margie Ann, with trap pulling capabilities that was home ported out of Panama City, FL (Round #1), an 85 ft. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Law Enforcement offshore patrol vessel JJ Brown, also able to retrieve traps, home ported out of Carrabelle, FL (Round #2), a for-hire Pensacola fishing fleet charter vessel, Chulamar operating out of Gulf Breeze, FL (Rounds #3-4), and a second for-hire Pensacola fishing fleet vessel, Entertainer, also operating out of Gulf Breeze, FL (Rounds #5-8) (Table 10). These vessels satisfied the requirements of having sufficient deck storage and work space, an experienced vessel captain and mate, and a large enough vessel to provide a stable sampling platform to operate safely 23 nautical miles offshore. 25 | P age
Page 1 and 2: Progress report summarizing the ree
Page 3 and 4: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In compliance wit
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: fishes for the Monitoring Work Plan
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
Page 59 and 60: Oriskany Reef during Sampling Round
Page 61 and 62: Species Composition of Oriskany Sam
Page 63 and 64: The GERG lab reported their receipt
Page 65 and 66: pectoral fins of the blackfin snapp
Page 67 and 68: Trophic level or position Trophic p
Page 69 and 70: that means after five years only 3%
Page 71 and 72: II (D) (1) (c) Red Snapper Discussi
Page 73 and 74: 1,000,000 ΣPCB (pg/g) a. Sample Da
Page 75 and 76:
The PCB levels measured from red sn
Page 77 and 78:
fins relatively short, not reaching
Page 79 and 80:
Results of PCB analysis by sample d
Page 81 and 82:
ody, these spots giving a yellow-st
Page 83 and 84:
II (D) (3) (c) Red Porgy Discussion
Page 85 and 86:
cheeks that are speckled with brigh
Page 87 and 88:
II (D) (4) (c) Whitebone Porgy Disc
Page 89 and 90:
(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
Page 97 and 98:
species was not among the first 30
Page 99 and 100:
elieved to be unlikely since most o
Page 101 and 102:
trip less than 15% of the time due
Page 103 and 104:
II F (6) (b) Current Florida Marine
Page 105 and 106:
assessment, technological feasibili
Page 107 and 108:
III Oriskany Reef Monitoring Projec
Page 109 and 110:
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
Page 117 and 118:
Table 2. FWC Fish Census data taken
Page 119 and 120:
Table 4. Fish census data taken by
Page 121 and 122:
frogfish Antennarius sp.
Page 123 and 124:
eef butterflyfish Chaetodon sedenta
Page 125 and 126:
Vermilion snapper Rhomboplites auro
Page 127 and 128:
OR-RS-042 Red Snapper 4/12/2007 HnL
Page 129 and 130:
OR-RS-155 Red Snapper 11/18/2009 Hn
Page 131 and 132:
Table 14. Tissue sample characteris
Page 133 and 134:
Table 15. Percent composition of to
Page 135 and 136:
Table 16b. Percent composition of t
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Progress report summarizing the reef fish sampling, PCB - Earthjustice

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