Progress report summarizing the reef fish sampling, PCB - Earthjustice

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The Roving Diver fish census method (Schmitt and Sullivan, 1996) involves individual divers freely swimming around a reef structure limited only by safe bottom times and depths; recording fish species observed on pre-printed and standardized water proof paper (Appendix 2). For each species positively identified, a relative abundance level is assigned based on the estimated number of individuals of that species observed. The four relative abundance levels are: 1) ‘S’ is single- one individual observed; 2) ‘F’ or Few, for 2 to 10 individuals; 3) ‘M’ for many, from 11 to 100 individuals; and 4) ‘A’ for Abundant- more than 100 individuals of that species observed. This method allows the divers to freely roam all areas of the reef (within safe diving standards) and cover the greatest area of the reef to be observed. Compared to other fish census methods conducted on large structures or across large areas, this method usually results in a higher species list per survey than other methods. However, no total abundance or size estimates are generated, so biomass per unit reef area calculations cannot be performed with these data. Visual assessment dives were completed on the following dates: August 3, 2006, two dives (Dive #1-16 fish species observed and Dive #2- 22 fish species recorded), September 28, 2006 -27 fish species noted;, June 23, 2007, two dives (Dive #1- 33fish species and Dive #2-38 species observed; October 16, 2008 (11 species) and November 19,2009 (21 fish species). Another dive was completed one day after sinking, on May 18, 2006, but only three fish species were noted (round scad, seaweed blenny and pinfish) so it is not included in these analysis. Completed field reports are available for the dives on May 18, 2006 (Horn and Mille, 2006a), August 3, 2006 (Horn et al., 2006), September 28, 2006 (Horn and Mille, 2006b), June 23, 2007 (Horn, 2007), and November 19, 2009 (Horn and Mille, 2009). Table 1 below summarizes the FWC Oriskany dive assessment information. Table 1. FWC dive assessments completed on the Oriskany Reef. Date 44 | P age Bottom Time Estimated Visibility FWC Divers Max Depth Fish Census Video Still Photo (Hi Res) Field report 5/18/2006 7 80 B. Horn, K.Mille 76 n/a yes yes n/a 5/18/2006 36 80 B. Horn, K.Mille 135 n/a yes yes yes 8/3/2006 41 90 B. Horn, K.Mille, J Dodrill 136 yes yes yes n/a 8/3/2006 33 90 B. Horn, K.Mille, J Dodrill 100 yes yes yes yes 9/28/2006 42 80 B. Horn, K.Mille 116 no yes yes n/a 9/28/2006 37 80 B. Horn, K.Mille 117 yes yes yes yes 6/23/2007 40 60 B. Horn 136 yes no no n/a 6/23/2007 35 60 B. Horn 109 yes no no yes 10/16/2008 46 50 B. Horn, K.Mille 121 yes yes yes draft 11/19/2009 39 80 B. Horn, K.Mille 125 yes yes yes yes
Of these 10 reef assessment dives, seven “Roving Diver” fish counts were conducted by FWC divers for use in this report. Table 2 (Appendix 1) lists a total of 53 species from all FWC Oriskany Reef dive surveys combined, sorted by percent (%) sighting frequency and density. The percent sighting frequency (%SF) parameter is defined in the paper “Surveying Coral Reef Fishes: A Manual for Data Collection, Processing and Interpretation of Fish Survey Information for the Tropical Northwest Atlantic (Schmitt et al., 1998). The %SF is the number of surveys in which a species (at least one individual) was observed on a dive, divided by the total number of survey dives on the Oriskany (seven), expressed in percent. Thus for each species, %SF is calculated as: %Sighting Frequency= S + F + M +A / Total number of Surveys Where S equals the total number of sightings in the Single category, F equals the total number of sighing in the few category, M equals the total number of sightings in the many category, and an A equals the total number of sightings in the Abundant Category. For instance, red snapper was observed on all 7 dives on the Oriskany for a 100% score, while the gray triggerfish was on seen on only one dive for a 14.29% sighting frequency score. This is an index of how common a species is on the reef, not how abundant a species is on the reef. Table 3 (Appendix 1) lists these same 53 species but sorted by density. Density is defined as a measure of how many individuals of a particular species were observed when the species was present on a survey dive. It is calculated as: Density = (S*1) + (F*2) + (M*3) + (A*4) / # of surveys in which species was observed Density is a measure of relative abundance. For each species present this method measures approximately how many individuals of the species were observed on a relative scale of from 1 to 4. For the seven Oriskany fish surveys, the blue runner had the highest density of individuals but was only seen on three of the seven dives. Vermilion snapper was second on this density list with a score of 3.57 and red snapper was fourth with a score of 3.00, however, both of these species were observed on 100% (7 of 7) of the dives. There were only five species of fish caught on PCB sampling trips by hook-and-line or in the chevron traps that were not observed in water by the FWC divers. They were a little tunny, a red grouper, a snowy grouper (juvenile), six whitebone porgies 45 | 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 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: attraction as expressed by an incre
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
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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
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Patterson, W. F., J. H. Cowan Jr, e
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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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