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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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Appendix 2. Reviewer’s Comments and Resp<strong>on</strong>se to CommentsReviewer #1Report Title: <str<strong>on</strong>g>Potential</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Effects</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>C<strong>on</strong>taminants</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Sockeye</strong> Salm<strong>on</strong>Reviewer Name: Rick RoutledgeDate: January 3, 20111. Identify the strengths and weaknesses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this report.Strengths:1. Extensive screening for potential effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>taminants;2. Sensible use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> standard methodology (as far as my limited expertise allows meto make such an assessment);3. Balanced assessment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> knowledge gaps;4. Sensible c<strong>on</strong>cluding overview;5. Reas<strong>on</strong>ably well-justified recommendati<strong>on</strong>s.Resp<strong>on</strong>se: No resp<strong>on</strong>se required.Weaknesses:1. Some apparent inc<strong>on</strong>sistencies in the explanati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the methodology;2. An overly lengthy Executive Summary.Resp<strong>on</strong>se: Agreed. The text was modified to provide a clearer explanati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>the methodology used in the investigati<strong>on</strong>. In additi<strong>on</strong>, the Executive Summarywas substantially edited to make it more focussed and c<strong>on</strong>cise.Please see my comments to the authors for elaborati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> these two latter points.Resp<strong>on</strong>se: Further details <strong>on</strong> the acti<strong>on</strong>s that were taken to address thesecomments are provided under Item 6 below.2. Evaluate the interpretati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the available data, and the validity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> anyderived c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s. Overall, does the report represent the best scientificinterpretati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the available data?Subject to my limited and peripheral expertise, I found the interpretati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the data tobe sensible and the c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s to be based <strong>on</strong> sound, balanced reas<strong>on</strong>ing. Given myabove-stated limits, I do not feel qualified to c<strong>on</strong>clude that this was the best possiblescientific interpretati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the data. In my understanding, the authors used standardmethodology to perform a screening analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> potentially harmful c<strong>on</strong>taminants. Theywere careful to point out major uncertainties associated with such factors as (i) a lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>data <strong>on</strong> endocrine disrupting chemicals and emerging c<strong>on</strong>taminants and (ii) thepotential for cumulative effects through such factors as decreased disease resistance.I also felt that they c<strong>on</strong>veyed an accurate perspective <strong>on</strong> the inherent limits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suchscreening analyses where it is, e.g., typically necessary to extrapolate observati<strong>on</strong>sA-3

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