United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and Development/
Office of Water
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-620/R-03/002
December 2004
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr2/
National Coastal
Condition  Report II

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Lighthouse cover photo by Kim Ferguson, Waynesville, North Carolina

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  Acknowledgments
         lS  COttStttl TCpOTt was prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Office of Water (OW). The EPA Project Manager for this
document was Barry Burgan, who provided overall project coordination. The principal author for this document
was Kevin Summers, Technical Director of ORD s National Coastal Assessment (NCA) Program within the
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). EPA was supported in the development of this
document by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and Johnson Controls World Services. The content of this report
was contributed by the EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with many other local,  state, and
federal agencies. Special appreciation is extended to the following team, who provided written materials, technical
information, reviews, and recommendations throughout the preparation of this document.
EPA
   Kevin Summers, Office of Research and Development
   Barry Burgan, Office of Water
   Darrell Brown, Office of Water
   Jeff Bigler, Office of Water
   Gerald Pesch, Office of Research and Development
   Henry Walker, Office of Research and Development
   John Kiddon, Office of Research and Development
   James Harvey, Office of Research and Development
   Corey Garza, Office of Research and Development
   Virginia Engle, Office of Research and Development
   Lisa Smith, Office of Research and Development
   Linda Harwell, Office of Research and Development
   Walter Nelson, Office of Research and Development
   Henry Lee, Office of Research and Development
   Janet Lambertson, Office of Research
        and Development
NOAA
   Thomas O'Connor, National Ocean Service
   Gary Matlock, National Ocean Service
   Kenneth Sherman, National Marine
        Fisheries Service
   Tony Pait, National Ocean Service
   Jeff Hyland, National Ocean Service
   Donna Busch, National Marine
        Fisheries Service
   Marie-Christine Aquarone, National Marine
        Fisheries Service

FWS
   Thomas Dahl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

USGS
   Jimmy Johnston, U.S. Geological Survey
   Pete Bourgeois, U.S. Geological Survey
                                                                           National Coastal Condition Report I

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National Coastal Condition Report I

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Executive Summary  	ES-1
  Summary of the Findings	ES-3
  Describing Coastal Condition  	ES-4
       Coastal Monitoring Data  	ES-4
       Offshore Fisheries	ES-7
       Assessments and Advisories	ES-7
  Shortcomings of Available Data  	ES-9
  Comparisons to the First National Coastal Condition Report 	ES-10

Chapter 1—Introduction 	1
  Why Are Coastal Waters Important?  	1
       Coastal Waters Are Valuable and Productive Natural Ecosystems	1
       Coastal Waters Have Many Human Uses  	2
  Why Be Concerned about Coastal Condition?  	3
  Indices Used to Measure Coastal  Condition	3
       Purpose of This Report 	5
       Shortcomings of Available Data  	6
       Coastal Monitoring Data	7
           Calculating Aquatic Life Use and Human Use Attainment	8
           Aquatic Use Indices	8
           Human Use Indices	16
           How Indices Are Summarized	21
           Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) Fisheries Data	31
       Assessment and Advisory Data	33
           Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments  	23
           National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories  	23
           Beach Advisories and Closures 	23
       Connections with Human Uses  	24
  Appendices	25

Chapter 2—National Coastal Condition	26
  Coastal Monitoring Data	28
       Water Quality Index  	28
       Sediment Quality Index	33
       Benthic Index  	45
       Coastal Habitat Index  	45
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index . .      	      	47
                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report I

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           Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	49
                Recovery from Biomass Depletion in Large Marine Ecosystems	49
           Assessment and Advisory Data	50
                Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	50
                Fish Consumption Advisories	58
                Beach Advisories and Closures 	61

         Chapter 3—Northeast Coastal Condition	72
           Coastal Monitoring Data	75
                Water Quality Index  	75
                Sediment Quality Index	83
                Benthic Index  	89
                Coastal Habitat Index  	91
                Fish Tissue Contaminants Index	91
           Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	94
                Demersal Fisheries	94
                Pelagic Fisheries	95
                Northeast Shelf Ecosystem Invertebrate Fisheries	97
           Assessments and Advisory Data	98
                Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	98
                Fish Consumption Advisories	100
                Beach Advisories and Closures 	101
           Summary 	108

         Chapter 4—Southeast Coastal Condition	110
           Coastal Monitoring Data	114
                Water Quality Index  	114
                Sediment Quality Index	117
                Benthic Index  	122
                Coastal Habitat Index  	123
                Fish Tissue Contaminants Index	123
           Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	125
                Reef Fish Resources 	125
                Sciaenids Fisheries  	126
                Menhaden Fishery  	126
                Mackerel Fisheries  	127
                Shrimp Fisheries  	127
National Coastal Condition Report II

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  Assessment and Advisory Data	130
       Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	130
       Fish Consumption Advisories	131
       Beach Advisories and Closures 	132
  Summary 	134

Chapter 5—Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition  	136
  Coastal Monitoring Data	138
       Water Quality Index 	138
       Sediment Quality Index	147
       Benthic Index  	152
       Coastal Habitat Index  	154
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index	154
  Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	155
       Reef Fish Resources  	158
       Menhaden Fishery  	158
       Mackerel Fisheries 	159
       Shrimp Fisheries  	159
  Assessment and Advisory Data	166
       Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	166
       Fish Consumption Advisories	167
       Beach Advisories and Closures 	167
  Summary 	169

Chapter 6-—West Coastal Condition	172
  Coastal Monitoring Data	173
       Water Quality Index 	174
       Sediment Quality Index	175
       Benthic Index  	186
       Coastal Habitat Index  	187
       Fish Tissue Contaminants	187
  Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	188
       Salmon Fisheries  	188
       Pelagic Fisheries	188
       Nearshore Fisheries  	189
       Groundfish Fisheries                                               .189
                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report I

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           Assessment and Advisory Data	194
                Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	194
                Fish Consumption Advisories	195
                Beach Advisories and Closures 	196
           Summary 	198

         Chapter 7—Great Lakes Coastal Condition	200
           Coastal Monitoring Data	201
                Water Quality Index 	202
                Sediment Quality Index	203
                Benthic Index  	204
                Coastal Habitat Index 	205
                Fish Tissue Contaminants Index	206
                Drinking Water Quality	206
                Air Toxics Depositions	206
           Assessments and Advisories
                Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	208
                Fish Consumption Advisories	209
                Beach Advisories and Closures 	210
           Summary 	213

         Chapter 8—Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii,
         and Island Territories	216
           Alaska Coastal Monitoring Data  	217
           Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries 	219
                Gulf of Alaska and East Bering Sea Ecosystems	219
                Oceanographic and Climate Forcing in the East Bering Sea Ecosystem . . .219
                Salmon Fisheries  	222
                Pelagic Fisheries	222
                Groundfish Fisheries 	222
                Shellfish Fisheries	223
                Nearshore Fisheries  	224
           Alaska Assessments and Advisories	225
                Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	225
                Fish Consumption Advisories	225
                Beach Advisories and Closures 	225
           Hawaii Coastal Monitoring Data	226
National Coastal Condition Report II

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Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries  	227
     Invertebrate Fisheries	227
     Coral Fisheries	227
     Bottomfish Fisheries	228
     Armorhead Fisheries	228
     Nearshore Fisheries 	229
Hawaii Assessment and Advisory Data	230
     Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	230
     Fish Consumption Advisories	231
     Beach Advisories and Closures  	231
Puerto Rico Coastal  Monitoring Data 	232
     Water Quality Index   	233
     Sediment Quality Index	236
     Benthic Index  	236
     Coastal Habitat Index  	238
Puerto Rico Assessment and Advisory Data  	239
     Clean Water Act Section 305(b) Assessments	239
     Fish Consumption Advisories	239
     Beach Consumption Advisories	239
Other Island Systems Coastal Monitoring Data  	242
     American Samoa  	242
         Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries	242
         Assessment and Advisory Data  	242
     Guam  	243
         Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries	243
         Assessment and Advisory Data  	243
     Northern Mariana Islands	244
         Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries	244
         Assessment and Advisory Data  	244
     U.S. Virgin Islands	244
         Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries	244
         Assessment and Advisory Data  	244
Summary 	245
                                                               National Coastal Condition Report I

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         Chapter 9—Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use  	248
           Overview of Galveston Bay  	248
           What Does Society Want Galveston Bay to Look Like?	249
           How Well Are These Uses Being Met?  	250
               Marine Transportation	250
               Oil and Gas Production	252
               Manufacturing	252
               Recreational Activities  	252
               Wildlife Habitat	252
           Status of Fisheries in Galveston Bay	283
               Commercial Fisheries	254
               Recreational Fisheries	256
           Can the Fish Be Eaten? 	257
           Human Uses and National Coastal Condition Report
            Environmental Indicators  	257

        Appendix A	259
        Appendix B	265
        Appendix C	267
        List of References	273
National Coastal Condition Report II

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 Executive  Summary
   Coastal waters in the United States include estuaries, coastal wetlands, coral
reefs, mangrove and kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and upwelling areas. Critical
coastal habitats provide spawning grounds, nurseries, shelter, and food for fmfish,
shellfish, birds, and other wildlife. The nation's coastal resources also provide
nesting, resting, feeding,  and breeding habitat for 85% of waterfowl and other
migratory birds. Estuaries are bodies of water that provide transition zones
between the fresh water from rivers and the saline environment of the ocean.
This interaction produces a unique environment that supports wildlife and
fisheries and contributes  substantially to the economy of the United States.
   Section 305 (b) of the  Clean Water Act requires that the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) report periodically on the condition of the nation's
waters. As part of this process, coastal states provide valuable information about
the condition of their coastal resources to EPA. However, because the individual
states use a variety of approaches for data collection and evaluation, it is difficult
to compare this information between states or on a national basis.
   To better address questions  about national coastal condition,  EPA,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S.
Department of the  Interior (DOI), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) agreed to participate in a multiagency effort to assess the condition
of the nation's coastal resources (U.S. EPA, 1998). The agencies chose to assess
condition  using nationally consistent monitoring surveys  in order to minimize
the problems created by compiling data collected using multiple approaches.
The results of these assessments are compiled periodically into a National Coastal
Condition Report.
   The first National Coastal Condition Report (NCCR I), published in 2001,
reported that the nation's estuarine resources were in fair condition. The NCCR I
used available data from  1990  to 1996 to characterize about 70% of the nation's
estuarine resources. Agencies contributing these data included EPA, NOAA, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and USDA. This second National Coastal
Condition Report (NCCR II) is based on available data from 1997 to 2000.
These data are representative of 100% of estuarine acreage in the conterminous
48 states and Puerto Rico, and they show that the  nation's estuaries continue
to be in fair condition. Agencies contributing data to this report include EPA,
NOAA, FWS, and  the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Several state, regional,
and local organizations also provided information on the  current condition of
the nation's coasts.
                                                                           i   *

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         With each National Coastal Condition Report, the
      collaborating agencies strive to provide a more compre-
      hensive picture of the nation's coastal resources. The
      NCCR II builds on the foundation provided by the
      NCCR I, and efforts are under way to assess even more
      areas using comparable and consistent methods.
      Although the NCCR II provides some condition data for
      Alaska, Hawaii,  U.S. island commonwealths and territo-
      ries, and the Great Lakes, these data are not comparable
      with data provided for other regions. Current monitoring
      efforts in Alaska, Hawaii, and the island common-
      wealths and territories, however, will allow comparisons
      in future National Coastal Condition  Reports.
         The NCCR II presents three main types of data:
      (1) coastal monitoring data, (2) offshore fisheries data,
      and (3) assessment and advisory data. The ratings of
      coastal condition in  the report are based primarily on
      coastal monitoring data because these  are the most
      comprehensive and nationally consistent data available
      related to coastal condition. One source of coastal
monitoring data is obtained through EPA's National
Coastal Assessment (NCA) Program, which provides
information on the condition of coastal estuaries for
most regions of the United States. The NCCR II relies
heavily on NCA estuarine data in assessing coastal
condition and uses NCA and other data to evaluate
five indicators of condition—water quality, sediment
quality, benthic community condition, coastal habitat
loss, and fish tissue contaminants—in each region of
the United States (Northeast Coast, Southeast Coast,
Gulf Coast, West Coast, Great Lakes, and Puerto Rico).
The resulting ratings for each indicator are then used to
calculate both the overall regional ratings and an overall
national rating of coastal condition. This national
assessment applies to 28 coastal states (20 ocean states,
6 Great Lakes states, and 2 ocean/Great Lakes states)
and Puerto Rico (Figure ES-1).
   In addition to rating coastal condition based on
coastal monitoring data, the NCCR II summarizes
available information related to  offshore fisheries and
        Overall National
       Coastal Condition
         ^
            Water Quality Index
         $£i Sediment Quality Index
         4^ Benthic Index
            Coastal Habitat Index
                                         Surveys completed, but no indicator
                                         data available until the next report.
                         11 Surveys completed, but no indicator
                         data available until the next report.
      Figure ES-1.  Overall national coastal condition based on results of the NCA Program, the Great Lakes State of the Lakes Ecosystem
      Conference (SOLEC) Program, and FVVS's National Wetland Inventory (1997-2000).
ES.2  National Coastal Condition Report II

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                                                                                                    Executive Summary
beach advisories and closures. This information,
together with descriptions of individual monitoring
programs, paints a picture of the overall condition of
coastal resources in the United States.

Summary  of the

Findings

   This report is based on the large amount of moni-
toring data collected between 1997 and 2000 on the
condition of the estuarine and Great Lakes resources
of the United States. Ecological assessment of these data
shows that the nation's estuaries are in fair condition,
with poor conditions in the Northeast Coast and Puerto
Rico regions and fair conditions in the Southeast Coast,
Gulf Coast, Great  Lakes, and West Coast regions. No
overall assessments were completed of Alaska, Hawaii,
Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana
Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands; however, surveys
of Alaska and Hawaii have been completed, samples are
being analyzed, and data will be available in 2004. New
ecological monitoring programs will permit a compre-
hensive and consistent  assessment of all of the nation's
coastal resources by 2006.
   The major findings  of the 1997—2000 study period
are as follows:
•  Overall condition of the nation's estuaries is fair. This
   rating is based on five indicators of ecological condi-
   tion: water quality index (including dissolved oxygen,
   chlorophyll a, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water
   clarity), sediment quality index (including sediment
toxicity, sediment contaminants, and sediment total
organic carbon [TOC]), benthic index, coastal
habitat index, and a fish tissue contaminants index.
Twenty-one percent of assessed resources are
unimpaired (good condition), whereas 35% are
impaired (poor condition) and 44% are threatened
(fair condition) for aquatic life use or human use.
Twenty-five percent of estuarine waters are impaired
for swimming, based on the water clarity data
presented in this report. Water clarity represents
the aesthetic component of this human use. The
suitability of estuarine waters for swimming is best
measured using microbial  measures, which are not
included in this report.
Twenty-two percent of estuarine waters are impaired
for fishing, based on the risk-based noncancer guide-
lines for moderate consumption. Suitability of waters
for fishing is measured using the fish tissue contami-
nants index in this report.
Twenty-eight percent of estuarine waters are impaired
for aquatic  life use. Suitability of waters for aquatic
life use is measured using the water quality, sediment
quality, benthic, and habitat loss indices in this report.
The indicators that show the poorest conditions
throughout the United States are coastal habitat
condition, sediment quality, and benthic condition.
The indicators that generally show the best condition
are the individual components of water quality—
dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen
(DIN) (Table ES-1).
Table ES-I. Rating Scores3 by Indicator and Region
Northeast
Indicator Coast
Water Quality Index 2
Sediment Quality
Index 1
Benthic Index 1
Coastal Habitat
1 Index 4
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index 1
Overall Condition 1 .8
Southeast
Coast
4
4
3
3
5
3.8
Gulf West Great Puerto
Coast Coast Lakes Rico
3C 3 3 3
3211
2321
1 1 2 — d
3 1 3 — d
2.4 2.0 2.2 1.7
United
States"
3.0
2.1
2.0
1.7
2.7
2.3
 a  Rating scores are based on a S-point system, where I is poor and S is good.
 b  The U.S. score is based on an aerially weighted mean of regional scores.
 c  This rating score does not include the impact of the hypoxic zone in offshore Gulf Coast waters.
 d  No coastal habitat index loss or fish tissue contaminants index results were available for Puerto Rico.
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  ES.3

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Table ES-2. Percent Area in Poor Condition3 by Indicator (except Coastal Habitat Index) and Region
Northeast
Indicator Coast
Water Quality lndexb
Sediment Quality
lndexd
Benthic Index
Coastal Habitat
Index6
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index'
Overall Poor
Condition^
19
16
22
1.00
31
40h
Southeast
Coast
5
8
II
1.06
5
23
Gulf
Coast
9C
12
17
1.30
14
40
West Great
Coast Lakes
3 —
14 —
13 —
1.90 —
27 —
23 —
Puerto United
Rico States
9 II
61 13
35 17
— 1.26
— 22
77 35
       a The percent area of poor condition is the percentage of total estuarine surface area in the region or the nation (proportional area
        information is not available for the Great Lakes).
       b The water quality index is based on a combination of water quality measurements (dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, nitrogen, phosphorus,
        and water clarity).
       c The area of poor condition does not include the hypoxic zone in offshore Gulf Coast waters.
       d The sediment quality index is based on a combination of sediment quality measurements (sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants,
        and sediment TOC).
       e The coastal habitat index is based on the average of the mean long-term, decadal wetland loss (1780-1990) and the present decadal wetland
        loss rate (1990-2000).
       f The fish tissue contaminants index is based on analyses of whole fish (not fillets).
       g The overall percentage is based on the overlap of the five indicators and includes estuarine area for all of the conterminous 48 states
        (by region and total) and Puerto Rico.
       h In  Northeast Coast estuaries, at least one of the five indicators is rated poor at sites representing 40% of total estuarine area.
      Describing Coastal

      Condition

      Three types of data are presented in this report:
      •  Coastal Monitoring Data—data from programs
         such as EPA's Environmental Monitoring and
         Assessment Program  (EMAP) and the NCA
         Program, NOAA's National Status and Trends
         (NS&T) Program, and FWS's National Wetlands
         Inventory (NWI), as well as Great Lakes information
         from the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
         (SOLEC). These data are used in this  report to
         develop indicators of condition that are then
         used to calculate regional and national ratings
         of coastal condition.
      •  Offshore Fisheries Data—data from programs
         such as NOAA's Marine Monitoring and Assessment
         Program (MARMAP) and Southeast Area Monitoring
   and Assessment Program (SEAMAP). These data are
   used in this report to assess the condition of coastal
   fisheries in large marine ecosystems (LMEs).
•  Assessment and Advisory Data—data provided by
   states or other regulatory agencies that  are compiled
   in nationally maintained databases. The agencies
   contributing data use different methodologies and
   criteria for assessment; therefore, the data cannot be
   used to make broad-based comparisons among the
   different coastal areas. These data provide informa-
   tion about designated use support, which affects
   public perception of coastal condition as it relates
   to public health.

Coastal Monitoring Data
   About 21% of the estuarine area in the contiguous
48 states and Puerto Rico is in good condition for
supporting aquatic life and human uses (Figure ES-2).
About 28% of the estuarine area shows evidence of
impaired aquatic life use, and 22% shows evidence  of
ES.4  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                                       Executive Summary
impaired human use. An additional 44% of estuarine
waters show threatened aquatic life and human uses.
   For EPA, issues regarding coastal condition can
often be reduced to three simple questions: Are the
waters swimmable? Are the waters fishable? Do the
waters support aquatic life? This  report can address
all three questions.
•  Swimming. Suitability for swimming is best
   analyzed using a measure  of microbial contamination
   of estuarine waters or sediments. However, the NCA
   has not been able to develop a microbial indicator
   that is consistently collected throughout U.S.
   estuarine waters that can meet all quality assurance
   requirements. The most applicable indicator
   measured by the NCA that can  be used to address
   swimming  is water clarity (an aesthetic  indicator).
   About 25% of estuarine waters assessed have poor
   water clarity.
•  Fishing. Twenty-two percent  of sites sampled for
   fish in the United States exceed  risk-based noncancer
   guidelines for consumption of four 8-ounce meals
   per month. An additional 15%  of sites  show conta-
   minant concentrations within the range of these
   noncancer guidelines. The suitability of waters for
   fishing is measured using  the fish tissue contaminants
   index, which received a national rating  of fair.
•  Aquatic Life Use. Based on the water quality index,
   sediment quality index, benthic index,  and coastal
   habitat index, 28% of U.S. estuarine surface area
   is impaired for aquatic life use.
      Threatened
         44%
                              Unimpaired
                                 21%
                  Impaired Aquatic
                      Life Use
                        13%
                Impaired Human Use
                        7%
Impaired Human and
  Aquatic Life Use
       15%
Figure ES-2. National estuarine condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                             The overall condition of the nation's estuarine waters
                                          is fair (Figure ES-3). This rating is based on the combi-
                                          nation of the five component indicators: water quality
                                          index, sediment quality index, benthic index, coastal
                                          habitat index, and fish tissue contaminants index.
                                          Supplemental information (e.g., information on water
                                          clarity, dissolved oxygen, DIN, dissolved inorganic
                                          phosphorus [DIP], chlorophyll a, sediment contami-
                                          nants, sediment toxicity, and sediment TOC), when
                                          available, is also presented throughout this report
                                          according to  the rating criteria presented in Table ES-3.
                                          These five  indicators were assigned a good, fair, or poor
                                          rating for each coastal region of the United States. The
                                          ratings were then averaged to  create an overall score for
                                          each coastal area.
                                          Figure ES-3.
                                          The overall estuarine
                                          condition for the
                                          nation is fain
                                                                   Overall National  I  I
                                                                  Coastal Condition V  7
                                                                        (2.3)     V
   | Good
Fair
Poor |
[g| Water Quality Index (3.0)

L^J Sediment Quality Index (2.1)

[^] Benthic Index (2.0)

  J Coastal Habitat Index (1.7)

\+A Fish Tissue Index (2.7)
                                          Of the 2.5 million visitors to the Florida Keys each yean 17%
                                          participate in some type of fishing activity during their visit
                                          (Photo: Page Guill, Florida Keys NMS).
                                                                                        National Coastal Condition Report II  ES.5

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       Table ES-3.  Indicators Used to Assess Coastal Condition (NCA)
          Icon
        Sediment
         Quality
          Index
                   Water Quality Index is an index that is based on five water quality measurements (dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a,
                   nitrogen, phosphorus, and water clarity).
                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   Good: No measures are rated  poor, and
                          a maximum of one  is rated fair.
                   Fair:  One measure is rated poor, or
                          two or more measures  are fair.
                   Poor: Two or more measures  are
                          rated poor.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: Less than 10% of coastal waters are in poor condition,
                                                    and less than 50% of coastal waters are in combined
                                                    poor and fair condition.
                                             Fair:  Between 10% and 20% of coastal waters are in poor
                                                    conditioner more than 50% of coastal waters are in
                                                    combined fair and poor condition.
                                             Poor:  More than 20% of coastal waters are  in poor condition.
                   Sediment Quality Index is an index that is based on three sediment quality measurements (sediment toxicity,
                   sediment contaminants, and sedimentTOC).
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: No measures are rated poor, and
       the sediment contaminants
       indicator is rated  good.
Fair:   No measures are rated poor,
       and the sediment contaminants
       indicator is rated  fair.
Poor:  One or more measures are
       rated poor.
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 5% of coastal sediments are in poor condition,
       and less than 50% of coastal sediments are in combined
       poor and fair condition.
Fair:  Between 5 and 15% of coastal sediments are in poor
       conditioner more than 50% of coastal sediments are
       in combined poor and fair condition.
Poor:  More than 15% of coastal sediments are in poor
       condition.
                   Benthic Index (or a surrogate measure) is an indicator of the condition of the benthic community (organisms living
                   in estuarine sediments) and can include measures of benthic community diversity, the presence and abundance of
                   pollution-tolerant species, and the presence and abundance of pollution-sensitive species.
                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   Good, fair, and poor were
                   determined using regionally
                   dependent benthic index scores.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: Less than 10% of coastal sediments have a poor benthic
                                                    index score, and less than 50% of coastal  sediments have a
                                                    combined poor and fair benthic index score.
                                             Fair:  Between  10% and 20% of coastal sediments have a poor
                                                    benthic index score, or more than 50% of coastal sedi-
                                                    ments have a combined poor and fair benthic index score.
                                             Poor:  More than 20% of coastal sediments have a poor benthic
                                                    index score.
                   Coastal Habitat Index is evaluated using the data from the NWI (NWI,2002). The NWI contains data on estu-
                   arine-emergent and tidal flat acreage for all coastal states (except Hawaii and Puerto Rico) for 1780 through 2000.
                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   The average of the mean long-term, decadal
                   wetland loss rate (1780-1990) and the
                   present decadal wetland loss rate (1990-
                   2000) was determined for each region of the
                   United States and multiplied by 100 to create
                   a coastal habitat index score.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: The coastal habitat index score is less than 1.0.
                                             Fair:  The coastal habitat index is between 1.0 and 1.25.
                                             Poor: The coastal habitat index is greater than  1.25.
                   Fish Tissue Contaminants Index concentrations are an indicator of the level of chemical contamination in
                   target fish/shellfish species.

                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   Good: Composite fish tissue contaminant
                          concentrations are below the EPA
                          Guidance concentration range.
                   Fair:  Composite fish tissue contaminant
                          concentrations are in the EPA
                          Guidance concentration range.
                   Poor:  Composite fish tissue contaminant
                          concentrations are above the EPA
                          Guidance concentration range.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: Less than 10% of estuarine sites are in poor condition,
                                                    and less than 50% are in combined fair and poor
                                                    condition.
                                             Fair:  From 10 to 20% of estuarine waters are in poor condi-
                                                    tioner more than 50% are in combined fair and poor
                                                    condition.
                                             Poor:  More than 20% of sites have poor condition.
ES.6  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                                   Executive Summary
A summary of each indicator is presented below.
• "Water Quality Index; This index is rated fair
  throughout the United States; however, a slightly
  larger proportion of waters in Northeast Coast
  estuaries are in poor condition (19%), resulting
  in a rating of fair to poor.
• Sediment Quality Index; This index is rated fair
  to poor for the United States. Sediment quality is
  poor for the Northeast Coast, Great Lakes, and
  Puerto Rico. Sediment quality in the remainder
  of the country's estuarine waters is in fair condition.
  Many regions of the United States have significant
  sediment degradation, including contaminant
  concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
   (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesti-
  cides, and metals that are above EPA Guidance
  levels. Most of these exceedances occur in Northeast
  Coast and Puerto Rico estuaries. High concentra-
  tions of sediment TOC (often associated with the
  deposition of human, animal, and plant wastes) are
  observed in 44% of Puerto Rico estuaries.
• Benthic Index; Benthic condition is fair to poor in
  most of the United States. Poor condition is observed
  in Northeast Coast and Puerto Rico estuaries, largely
  as a result of degraded sediment quality; however, in
  some cases, it is associated with poor water quality
  conditions, low dissolved oxygen, and elevated
  nutrient concentrations.
• Coastal Habitat Index; This index is rated poor for
  the nation's estuaries. Coastal wetland losses from
   1780 to 2000 were greater than or equal to 1% per
  decade in each region. The index score was greater
  than 1.25 in coastal wetland areas of the West Coast
  and the Gulf of Mexico.
• Fish Tissue Contaminants Index; The overall rating
  for fish tissue contaminants for the nation is fair. Fish
  tissue contaminant concentrations are above EPA
  Guidance levels in fish captured in Northeast Coast
  and West Coast estuaries for 4 of the 75 contami-
  nants measured (total PCBs, total PAHs, total
  dichloro-diphenyltrichlorethane [DDT], and
  mercury). Projections in fillets based on whole-body
  concentrations show that mercury concentrations in
  fillets are likely to exceed EPA Guidance levels for
   about 42% of sites in the United States. Fish tissue
   contaminant concentrations were not available for
   estuaries in Puerto Rico, Florida, and Louisiana.

 Offshore  Fisheries
   Currently, the only comprehensive, nationally consis-
tent data on the condition of offshore coastal waters are
fisheries resource data from NOAA surveys. In 2001,
NOAA's Office of Sustainable  Fisheries reported on the
status of 595 marine fish and shellfish stocks out of 951
total stocks (NMFS, 2002).  Eighty-one stocks were
overfished (compared with 92  in 2000), and 67 of these
(83%) were steadily rebuilding. Twenty more stocks had
sustainable harvest rates in 2001  than did in 2000.
Sixty-five stocks experienced catches exceeding allowable
harvest levels. The National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) has approved rebuilding plans for the majority
of overfished stocks. Of the 81 stocks that are over-
fished, 67 have an approved rebuilding plan and 9
have plans under development.

Assessment and Advisory
   Assessment information from the 2000 305(b) report
(data submitted by  the states in 2000) is available for
36% of the nation's estuaries and 6% of the nation's
shoreline waters. Available information suggests that
51% of assessed estuaries and  14% of assessed shoreline
waters in the United States (excluding Alaska) are
impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degrada-
tion (Figure ES-4). This information is consistent with
the national coastal monitoring data presented in this
report. States and tribes rate water quality for CWA
Figure ES-4. Water quality for assessed estuaries of the United
States (US EPA).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  ES.7

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      reporting by comparing available water quality data to
      their water quality standards (water quality standards
      include narrative and numeric criteria that support
      specific designated uses, such as swimming and aquatic
      life use). Each state has different monitoring resources
      and uses a different methodology for assessment, so this
      information is not nationally consistent and is often
      incomplete. Aquatic  life support, primary contact recre-
      ation (swimming), and fish consumption are the desig-
      nated uses that were  most frequently impaired. The
      leading stressors resulting in these impairments  are
      metals, pesticides, oxygen-depleting substances (oxygen
      is consumed during the degradation of organic matter
      and the oxidation of some inorganic matter), toxic
      chemicals, PCBs, and dissolved solids.
         The number of coastal and estuarine waters under
      fish consumption advisories represent an estimated 74%
      of the shoreline miles of the United States, including
92% of East Coast, 100% of Gulf Coast, and 11% of
West Coast shoreline miles. An estimated 50% of the
estuarine square miles also are under advisory, including
78% of East Coast estuaries, 23% of Gulf Coast estu-
aries, and 20% of West Coast estuaries (Figure ES-5).
Every Great Lake is under at least one advisory, and
advisories covered 100% of the Great Lakes shoreline
(U.S. EPA, 2003c).
   EPA's review of coastal beaches (U.S. coastal areas,
estuaries, and the Great Lakes) showed that of the 1,813
marine or Great Lakes beaches responding  to the survey,
529 beaches, or 29%, had an advisory or closing in
effect at least once during 2002 (Figure  ES-6). Beach
closures were issued for various reasons,  including
sewage contamination, elevated bacterial levels, and
preemptive reasons. The major sources of contamina-
tion were stormwater runoff, sewerline problems, sewer
overflows, and in many cases,  unknown sources.
              Number of
              advisories per USGS
              cataloging unit in 2002
      Figure ES-5. The number of coastal and estuarine fish consumption advisories per USGS cataloging unit . This count does not include
      advisories that may exist for noncoastal or nonestuarine waters. Alaska did not report advisories (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
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                                                                                                   Executive Summary
                                                                                       Percentage of
                                                                                       reporting beaches
                                                                                       with at least one
                                                                                       advisory or closure
                                                                                       in 2002:
Figure ES-6. Percentage of marine and Great Lakes beaches reporting with at least one advisory or closure in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
 Shortcomings  of

Available Data

   This report focuses on coastal regions for which
 nationally consistent and comparable data are available.
 Such data are currently available only for the contermi-
 nous 48 states and Puerto Rico. Alaska has very little
 information to support the kind of analysis used in
 this report (i.e., spatial estimates of condition based on
 indicators measured consistently across broad regions).
 Nearly 75% of the area of all the bays, sounds, and
 estuaries in the United States is located in Alaska, and
 no national report on estuarine condition can be truly
 complete without information on the condition of
 living resources and use attainment of these waters.
 Similarly, little information is available for Hawaii,
 the Caribbean, or the Pacific territories to support
 estimates of conditions based on the indicators used in
 this report. Although these latter systems make up only
 a small portion of the nation's estuarine area, they do
 represent a set of estuarine subsystems (such as coral
 reefs and tropical bays) that are not located anywhere
else in the United States, with the exception of the
Florida Keys and the Flower Gardens off the Louisiana/
Texas coast. These unique systems should not be
excluded from future national assessments,  and initial
condition surveys have already been completed for
monitoring programs in Hawaii and portions of Alaska.
   This report tries to make the best use of available
data in order to characterize and assess the condition
of the nation's  estuarine resources; however, the report
cannot represent all individual estuarine systems of the
United States or all of the appropriate spatial scales
(e.g., national, regional, and local) necessary to assess
the condition of estuaries. This assessment is based on
a limited number of ecological indicators for which
consistent data sets are available to support estimates
of ecological condition on regional  and national scales.
Through a multiagency and multistate effort over the
continuing decade, a truly consistent, comprehensive,
and integrated national coastal monitoring  program can
be realized. Only through the cooperative interaction of
the key federal agencies and coastal  states will the next
effort to gauge the health of the coastal ecosystems in
the United States be successful.
                                                                                    National Coastal Condition Report II  ES.9

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         Although most of the chapters in this report use
       ecological indicators to address the condition of coastal
       resources in each region, the last chapter addresses
       coastal condition in the context of how well estuaries
       are meeting the uses that humans expect of them.
       Only one estuary, Galveston Bay, was considered
       for this report. In this case,  it appears that human uses
       for commerce, fishing, and  recreation are being met.
       The exception is that fish consumption advisories
       are required at the upper end of Galveston Bay
       near Houston.

       Comparisons  to  the First
               -*•
       National Coastal

       Condition Report

         A primary goal of the National Coastal Condition
       Reports  is to provide a benchmark of coastal condition
       in order to measure the success of coastal programs over
       time. To achieve this end, the conditions reported in
       each report need  to  be comparable. For the first two
reports (NCCRI and NCCR II), there is insufficient
information to examine the potential trends in estuarine
condition that might be related to changes in environ-
mental programs  and policies. In the next report (antici-
pated in 2006), the information from 1990 through
2002 will be evaluated for potential trends.
   Comparing data between the NCCR I and NCCR
II is complicated  because, in some cases, indicators
were changed in order to improve the assessment. For
example, in the NCCR I, seven  indicators were used,
including multiple indicators for water quality, whereas
a single water quality indicator is used in the NCCR II.
In addition, reference conditions for some of the
indicators were modified to reflect regional differences.
In order to facilitate a comparison between these two
reports, the values reported  in the NCCR I  Executive
Summary were recalculated, to the extent possible,
using the approaches followed in the NCCR II and
are shown in Table ES-4. The table shows that overall
condition in U.S. estuaries is essentially the  same as in
the NCCR I. A more  detailed comparison of the results
reported in the two reports  appears in Appendix C.
Table ES-4. Rating Scores3 by Indicator and Region Comparing the 2001 and 2004 National Coastal Condition
Reports, but Calculated with 2004 Methods.
Indicator
Water Quality Index
Sediment Quality Index
Benthic Index
Coastal Habitat Index
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index
Overall Condition
Northeast
Coast
vlc
1
2
1
3
2
1.8
v2c
2
1
1
4
1
1.8
Southeast
Coast
vl
4
4
3
2
5
3.6
v2
4
4
3
3
5
3.8
Gulf
Coast
vl
1
3
1
1
3
1.8
v2
3
3
2
1
3
2.4
West
Coast
vl
1
2
3
1
3
2.0
v2
3
2
3
1
1
2.0
Great
Lakes
vl
1
1
1
1
3
1.4
v2
3
1
2
2
3
2.2
Puerto United
Rico States'5
v 1 v2 v 1
— 3 1.5
1 2.3
— 1 1.5
-d 1.6
3.1
1 .7 2.0
v2
3.0
2.1
2.0
1.7
2.7
2.3
        a  Rating scores are based on a S-point system, where I is poor and 5 is good (scores for Puerto Rico are only available for 2004 report).
        b  U.S. score is based on an areally weighted mean of regional scores.
        c  y\ = NCCR I,v2 = NCCR II
        d  No coastal habitat index or fish tissue contaminants index results are available for Puerto Rico.
IES.10  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                       •
 Chapter 1
Introduction
  The second National Coastal Condition Report (NCCRII), a comprehensive
report on the condition of the nation's estuarine waters and coastal fisheries, is
a collaborative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in coop-
eration with other agencies representing states and tribes.
  In the first National Coastal Condition Report (NCCR I; U.S. EPA,
2001 b), the condition of the nation's coasts was assessed using data from
1990 to 1996 that were provided by several existing coastal programs,
including EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP),
FWS's National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), and NOAA's National Status and
Trends (NS&T) Program. The NCCR II is similar to the NCCR I, but
contains more recent data from these programs (1997—2000), as well as data
from EPA's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) Program and NOAA's
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) surveys (but with no changes in
collection methodologies). The data provided by these programs allowed for
the development of coastal condition indicators for 100% of the estuarine area
of the conterminous 48 states and Puerto Rico. Surveys for portions of Alaska
and Hawaii were completed in 2002. The information from those surveys will
be available in 2005 and will be presented in the next National Coastal
Condition Report in 2006. No NCA surveys have been completed for the
Great Lakes region; therefore, regional non-probability assessments of those
waters, based on judgmental sites, have been included in this report.


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Chapter 1   Introduction
 Why Are  Coastal Waters Important?
Coastal Waters are Valuable and
Productive Natural Ecosystems
   Coastal waters include estuaries, coastal wetlands,
seagrass meadows, coral reefs, mangrove and kelp
forests, and upwelling areas. Critical coastal habitats
provide spawning grounds, nurseries, shelter, and food
for finfish, shellfish, birds, and other wildlife. The coasts
also provide essential nesting, resting, feeding, and
breeding habitat for 85% of U.S. waterfowl and other
migratory birds.
   Estuaries are bodies of water that receive freshwater
and sediment influx from rivers and tidal influx from
the oceans, thus providing transition zones between the
fresh water of a river and the saline environment of the
sea. This interaction produces a unique environment
that supports wildlife and fisheries and contributes
substantially to the economy of coastal areas.
   Wetlands are the interface between the aquatic and
terrestrial components of estuarine systems. Wetland
habitats are critical to the life cycles of fish, shellfish,
migratory birds, and other wildlife, and they help
improve surface water quality by filtering residential,
agricultural, and industrial wastes. Wetlands also buffer
coastal areas against storm and wave damage; however,
because of their close interface with terrestrial systems,
wetlands are vulnerable to land-based sources of
pollutant discharges and other human activities.

Coastal Waters Have  Many
Human  Uses
   Coastal areas are the most developed areas in the
nation. This narrow fringe—only 17% of total
contiguous U.S. land area—is home to more than 53%
of the nation's population (Figure 1-1). This means that
more than one-half of the U.S. population lives in less
than one-fifth of the total area of the conterminous 48
states (NRC, 2000). Further, this coastal population is
increasing by 3,600 people per day, giving a projected
total increase of 27 million people by 2015- This rate of
growth is faster than that of the nation as a whole
(Figure 1-2).
                                                             The Brown Pelican (Pe/econus ocddentalis), an endangered
                                                             species, feeds on schooling fish near the ocean's surface by
                                                             plunging beak-first from the air In the  1960s, chemical
                                                             dichlorodiphenyltrichlorethane (DDT) almost caused the
                                                             demise of the brown pelican. Pelicans exposed to DDT laid
                                                             eggs with thin or non-existent shells that broke during
                                                             nesting, thus reducing the number of surviving offspring.
                                                             Since DDT was banned in 1972, brown pelicans have
                                                             made a remarkable recovery and there are permanent
                                                             brown pelican nesting colonies on both Anacapa and Santa
                                                             Barbara Islands, (photo: Shane Anderson)
National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                           Chapter 1   Introduction
                                                                                                                     I
Figure l-l. Population distribution
in the United States, based on 2000
U.S. Census Bureau data.
   In addition to being a popular place to live, the U.S.
coasts are of great recreational value. Beaches have
become one of the most popular vacation destinations
in America, with 180 million people using the coast
each year (Cunningham and Walker, 1996). Sport
fishing, boating, and diving are enjoyed by millions, as
is the simple pleasure of visiting the shore.
   Human use of coastal areas also provides commercial
services. Almost 31% of the U.S. gross national product
(GNP) is produced in coastal counties, and roughly
85% of commercially harvested fish depend on estuaries
and nearby coastal waters at some stage in their life
cycle (NRC, 1997). Estuaries supply water for industrial
uses; lose water to freshwater diversions for drinking
and irrigation; are the critical terminals of the nation's
marine transportation system and Navy; provide a point
of discharge for municipalities and industries; and are
the downstream end of nonpoint source runoff.
   The average U.S. marine fisheries annual catch of
7 million metric tons (mt) is approximately 4.5% of the
world's annual catch. The waters adjacent to the estu-
aries and wetlands of the United States, from 3 to 200
350
300
250
200
ISO
100
SO
A
/
--
1



-
-




—
—
r
£3



—
—
r

                                      —
                                      o
                        Year
Figure 1-2. Population density from 1 960 to 20 1 5 (NOAA,
I998b).
nautical miles, constitute the federal Exclusive
Economic Zone (U.S. EEZ). The waters within and
adjoining the U.S. EEZ have been designated as large
marine ecosystems (LMEs), based on their distinct
bathymetry, hydrography, productivity, and trophic
relationships (NOAA, 1988b).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  3

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   Chapter 1   Introduction
   Why Be  Concerned about Coastal Condition?
     Because a disproportionate percentage of the nation's
   population lives in coastal areas, the activities of munici-
   palities, commerce, industry, and tourism have created
   environmental pressures that threaten the very resources
   that make the coast desirable. Population pressures
   include increased solid waste production, higher
   volumes of urban nonpoint source runoff, loss of green
   space and wildlife habitat, declines in ambient water
   and sediment quality, and increased demands for waste-
   water treatment, irrigation and potable water, and
   energy supplies. Development pressures have resulted in
   substantial physical changes along many areas of the
coastal zone. Coastal wetlands continue to be lost to
residential and commercial development, and the quan-
tity and timing of freshwater flow, critical to riverine
and estuarine function, continue to be altered. In effect,
the same human uses that are desired of coastal waters
also have the potential to lessen their value. This report
not only discusses indicators of coastal condition that
gauge the extent to which coastal habitats and resources
have been altered, but also addresses connections
between coastal condition and the ability of coastal
areas to meet human  expectations for their use.
4  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                      Chapter 1   Introduction
Indices  Used to Measure  Coastal  Condition
  This report examines several available data sets
from different agencies and areas of the country and
summarizes them to present a broad baseline picture
of the condition of coastal waters. Three types of data
are presented in this report:
• Coastal monitoring data from programs such as
  EPA's EMAP and the NCA Program, NOAA's
  NS&T Program, FWS's NWI, and data from the
  Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
  have been analyzed for this report and used to
  develop indices of condition
• Fisheries data for LMEs from  the NMFS
• Assessment and advisory data  provided by states or
  other regulatory agencies and compiled in national
  databases.
                       Available coastal monitoring information is presented
                     on a national scale for the conterminous 48 states and
                     Puerto Rico; these data are then broken down and
                     analyzed at six geographic levels: Northeast Coast,
                     Southeast Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, Great Lakes,
                     and Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories (Figure 1-3).
                     These geographic regions are comparable to the LME
                     classifications used by NOAA (Table 1-1). The assess-
                     ment and advisory data are presented at the end of each
                     chapter. Although inconsistencies in the way different
                     state agencies collect and provide assessment and advi-
                     sory data prevent their use for comparing conditions
                     between coastal  areas, the information is valuable
                     because it helps  identify and illuminate some of the
                     causes of coastal impairment, as well as the impacts of
                     these impairments on human uses.
                   West
                  Coastal
                   Area
                  and LME
                                                Northeast
                                               Coastal Area
                                                 and LME
                                                                              Southeast
                                                                             Coastal Area
                                                                               and LME
                       Alaska, Hawaii, and
                        Island Territories
      Figure 1-3. Coastal and large marine ecosystem areas presented in the chapters of this report.
       Table l-l. Comparison of NCA's Reporting Regions and NOAA's Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs)
       NCA Reporting Regions  NOAA's LMEs
       Northeast Coastal Area
Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf LME
       Southeast Coastal Area
Southeast U.S. Continental Shelf LME
       Gulf Coastal Area
Gulf of Mexico LME
       West Coastal Area
California Current LME
       Alaska, Hawaii, and
       Island Territories
East Bering Sea LME, Gulf of Alaska LME, Chukchi Sea LME, Beaufort Sea LME,
Insular Pacific-Hawaii LME, Caribbean Sea LME
                                                                                  National Coastal Condition Report I

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   Chapter 1   Introduction
     Three sources of estuarine information use nationally
   consistent data-collection designs and methods—NCA,
   NS&T, and NWI. The NCA Program collects these
   data from all coastal areas in the United States, except
   the  Great Lakes region, and the data are representative
   of all estuarine waters. The NS&T Program collects
   data from all coastal regions in the United States;
   however, the design of this survey does not permit
   extrapolation of the data to represent all coastal waters.
   The NWI provides estimates of wetland acreage
   (including coastal wetlands) by wetland type based on
   satellite reconnaissance of all U.S. states and territories.

   Purpose of This Report
     The purpose of the NCCR II  is to present a broad
   baseline picture of the condition of estuaries across the
   United States for 1997 to 2000 and, where available,
   snapshots of the condition of offshore waters. This
   report uses currently available data sets to  discuss the
   condition of the nation's coasts, and it is not intended
   to be a comprehensive literature review of coastal
   information. Instead, the report uses NCA and other
   monitoring data on a variety of indicators to provide
   insight into current coastal condition. The NCCR II
   will serve as a continuing benchmark for analyzing the
   progress of coastal programs and will be followed in
   subsequent years by reports on more specialized  coastal
   issues. It will also serve as a reminder of the data gaps
   and other pitfalls that assessors face and must try to
   overcome in order to make reliable assessments of how
   the  condition of the nation's coastal resources may
   change with time. Chapter 9 explores the  connections
   between the condition indicators and human uses of
   coastal areas. Although the type of assessment described
   in Chapter 9 cannot be conducted on scales larger than
   a single estuary, it is important to address  coastal condi-
   tion at several spatial scales (e.g., national, regional, state,
   and local). Chapter 9 provides an approach that
   complements the national/regional approach by exam-
   ining the same national/regional monitoring informa-
   tion with additional site-specific information for a
   specific estuary, Galveston Bay, in order to evaluate
   conditions with regard to human uses.
     This report  also includes special highlight sections
   that describe several exemplary programs related to
   coastal condition at the federal, state, and  local levels.
These highlights are not intended to be comprehensive
or exhaustive of all coastal programs, but are presented
to show that information about the health of coastal
systems is being collected for decision making at the
local and regional levels.

Shortcomings of Available Data
   Estuarine condition in Alaska is difficult to assess
because very little information is available to support
the kind of analysis used in this report (i.e., spatial
estimates of condition based on indicators measured
consistently across broad regions). Nearly 75% of the
area of all the bays, sounds, and estuaries in the United
States is located in Alaska, and no national report on
estuarine condition can be complete without informa-
tion on the condition of living resources and use attain-
ment of these waters. Similarly, information to support
estimates of conditions based on the indicators used in
this report is limited for Hawaii, the Pacific territories,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Although these latter
systems make up only a small portion of the nation's
estuarine area, they represent a unique set of estuarine
subsystems (such as coral reefs  and tropical bays) that
are not located anywhere else in the United States,
with the exception of the Florida Keys and the Flower
Gardens off the Texas/Louisiana coast.
   Surveys of Puerto Rico were completed in 2000
and are also included in this report. Collection surveys
were completed for Hawaii and portions of Alaska in
2002 and will be included in the next National Coastal
Condition Report. In addition, new surveys of ecolog-
ical coastal condition for Alaska,  Hawaii, Puerto Rico,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific territories were
planned for 2004.
   In order to  attain consistent reporting in all of
the coastal ecosystems in the United States, fiscal
and intellectual resources need to be invested in the
creation of a national coastal monitoring program. The
conceptual framework for such a program is outlined in
the National Coastal Research  and Monitoring Strategy
(http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr/H2Ofin.pdf).
This strategy calls for a national program  that is
organized at the state level and carried out by a
partnership between federal departments and agencies
(EPA, NOAA, DOI, and USDA) and state natural
resource agencies, as well  as academia and industry.
6  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                           Chapter 1   Introduction
This monitoring program would provide the capability
to measure, understand, analyze, and forecast ecological
change at national, regional, and local scales. A first step
in the development of this type of program was the
initiation of EPA's NCA Program, a national estuarine
monitoring program organized and executed at the state
level. However, the NCA Program is merely a starting
point for developing a comprehensive national  coastal
monitoring program that can offer a nationwide coastal
assessment at all appropriate spatial scales. One
approach for examining coastal data at a more local
scale—an individual estuarine system—is presented
in Chapter 9-

Coastal Monitoring Data
   A large percentage of the data used in this assessment
of coastal condition comes from programs administered
by EPA and NOAA. EPA's NCA Program provides
representative data on biota (e.g., plankton,  benthos,
and fish) and environmental stressors (e.g., water
quality, sediment quality, and tissue bioaccumulation)
for all coastal states and Puerto Rico (except states in
the Great Lakes region). NOAA's NS&T Program
provides site-specific data on toxic contaminants and
their ecological effects for  all coastal regions  and Puerto
Rico. Coastal condition is also evaluated using informa-
tion from the FWS's NWI, which provides information
on the status of the nation's wetlands acreage.
   Five primary indices were created using data available
from national coastal programs: water quality index,
sediment quality index,  benthic index,  coastal habitat
index, and fish  tissue contaminants index. These indices
were selected because of the availability of relatively
consistent data  sets for these indicators for most of the
country. These  indices do  not address all characteristics
of estuaries and coastal waters that are valued by society,
but they do provide information on both ecological
condition and human use of estuaries.
   Characterizing coastal areas using each of the five
indicators involves two steps. The first  step is to assess
condition at an individual site for each indicator. For
each indicator,  site condition rating criteria are  deter-
mined based on existing criteria, guidelines,  or  the
interpretation of scientific literature. For example,
dissolved oxygen conditions are considered poor if
dissolved oxygen concentrations are less than 2 mg/L
(2 milligrams of oxygen per liter of water). This value is
widely accepted as representative of hypoxic conditions;
therefore, this benchmark for poor condition is strongly
supported by scientific evidence (Diaz and Rosenberg,
1995; U.S. EPA, 2000a).
   The second step is to assign a regional rating for the
indicator based on the condition of individual sites
within the region.  For example, in order for a region
to be rated poor with regard to the dissolved oxygen
indicator, more than 15% of the coastal area in the
region must have dissolved oxygen measured at less than
2 mg/L. The regional criteria boundaries (i.e., percent-
ages used to rate each regional condition indicator) were
determined as a median of responses provided through
a survey of environmental managers, resource experts,
and the knowledgeable public.
Scientists retrieve aTucker net. ATucker net is comprised of three
nets to collect sample plankton from different water depths
(Jamie Hall).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  7

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Chapter 1   Introduction


Calculating Aquatic Life Use  and  Human
Use  Attainment
   The results of the regional and national evaluations
of estuarine condition were used to assess aquatic life
use and human use attainment.  If any of four indicators
of condition—water quality condition,  sediment
quality, benthic condition, or habitat loss—received a
poor rating at a given site, then the site  was assessed as
impaired for aquatic life use. Threatened aquatic life use
was assessed as the overlap of fair conditions of these
same  indicators. For example, if two or  more indicators
were rated as fair and none as poor, then the site was
listed as threatened (all sites had at least one fair rating
because the regional ratings for coastal habitat loss were
fair in all regions). A site was determined to be unim-
paired for aquatic life use if all four indicators were
rated  good, or only one indicator was rated fair and no
indicators were rated poor.
   National and regional evaluations for fish tissue cont-
aminants were used to  assess human use attainment. If
the fish tissue contaminant concentrations exceeded the
concentration criteria ranges for risk-based consumption
of four 8-ounce meals per month for any contaminant,
the site was assessed as impaired for human use. A site
was considered to be threatened for human use if the
fish tissue contaminant concentrations fell within the
criteria ranges for risk-based consumption of four 8-
ounce meals per month. Sites were considered unim-
paired for human use if fish tissue concentrations fell
below the risk-based concentration guidance ranges for
consumption for all contaminants.
   All spatial areas in a region or the nation were
assigned a category of (1) impaired for aquatic life use
only,  (2) impaired for human use only,  (3) impaired for
both aquatic life use and human use, (4) threatened (for
one or both uses), or (5) unimpaired (for both uses).
                                                            Aquatic Use Indices
                                                               The following indices examine coastal condition as it
                                                            relates to use by aquatic organisms.
                                                                E Water Quality Index
                                                               The water quality index is made up of five indica-
                                                             tors: nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll a, water clarity,
                                                             and dissolved oxygen. Some nutrient inputs to coastal
                                                             waters (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) are necessary
                                                             for a healthy, functioning estuarine ecosystem. When
                                                             nutrients from various sources, such as sewage and
                                                             fertilizers, are introduced into an estuary, the concentra-
                                                             tion of available nutrients will increase beyond natural
                                                             background levels. This increase in the rate of supply
                                                             of organic matter  is called  eutrophication, which may
                                                             result in a host of undesirable water quality conditions
                                                             (Figure 1-4). Excess nutrients can lead to excess plant
        Phytoplankton Bloom
 A       thrives on nutrients
 .%••
  Sv
  » \  Dissolved Oxygen
            trapped in
           lighter layer
matej'ia^
 settl
    ^"""  Decomposition
                                                                                             Dissolved Oxygen
                                                                                              from wave action
                                                                                             and photosynthesis
                                                                                                        Less dense
                                                                                                        freshwater
                                                                 . Dissolved Oxygen used up
                                                                  by microorganism^ respiration
                                                                                                   Fish will avoid
                                                                                                 hypoxia if possible
                                                                    released by bottom sediments
                                                                                  Dissolved Oxygen consumed
                                                              Shellfish
                                                              and other
                                                               benthic
                                                              organisms
                                                               unable
                                                              to escape
                                                               hypoxia
                                                                          Decomposition of organic
                                                                             matter in sediments
                                                             Figure 1-4. Eutrophication can occur when the concentration
                                                             of available nutrients increases beyond normal levels.
8  National Coastal Condition Report I

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production, and thus, to increased chlorophyll, which
can decrease water clarity and lower concentrations of
dissolved oxygen.
   The water quality index used in this report is
intended to characterize acutely degraded water quality
conditions. It does not consistently identify sites experi-
encing occasional or infrequent hypoxia, nutrient
enrichment, or decreased water clarity. As a result, a
rating of poor for the water quality index means that
the site is likely to have consistently poor condition
during the monitoring period. If a site is designated as
fair or good, the site did not experience poor condition
on the date sampled, but could be characterized by poor
condition for short time periods. In order to assess the
level of variability in the index at a specific site,
increased or supplemental sampling is needed.
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorus
   Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved
inorganic phosphorus (DIP) are necessary and natural
nutrients required for the growth of phytoplankton.
However, excessive DIN and DIP can result in large,
undesirable phytoplankton blooms.  For the NCCR I,
DIN and DIP information was determined through
a survey of estuarine experts conducted by NOAA
(Bricker et al., 1999). In the NOAA report, surface
maximum DIN values were assessed as high if they were
equal to or greater than 1 mg/L; medium if they were
less than 1  mg/L, but equal to or greater than 0.1  mg/L;
and low if they were less than 0.1  mg/L. Surface
maximum DIP values were assessed as high if they
were equal to or greater than 0.1 mg/L; medium if they
were less than 0.1 mg/L, but equal to or greater than
0.01 mg/L; and low if they were less than 0.01 mg/L.
The NOAA report included data from all months of
the year.
   For the NCCR II, DIN and DIP were determined
chemically through the collection of filtered surface water
at each site. NCA surveys were conducted in late summer
(not the most likely period for maximal nutrient values
in East Coast and Gulf Coast estuaries, summer is the
period of expected peak concentrations for West Coast
estuaries). As a result, the DIN and DIP reference surface
concentrations used to assess condition in this report are
generally lower than those in the NOAA report because
of the natural reduction in nutrient  concentrations due
to uptake by phytoplankton from spring to summer for
the production of chlorophyll.
                                                                                          Chapter 1   Introduction
   Coastal monitoring sites were rated good, fair, or
poor for DIN and DIP using the criteria shown in
Tables 1-2 and 1-3- These ratings were then used to
calculate an overall rating for each region.
Table 1-2. Criteria for Assessing Dissolved Inorganic
Nitrogen
                                           I
   Area
Good
Fair
Poor
 East/Gulf      <0.l mg/L    0.1-0.5 mg/L    >0.5 mg/L
 Coast sites
West Coast
sites
Hawaii,
Puerto Rico,
and Florida
Bay sites
Regional
Scores






<0.5 mg/L

<0.05 mg/L


Less than 1 0%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, and more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in good
condition.
0.5- 1.0 mg/L

0.05-0.1 mg/L


10% to 25%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, or more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in combined
poor and fair
condition.
>l mg/L

>0.l mg/L


More than 25%
of the coastal
area was
in poor
condition.




Table 1-3. Criteria for Assessing Dissolved Inorganic
Phosphorus
Area
East/Gulf
Coast sites
West Coast
sites
Hawaii,
Puerto Rico,
and Florida
Bay sites
Regional
Scores






Good
0.05 mg/L
>0.l mg/L

>O.OI mg/L


More than 25%
of the coastal
area was
in poor
condition.




                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  9

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    Chapter 1   Introduction
    Chlorophyll a
       For this report, surface concentrations of chlorophyll a
    were determined from a filtered portion of water
    collected at each site and were rated good, fair, or
    poor using the criteria shown in Table 1-4. These
    ratings were then used to calculate an overall rating
    for each region.

    Table 1-4. Criteria for Assessing Chlorophyll a
Area
East/Gulf,
West Coast
sites
Hawaii,
Puerto Rico,
Florida Bay
sites
Regional
Scores






Good
<5 ug/L

<0.5 ug/L
20 ug/L

>l Mg/L
>5 ug/L

More than 20%
of the coastal
area was
in poor
condition.




    Water Clarity
       Clear waters are valued by society and contribute to
    the maintenance of healthy and productive ecosystems.
    Light penetration into estuarine waters is important
    for submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), which serves
    as  food and habitat for the resident biota. The NCA
    estimates water clarity using specialized equipment that
    compares the amount and type of light reaching the
    water surface to the light at a depth of 1 meter, as well
    as  by using a Secchi disk. Water clarity varies naturally
    among various parts of the nation; therefore, the water
    clarity indicator (WCI) is based on a ratio of observed
    clarity to regional reference conditions: WCI =
    (observed clarity at 1 meter)/(regional reference clarity
    at  1 meter). The regional reference conditions were
    determined by examining available data for each of the
    U.S. regions. Conditions were set at 10% of incident
    light available at a depth of 1 meter for normally turbid
    locations (most of the United States), 5% for naturally
    highly turbid conditions  (Louisiana, South Carolina,
Georgia, and Delaware Bay), and 20% for regions of
the country with significant SAV beds or active
programs for SAV restoration (southern Laguna Madre,
the Big Bend region of Florida, the region from Tampa
Bay to Florida Bay, the Indian River Lagoon, and
portions of Chesapeake Bay). Table 1-5 summarizes the
rating criteria for water clarity for each monitoring
station and for the regions.

Table 1-5.  Criteria for Assessing Water Clarity
Area
Individual
sampling
sites
Regional
Scores






Good
WCI ratio is
greater than
2.
Less than 1 0%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, and more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in good
condition.
Fair
WCI ratio is
between
1 and 2.
10% to 25%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, or more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in combined
poor and fair
condition.
Poor
WCI ratio is
less than 1 .
More than 25%
of the coastal
area was
in poor
condition.




WCI= (observed clarity at I  meter)/(regional reference clarity at
I  meter)
Dissolved Oxygen
   Dissolved oxygen is necessary for all estuarine life.
Many states use a threshold average concentration of
4 to 5 rng/L to set their water quality standards.
Concentrations below  approximately 2 mg/L are
thought to be stressful  to many estuarine organisms
(Diaz and Rosenberg,  1995; U.S. EPA, 2000a). These
low levels most often occur in bottom waters and affect
the organisms that live in the sediments.  Low levels
of oxygen (hypoxia)  or lack of oxygen (anoxia)  often
accompany the onset of severe bacterial degradation,
sometimes resulting  in the  presence of algal scums and
noxious odors. In some estuaries, however, low levels
of oxygen occur periodically or may be a part of the
natural ecology. Therefore, although it is easy to show
a snapshot of the conditions of the nation's estuaries
concerning oxygen concentrations, it is difficult to
interpret whether this snapshot is representative of all
summertime periods (e.g.,  representative of variable
daily conditions in Narragansett Bay) or the result of
natural physical processes. Unless otherwise noted, the
dissolved oxygen data presented in this report were
10  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                          Chapter 1   Introduction
collected under the NCA Program. Dissolved oxygen
was rated good, fair, or poor using the criteria shown
in Table  1-6.
Table 1-6. Criteria for Assessing Dissolved Oxygen

   Area        Good         Fair         Poor
Individual
sampling
sites
Regional
Scores






> 5 mg/L
Less than 5%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, and more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in good
condition.
2-5 mg/L
5% to 1 5%
of the coastal
area was in
poor condi-
tion, or more
than 50% of
the coastal
area was
in combined
poor and fair
condition.
< 2 mg/L
More than 1 5%
of the coastal
area was
in poor
condition.




Calculating the Water Quality Index
   Once DIN, DIP, chlorophyll a, water clarity, and
dissolved oxygen were assessed for a given site, the water
quality index rating was calculated for the site based on
these five indicators. The index was  rated good,  fair, or
poor using the criteria shown in Table 1-7-

Table 1-7. Criteria for  Determining the Water Quality
Index Rating by Site
 Rating                   Criteria
 Good

A maximum of one indicator is fair, and no
indicators are poor.
 Fair       One of the indicators is rated poor, or two
           or more indicators are rated fair.
 Poor

Two or more of the five indicators are
rated poor.
 Missing    Two components of the indicator are missing,
           and the available indicators do not suggest a
           fair or poor rating.

   The water quality index was then calculated for each
region using the criteria in Table 1-8.
Table 1-8. Criteria for Determining the Water Quality
Index Rating by  Region
Rating
Good
Fair


Poor

1



1
Criteria
Less than 10% of coastal waters are in poor
condition, and less than 50% of coastal waters
are in combined poor and fair condition.
10% to 20% of coastal waters are in poor
condition, or more than 50% of coastal waters
are in combined fair and poor condition.
More than 20% of coastal waters are in poor
condition.
       Sediment Quality Index
   Another issue of major environmental concern in
estuaries is the contamination of sediments with toxic
chemicals. A wide variety of metals and organic
substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesti-
cides, are discharged into estuaries from urban, agricul-
tural, and industrial sources in the watershed. The cont-
aminants adsorb onto suspended particles and eventu-
ally accumulate in depositional basins where they can
disrupt  the benthic community of invertebrates, shell-
fish, and crustaceans that live in or on the sediments. To
the extent that the contaminants become concentrated
in the organisms, they pose a risk to organisms
throughout the food web—including humans.
   Several factors influence the extent and severity of
contamination. Fine-grained, organic-rich sediments are
likely to become resuspended and transported to  distant
locations and are also efficient at scavenging pollutants.
Thus, silty sediments high in total organic carbon  (TOC)
are potential sources of contamination. Conversely,
organic-rich particles bind some toxicants so strongly
that the threat to organisms can be greatly reduced. The
NCA Program measured the concentrations of 91
chemical constituents in sediments and evaluated sedi-
ment toxicity by measuring the survival of the marine
amphipod Ampelisca abdita following exposure to the
sediments. The results of this research may be used to
identify the most polluted areas and give clues regarding
the sources of contamination.
   The physical and  chemical characteristics of surface
sediments are the result of interacting forces that  control
chemical input and particle dynamics at any particular
site.  In assessing coastal condition, researchers measure
the potential for sediments to affect bottom-dwelling
organisms. The sediment quality index is based on three
indicators of sediment condition: direct measures of
sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants,  and the sedi-
ment TOC concentration.
   Some researchers and managers would prefer that the
sediment triad (sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity,
and benthic communities) be used to assess sediment
condition (poor condition would require all three
elements to be poor), or that poor sediment condition
be determined based on the joint occurrence of elevated
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  11

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    Chapter 1   Introduction
    sediment contaminant concentrations and high
    sediment toxicity (see text box). Benthic community
    attributes are included in this assessment of estuarine
    condition as an independent variable rather than as a
    component of sediment quality.
       In this report, the focus of the sediment quality
    index is on sediment condition, not just sediment
    toxicity. Attributes of sediments other than toxicity can
    result in unacceptable changes in biotic communities.
    For example, organic enrichment through wastewater
    disposal can have an undesired effect on biota, and
    elevated contaminant levels can have undesirable
    ecological effects (e.g.,  changes in benthic community
    structure) that are not directly related to acute toxicity
    (as measured by the Ampelisca test). For these reasons,
    the sediment quality index used in this report uses the
    combination of sediment toxicity, sediment contami-
    nants, and sediment TOC to assess sediment condition.
    The condition of estuarine sediment is assessed as poor
    (high potential for exposure  effects on biota) if any one
    of the elements is categorized as poor; condition is
    assessed as fair if the sediment contaminants indicator is
    fair; and condition is assessed as good if all three indices
    are at levels that would be unlikely to result in adverse
    biological effects due to sediment quality.
       Alternative Views for a Sediment Quality Index
       Some resource managers object to using effects range
       median (ERM) and effect reange low (ERL) values to
       calculate the NCCR II sediment quality index because
       the index is also based on actual measurements of
       toxicity.  Because ERMs are acknowledged to be no
       greater than 50% predictive of toxicity, these managers
       believe that the same weight should not be given to a
       nontoxic sample with an ERM exceedance as is given
       to a sample that is actually toxic. O'Connor et al.
       (1998), using a 1,508-sample EPA and NOAA database,
       found that  38% of ERM  exceedances coincided with
       amphipod toxicity (i.e., were toxic), 13% of the ERL
       exceedances (no ERM exceedance) were toxic; and
       only 5% of the samples that did not exceed  ERL values
       were toxic. O'Connor and Paul (2000) expanded the
       1,508-sample data set to 2,475 samples, and the results
       remained relatively unchanged  (41% of the ERM
       exceedances were toxic, and only 5% of the nonex-
       ceedances were toxic). As a result, these researchers
       and managers believe that the sediment quality index
       used in this report should not  result in a poor rating  if
       sediment contaminant criteria are exceeded, but the
       sediment is not toxic.
Sediment Toxicity
   Researchers applied a standard direct test of toxicity
at thousands of sites to measure the survival of
amphipods (commonly found, shrimp-like benthic
crustaceans) exposed to sediments for 10 days under
laboratory conditions. As in all tests of toxicity, survival
was measured relative to that of amphipods exposed to
reference sediment. The criteria for rating sediment
toxicity based on amphipod survival for each sampling
site are shown in Table 1-9- Table 1-10 shows how these
site data were used to evaluate the region.
Table 1-9. Criteria for Assessing Sediment Toxicity
by Site
Rating                     Criteria
 Good
 Poor
\
The amphipod survival rate is greater than
or equal to 80%.
The amphipod survival rate is less than 80%.
Table 1-10. Criteria for Assessing Sediment Toxicity
by Region
 Rating
                   Criteria
 Good   I Less than 5% of coastal areas are in
         I poor condition.
 Poor    I More than 5% of coastal areas are in
         I poor condition.
Sediment Contaminants
   There are no absolute chemical concentrations that
correspond to sediment toxicity, but ERL and ERM
values are used as guidelines in assessing sediment cont-
amination (Table 1-11). ERM is the median concentra-
tion of a contaminant observed to have adverse biolog-
ical effects in the literature studies examined. A more
protective indicator of contaminant concentration is the
ERL criteria, which is the 1 Oth percentile concentration
of a contaminant represented by studies demonstrating
adverse biological effects in the literature. Ecological
effects are not likely to occur at contaminant concentra-
tions below the ERL criterion. The criteria for rating
sediment contaminants  at individual sampling sites are
shown in Table 1-12. Table 1-13 shows how these data
were used to create a regional rating.
12  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                            Chapter 1   Introduction
  Sediment Contaminant Criteria
  (Longetal., 1995)

  ERM (Effects Range Median)—Determined for each
  chemical as the 50th percentile  (median) in a database
  of ascending concentrations associated with adverse
  biological effects.

  ERL (Effects Range Low)—Determined values for
  each chemical as the I Oth percentile in a database of
  ascending concentrations associated with adverse
  biological effects.
1 Table l-l 1. ERM and ERL Guidance Values in
Sediments (Long et al., 1995)
Metal3
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Silver
Zinc
Analyteb
Acenaphthene
Acenapthylene
Anthracene
Flourene
2-Methyl napthalene
Napthalene
Phenanthrene
Benz(a)anthracene
Benzo(a)pyrene
Chrysene
Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene
Fluoranthene
Pyrene
Low molecular weight PAH
High molecular weight PAH
Total PAHs
4,4'-DDE
Total DDT
Total PCBs
ERL
8.2
1.2
81
34
46.7
0.15
20.9
1
ISO
ERL
16
44
85.3
19
70
160
240
261
430
384
63.4
600
665
552
1,700
4,020
2.2
1.6
22.7
ERM
70
9.6
370
270
218
0.71
51.6
3.7
410
ERM
500
640
1,100
540
670
2,100
1,500
1,600
1,600
2,800
260
5,100
2,600
3,160
9,600
44,800
27
46.1
180
Table 1-12.  Criteria for Assessing Sediment
Contaminants by Site
Rating
Good
Fair
Poor
Criteria
INo ERM concentrations are exceeded, and less
than five ERL concentrations are exceeded.
Five or more ERL concentrations are exceeded.
IAn ERM concentration is exceeded for one or
more contaminants.
Table 1-13. Criteria for Assessing Sediment
Contaminants by Region
Rating
Good
Fair
Poor
Criteria
ILess than 5% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.
5% to 1 5% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.
IMore than 1 5% of coastal sediments are in
poor condition.
                                                          Sediment Total Organic Carbon
                                                             Sediment contaminant availability or organic enrich-
                                                          ment can be altered in areas where there is considerable
                                                          deposition of organic matter. Sediment toxicity from
                                                          organic matter is assessed by measuring TOC. The
                                                          criteria for rating TOC for individual sampling sites are
                                                          shown in Table 1-14. Table 1-15 shows how these data
                                                          were used to create a regional ranking.
                                                          Table 1-14.  Criteria for Assessing Sediment TOC by
                                                          Site (concentrations on a dry-weight basis)

                                                          Rating                     Criteria
                                                           Good
           The TOC concentration is less than 2%.
                                                           Fair
           The TOC concentration is between 2% and 5%.
                                                           Poor     I The TOC concentration is greater than 5%.
                                                          Table 1-15.  Criteria for Assessing Sediment TOC by
                                                          Region

                                                          Rating                     Criteria

                                                           Good   I Less than 20% of coastal areas are in poor
                                                                     condition.
a Units are ug/g dry sediment, equivalent to ppm.
b Units are ng/g dry sediment, equivalent to ppb.
                                                           Fair       20% to 30% of coastal areas are in poor
                                                                     condition.
                                                           Poor   | More than 30% of coastal areas are in poor
                                                                     condition.

                                                                                        National Coastal Condition Report II  13

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    Chapter 1   Introduction
    Calculating the Sediment Quality Index
       Once sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants, and
    sediment TOC were assessed for a given site, the sedi-
    ment quality index rating was calculated for the site
    based on these three indicators. The sediment quality
    index was rated good to poor for each site using the
    criteria shown in Table 1-16.
    Table 1-16. Criteria for Determining the Sediment
    Quality Index by Site
Rating
Good
Fair
Poor

1

1
Criteria
None of the individual components are poor,
and the sediment contaminants indicator
is good.
No measures are poor, and the sediment
contaminants indicator is fair.
One or more of the component indicators
is poor.
      The sediment quality index was then calculated for
    each region using the criteria shown in Table 1-17-

    Table 1-17. Criteria for Determining the Sediment
    Quality Index by Region
    Rating                    Criteria
    Good      Less than 5% of coastal sediments are in poor
               condition, and less than 50% of coastal
               sediments are in combined poor and  fair
               condition.
    Fair       5% to 15% of coastal sediments are in poor
               condition, or more than 50% of coastal
               sediments are in combined poor and  fair
               condition.
     Poor

More than 15% of coastal sediments are
in poor condition.
           Benthic  Index
      The worms, clams, and crustaceans that inhabit
    the bottom substrates of estuaries are collectively called
    benthic macroinvertebrates, or benthos. These
    organisms play a vital role in maintaining sediment
    and water quality and are an important food source for
    bottom-feeding fish, shrimp, ducks, and marsh birds.
    Benthos are often used as indicators of disturbances
    in estuarine environments because they are not very
mobile and thus cannot avoid environmental problems.
Benthic population and community characteristics
are sensitive indicators of contaminant and dissolved-
oxygen stress, salinity fluctuations, and sediment distur-
bance and serve as reliable indicators of estuarine envi-
ronmental  quality. EMAP and NCA have developed
regional (Northeast, Southeast, and Gulf coasts) benthic
indices of environmental condition for estuaries that
reflect changes in diversity and population size of indi-
cator species to distinguish degraded benthic habitats
from undegraded benthic habitats (Engle et al., 1994;
Weisberg et al., 1997; Engle and Summers, 1999; Van
Dolah et al., 1999). These indices reflect changes
in benthic community diversity and the abundance of
pollution-tolerant and pollution-sensitive species. A
high benthic index rating for benthos means that
samples taken from an estuary's sediments contain  a
wide variety of species, a low proportion of pollution-
tolerant species, and a high proportion of pollution-
sensitive species. A low benthic index rating indicates
that  the benthic communities are less diverse than
expected, are populated by more pollution-tolerant
species than expected, and contain fewer pollution-
sensitive species than expected. The benthic condition
data presented throughout this report were collected
by the NCA Program unless otherwise noted. Indices
vary with region because species assemblages depend
on prevailing temperatures, salinities, and the silt-clay
content of sediments. Benthic index was rated poor
when the index values for the Northeast, Southeast, and
Gulf coasts' diversity or species richness, abundance of
pollution-sensitive species, and abundance of pollution-
tolerant species fell below a certain threshold.
   Not all regions included in this report have
developed benthic indices. Indices for the West Coast
and Puerto Pvico, as well as Alaska and Hawaii, are
being developed and are not available for reporting
at this time. As a surrogate for a benthic index, benthic
community diversity was determined for each site.
Values for community diversity were examined
regionally to determine if diversity varied directly
with either salinity or sediment silt-clay content (the
two natural variables most likely to influence estuarine
benthic diversity). If there was no significant relation-
ship  between diversity and these natural gradients in
the region (as in Puerto Pvico), then a surrogate benthic
index was used based  on the lower 95% confidence
14  National Coastal Condition Report I

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limit for the mean benthic diversity measures. If there
was a significant relationship between diversity and
either of these natural gradients in the region (as in the
West Coast), then a surrogate benthic index was used
based on the ratio of observed to expected diversity.
Expected diversity was determined  based on the statis-
tical relationship of site diversity to site salinity (or silt-
clay content). Poor condition was defined as less than
75% of the expected benthic diversity at a particular
salinity (expected diversity was determined by a regres-
sion between diversity and salinity). More detailed
descriptions of these surrogate analyses  are provided in
the West Coast chapter (Chapter 6) and the Puerto
Rico chapter (Chapter 8). Table 1-18 shows the good,
fair, and poor rating criteria for the different regions of
the country. These ratings were used to calculate an
overall rating for each region.
   The relationship between poor benthic condition
(poor index values) and environmental  stressors (i.e.,
water quality and sediment quality indices and their
component measurements) is examined using the
co-occurrence of these factors in each region. In all

       Table 1-18. Criteria for Assessing Benthic  Index
                                                                                            Chapter 1   Introduction
regions, some sites with poor benthic community
condition did not co-occur with high levels of environ-
mental stressors measured by NCA. The sites that do
not co-occur with the poor water quality and sediment
quality indices  may be the result of physical habitat
degradation (not  measured by NCA).
       Coastal  Habitat Index
   Coastal wetlands are the vegetated interface between
aquatic and terrestrial components of estuarine ecosys-
tems. Wetland habitats are critical to  the life cycles of
fish, shellfish, migratory birds, and other wildlife. These
habitats also filter and process residential, agricultural,
and industrial wastes, thereby improving surface water
quality, and buffer coastal areas against storm  and wave
damage. An estimated 95% of commercial fish and
85% of sport fish spend a portion of their life cycles in
coastal wetland and estuarine habitats. Adult stocks of
commercially harvested shrimp, blue  crabs,  oysters, and
other species throughout the United States are directly
related to  wetland quality and quantity  (Turner and
Area
Northeast Coast
Southeast Coast
Gulf Coast
West Coast
(compared to
expected diversity)
Puerto Rico
(compared to upper
95% confidence
interval for mean
regional benthic
diversity)
Regional Scores
Good
Benthic index score
is greater than 0.0.
Benthic index score
is greater than 2.5.
Benthic index score
is greater than 5.0.
Benthic index score is
more than 90% of the
lower limit (lower 95%
confidence interval) of
expected mean for a
specific salinity.
Benthic index score is
more than 90% of the
lower limit (lower 95%
confidence interval) of
mean diversity in
unstressed habitats in
Puerto Rico.
Less than 1 0% of coastal
sediments have a poor
benthic index score, and
less than 50% of coastal
sediments have a
combined poor and fair
benthic index score.
Fair
N/A
Benthic index score is
between 2.0 and 2.5.
Benthic index score is
between 3.0 and 5.0.
Benthic index score is
between 75% and 90%
of the lower limit of
expected mean diversity
for a specific salinity.
Benthic index score is
between 75% and 90%
of the lower limit of
mean diversity in
unstressed habitats in
Puerto Rico.
1 0% to 20% of coastal
sediments have a poor
benthic index score, or
more than 50% of
coastal sediments have
a combined poor and
fair benthic index score.
Poor
Benthic index score
is less than 0.0.
Benthic index score
is less than 2.0.
Benthic index score
is less than 3.0.
Less than 75% of
observations had
expected diversity.
Benthic index score
is less than 75%
of the lower limit
of mean diversity
for unstressed
habitats in
Puerto Rico.
More than 20% of
coastal sediments
have a poor
benthic index
score.
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  15

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    Chapter 1   Introduction
    Boesch, 1988). Wetlands throughout the United States
    have been and are being rapidly destroyed by human
    activities (e.g., flood control, agriculture, waste disposal,
    real estate development, shipping, commercial fishing,
    oil/gas exploration and production) and natural
    processes (e.g., sea level rise, sediment compaction,
    droughts, hurricanes, floods). In the late 1970s and
    early 1980s, the country was losing wetlands at an esti-
    mated rate of 300,000 acres per year. The Clean Water
    Act, state wetland protection programs, and programs
    such as Swampbuster (USDA) have helped decrease
    wetland losses to an estimated 70,000 to 90,000  acres
    per year. Strong wetland protection must continue to be
    a national priority; otherwise, fisheries that support
    more than a million jobs and contribute billions  of
    dollars to the  national economy are at risk (Turner and
    Boesch, 1988; Stedman and Hanson, 2000), as are the
    ecological functions provided by wetlands (e.g., nursery
    areas, flood control, and water quality improvement).
      The NWI  (2002) contains data on estuarine emer-
    gent and tidal flat wetland acreage for all coastal states
    for 1990 and  2000 except Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
    Data for Hawaii and Puerto Rico are available for 1980
    and 1990. The proportional change in regional coastal
    wetlands over the 10-year time period was determined
    for each region of the United States (Northeast Coast,
    Southeast Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, and Alaska,
    Hawaii, and Puerto  Rico) and combined with the
    long-term decadal loss rates  for the period 1780 to
    1990. The average of these two loss rates (historic and
    present) multiplied by 100 is the regional value of the
    coastal habitat index. The national value of the coastal
    habitat index  is  a weighted mean that reflects the
    extent of wetlands existing in each region (different
    than the distribution of the extent of estuarine area).
    Table 1-19 shows the rating criteria used for the
    coastal habitat index.
      The NWI  estimates represent regional assessments
    and do not apply to individual sites or individual
    wetlands. Before individual wetland sites can be
    assessed, rigorous methodologies for estimating the
    quantity and,  particularly, the quality of wetlands must
    be developed. Until  these methods are available and
    implemented, only regional assessments of quantity
    losses can be made. Although a 1% loss rate per decade
    may seem small (or even acceptable), continued wetland
    losses at this rate cannot be sustained indefinitely and
still leave enough wetlands to maintain their present
ecological functions.
Table 1-19. Criteria for Determining the Coastal
Habitat Index
Rating                    Criteria
 Good
The index score is less than 1.0.
 Fair
The index score is between  1.0 and 1.25.
 Poor    I The index score is greater than 1.25.
Human Use  Indices
   Human use attainment is assessed using the national
and regional evaluations for fish tissue contaminants;
however, the fish tissue contaminant data used in the
assessment are not always from fish species that are
widely consumed and that are of market length. If the
available fish tissue contaminant values from the NCA
surveys exceed the risk-based concentration guidance
ranges for consumption of four 8-ounce meals per
month for any contaminant (U.S. EPA, 2000c), the
site is assessed as impaired for human use. A site is
considered threatened for human use if the available
fish tissue contaminant information falls within the
guidance ranges for consumption of four 8-ounce meals
per month. Sites are considered unimpaired for human
use if fish tissue concentrations are less than the risk-
based guidance concentration range.
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
   Chemical contaminants may enter a marine
organism in several ways: direct uptake from contami-
nated water, consumption of contaminated sediment,
or consumption of previously contaminated organisms.
Once these contaminants enter an organism, they tend
to remain in the animal tissues and may build up with
subsequent feedings. When fish consume contaminated
organisms, they may "inherit" the levels of contami-
nants in the organisms they consume. This same
"inheritance" of contaminants occurs when humans
consume fish with contaminated tissues. Contaminant
residues can be examined in the fillets, whole-body
portions, or specific organs of target fish and shellfish
16  National Coastal Condition Report I

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species and are compared with risk-based EPA fish
contaminant guidance values (U.S. EPA, 2000c).
   For the NCA surveys, target fish were collected
from all sites where fish were available, and whole-body
contaminant burdens were determined. No EPA
Guidance criteria exist to assess the ecological risk
of whole-body contaminants for fish, but the EPA
Advisory Guidance can be used as a basis for estimating
advisory determinations, even if the data are based on
whole-fish or organ-specific body burdens (U.S. EPA,
2000c) (Table 1-20). The whole-fish contaminant infor-
mation collected by NCA for U.S. estuaries was
compared with risk-based thresholds based on the
  Table 1-20. Risk Guidelines for Recreational Fishers
  (U.S. EPA,2000c)
                          Concentration Concentration
               Screening      Rangeb         Range0
 Contaminant  Value3        (PPm)         (PPm)
                 (ppm)      (noncancer)      (cancer)
Arsenic
(inorganic)d
Cadmium
Mercury
Selenium
Chlordane
DDT
Dieldrin
Endosulfan
Endrin
Heptachlor
epoxide
Hexachloro-
benzene
Lindane
Mi rex
Toxaphene
1 .2/0.0266
4.0
0.4
20.0
2.0/0.114
2.0/0.117
0.2/0.0025
24.0
1.2
0.052/0.00439
3.2/0.025
1.2/0.0307
0.8
1.0/0.0363
3.5-7.0
0.35-0.70
0.12-0.23
5.9-12.0
0.59-1.2
0.059-0. 1 2
0.059-0. 1 2
7.0-14.0
0.35-0.70
0.015-0.031
0.94-1.9
0.35-0.70
0.23-0.47
0.29-0.59
PAH 0.00547
(Benzo(a)pyrene)
0.008-0.016



0.03-0.07
0.035-0.069
0.00073-0.0015


0.0013-0.0026
0.0073-0.015
0.009-0.018

0.0 II -0.021
0.0016-0.0032
 PCB
0.08/0.02
0.023-0.047   0.0059-0.012
 a  Screening value for recreational fishers.
 b  Range of concentrations associated with noncancer health
   endpoint risk for consumption of four 8-ounce meals per month.
 c  Range of concentrations associated with cancer health endpoint risk
   for consumption of four 8-ounce meals per month.
 d  Inorganic arsenic estimated as 2% of total arsenic.
 e  1.2 and 0.026 are the screening values for inorganic arsenic for
   noncancer and cancer health endpoints, respectively.
                                                                                             Chapter 1   Introduction
                                           consumption of four 8-ounce meals per month for
                                           selected contaminants (approach used by most state
                                           advisory programs) and assessed for noncancer and
                                           cancer health endpoints (U.S. EPA, 2000c). Table 1-21
                                           shows  the rating criteria for the fish tissue contaminants
                                           index for each site. Table 1-22 shows how these data
                                           were used to create a regional rating.
                                           Table 1-21.  Criteria for Determining the Fish Tissue
                                           Contaminants Index by Site
                                           Rating                     Criteria
                                           Good     The index score falls below the range of the
                                                      Guidance criteria for risk-based consumption
                                                      associated with four 8-ounce meals per month.

                                            Fair       The index score falls within the range of the
                                                      Guidance criteria for risk-based consumption
                                                      associated with four 8-ounce meals per month.
                                            Poor     | The index score exceeds the maximum value
                                                      of the range of the Guidance criteria for
                                                      risk-based consumption associated with four
                                                      8-ounce meals per month.
                                                           Table 1-22. Criteria for Determining the Fish Tissue
                                                           Contaminants Index by Region
                                                           Rating
                                                                      Criteria
                                                           Good

                                                      Less than  10% of estuarine sites are in poor
                                                      condition, and less than 50% are in combined
                                                      fair and poor condition.
                                                           Fair        10%  to 20% of estuarine sites are in poor
                                                                      condition, or more than 50% are in combined
                                                                      fair and poor condition.
                                                           Poor

                                                      More than 20% of estuarine sites are in poor
                                                      condition.
                                                           Summary of Rating Criteria
                                                             The rating criteria used in this report are summa-
                                                           rized in Tables 1-23 (index indicators) and 1-24 (index
                                                           components).
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    Chapter 1   Introduction
     Table  1-23. Indicators Used to Assess Coastal Condition (NCA)
        Icon
       Water
       Quality
        Index
                 Water Quality Index is an index that is based on five water quality measurements (dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a,
                 nitrogen, phosphorus, and water clarity).
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: No measures are rated poor, and
       a maximum of one  is rated fair.
Fair:  One measure is rated poor, or
       two or more measures are fair.
Poor:  Two or more measures are
       rated poor.
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 10% of coastal waters are in poor condition,
       and less than 50% of coastal waters are in combined
       poor and fair  condition.
Fair:  Between 10% and 20% of coastal waters are in poor
       conditioner more than 50% of coastal waters are in
       combined fair and poor condition.
Poor:  More than 20% of coastal waters are  in poor condition.
                 Sediment Quality Index is an index that is based on three sediment quality measurements (sediment toxicity,
                 sediment contaminants, and sediment TOC).
                 Ecological Condition by Site
                 Good: No measures are rated  poor, and
                        the sediment contaminants
                        indicator is rated good.
                 Fair:  No measures are rated  poor,
                        and the sediment contaminants
                        indicator is rated fair.
                 Poor: One or more measures are
                        rated poor.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: Less than 5% of coastal sediments are in poor condition,
                                                    and less than 50% of coastal sediments are in combined
                                                    poor and fair condition.
                                             Fair:  Between 5 and 15% of coastal sediments are in poor
                                                    conditioner more than 50% of coastal sediments are
                                                    in combined poor and fair condition.
                                             Poor: More than 15% of coastal sediments are in poor
                                                    condition.
                 Benthic Index (or a surrogate measure) is an indicator of the condition of the benthic community (organisms living
                 in estuarine sediments) and can include measures of benthic community diversity, the presence and abundance of
                 pollution-tolerant species, and the presence and abundance of pollution-sensitive species.
                 Ecological Condition by Site
                 Good, fair, and poor were
                 determined using regionally
                 dependant benthic index scores.
                                             Ranking by Region

                                             Good: Less than  10% of coastal sediments have a poor benthic
                                                    index score, and less than 50% of coastal sediments have a
                                                    combined poor and fair benthic index score.
                                             Fair:  Between 10% and 20% of coastal sediments have a poor
                                                    benthic index score, or more than 50% of coastal sedi-
                                                    ments have a combined poor and fair benthic index score.
                                             Poor: More than 20% of coastal sediments have a poor benthic
                                                    index score.
                 Coastal Habitat Index is evaluated using the data from the NWI (NWI,2002). The NWI contains data on estu-
                 arine-emergent and tidal flat acreage for all coastal states (except Hawaii and Puerto Rico) for 1780 through 2000.
       Coastal
       Habitat
        Index
Ecological Condition by Site
The average of the mean long-term, decadal
wetland loss rate (1780-1990) and the
present decadal wetland loss rate (1990-
2000) was determined for each region of the
United States  and multiplied by 100 to create
a coastal habitat index score.
Ranking by Region
Good: The coastal habitat index score is less than 1.0.
Fair:  The coastal habitat index is between 1.0 and  1.25.
Poor: The coastal habitat index is greater than 1.25.
                 Fish Tissue Contaminants Index concentrations are an indicator of the level of chemical contamination in
                 target fish/shellfish species.
                 Ecological Condition by Site
                 Good: Composite fish tissue contaminant
                        concentrations are below the EPA
                        Guidance concentration range.
                 Fair:  Composite fish tissue contaminant
                        concentrations are in the EPA
                        Guidance concentration range.
                 Poor:  Composite fish tissue contaminant
                        concentrations are above the EPA
                        Guidance concentration range.
                                             Ranking by Region
                                             Good: Less than  10% of estuarine sites are in poor condition,
                                                    and less than 50% are in combined fair and poor
                                                    condition.
                                             Fair:  From 10 to 20% of estuarine waters are in poor condi-
                                                    tioner more than 50% are in combined fair and poor
                                                    condition.
                                             Poor: More than 20%  of sites have poor condition.
18  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                                  Chapter 1    Introduction
Table  I -24. Criteria for Measurements Used as Components of Index Indicators Used To Assess Coastal Condition
(NCA)
Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) levels are measured as part of the water quality index.
                                                                  I
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: Surface concentrations are less than O.I mg/L
(NE, SE, Gulf), 0.5 mg/L (West), or 0.05 mg/L (tropical).
Fair: Surface concentrations are 0.1-0.5 mg/L (NE, SE,
Gulf), 0.5-1.0 mg/L (West), or 0.05-0.1 mg/L (tropical).
Poor: Surface concentrations are greater than 0.5 mg/L
(NE.SE.Gulf), 1.0 mg/L (West), or O.I mg/L (tropical).
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 10% of coastal area is in poor
condition, and less than 50% of coastal waters are
in combined poor and fair condition.
Fair: From 10% to 25% of coastal area is in
poor conditioner more than 50% of coastal area
is in combined fair and poor condition.
Poor: More than 25% of coastal area is in poor
condition.




Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus (DIP) levels are measured as part of the water quality index.
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: Surface concentrations are less than 0.01 mg/L
(NE.SE, Gulf), 0.01 mg/L (West), or 0.005 mg/L(tropical).
Fair: Surface concentrations are 0.01-0.05 mg/L (NE, SE,
Gulf), 0.01 -O.I mg/L (West), or 0.005-0.0 1 mg/L (tropical).
Poor: Surface concentrations are greater than 0.05 mg/L
(NE.SE, Gulf), O.I mg/L (West), or 0.0 1 mg/L (tropical).
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 10% of coastal area is in poor
condition, and less than 50% of coastal area is
in combined poor and fair condition.
Fair: From 10% to 25% of coastal area is
in poor condition, or more than 50% of coastal
area is in combined fair and poor condition.
Poor: More than 25% of coastal area is in poor
condition.




Chlorophyll a is one of the measurements used in the water quality index.
              Ecological Condition by Site
                    Ranking by Region
Good: Surface concentrations are less than 5 ug/L
(less than 0.5 ug/L for tropical ecosystems*, except to
less than 1.0 ug/L for Florida Bay).
Good: Less than 10% of coastal area is in poor condition,
and less than 50% of coastal area is in combined poor
and fair condition.
Fair: Surface concentrations are between 5 ug/L and
20 ug/L (between 0.5 ug/L and I ug/L for tropical
ecosystems, except to between 1.0 to 5.0 ug/L for Florida Bay).
Fair: From 10% to 20% of coastal area is in poor
conditioner more than 50% of coastal area is in
combined fair and poor condition.
Poor: Surface concentrations are greater than 20 ug/L
(greater than I  ug/L for tropical ecosystems, except to
greater than 5 ug/L for Florida  Bay,).
Poor: More than 20% of coastal area is in poor condition.
 'Tropical ecosystems include Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Florida Bay sites.

Water Clarity is part of the water quality index.A water clarity indicator (WCI) is calculated by dividing observed clarity
at I meter by a regional reference clarity at I  meter.This regional reference is  10% for most of the United States,
5% for areas with naturally high turbid conditions, and 20% for areas with significant SAV beds or active SAV
restoration programs.

Good: WCI
Ecological Condition by Site
ratio is greater than 2.
Fair: WCI ratio is between 1 and 2.
Poor: WCI
ratio is less than 1 .
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 10% of coastal area is in poor condition,
and less than 50% of coastal area is in combined poor
and fair condition.
Fair: From 10% to 25% of coastal area is in poor
condition, or more than 50% of coastal area is in
combined fair and poor condition.
Poor: More than 25% of coastal area is in poor condition.




                                                                                                              (continued)
                                                                                             National Coastal Condition Report II   19

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     Chapter 1    Introduction
     Table I -24. Criteria for Measurements Used as Components of Index Indicators Used To Assess Coastal Condition
     (NCA) (continued)
      Dissolved Oxygen is one of the measurements used in the water quality index.
                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   Ranking by Region
      Good: Concentrations are greater than 5 mg/L.

Good: Less than 5% of coastal area is in poor condition
and less than 50% of coastal area is in combined poor
and fair condition.
      Fair: Concentrations are between 2 mg/L and 5 mg/L.

Fair: From 5% to 15% of coastal area is in poor
condition, or more than 50% of coastal area is in
combined fair and poor condition.
      Poor: Concentrations are less than 2 mg/L.
Poor: More than 15% of coastal area is in poor condition.
      Sediment Toxicity is evaluated as part of the sediment quality index using a 10-day static toxicity test with the ampiphod
      Ampelisca abdita.
                   Ecological Condition by Site
                   Ranking by Region
      Good: Mortality* is less than or equal to 20%.
Good: Less than 5% of coastal sediments have greater
than 20% mortality in toxicity tests.
      Poor: Mortality is greater than 20%.
Poor: More than 5% of coastal sediments have greater
than 20% mortality in toxicity tests.
*Test mortality is adjusted for control mortality.
Sediment Contamination is evaluated as part of the sediment
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: No ERMs are exceeded, and fewer than five ERL
guidelines are exceeded.
Fair: No ERMs are exceeded, and five or more ERL
guidelines are exceeded.
Poor: One or more ERM guidelines are exceeded.
quality index using ERM and ERL guidelines.
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 5% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.
Fair: From 5% to 1 5% of coastal sediments are in
poor condition.
Poor: More than 1 5% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.





Sediment Total Organic Carbon is measured as part of the sediment quality index.
Ecological Condition by Site
Good: The TOC concentration is less than 2%.
Fair: The TOC concentration is between 2% and 5%.
Poor: The TOC concentration is greater than 5%.
Ranking by Region
Good: Less than 20% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.
Fair: From 20% to 30% of coastal sediments are in
poor condition.
Poor: More than 30% of coastal sediments are in poor
condition.




                                                                               The picturesque wetlands ofTomales Bay California,
                                                                               stretch inshore and provide important habitat for
                                                                               birds on the Pacific flyway (Dan Howard).
20  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                          Chapter 1   Introduction
How the Indices Are Summarized
   Overall condition for each region was calculated by
summing the scores for the available indicators and
dividing by the number of available indicators (i.e.,
equally weighted), where good = 5; fair = 4, 3, or 2
(based on position in percent range); and poor = 1.
The Southeast Coast, for example, received the
following scores:
Indicator
Water Quality Index
Sediment Quality Index
Benthic Index
Coastal Habitat Index
Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
Score
4
4
3
3
5
           Total Score Divided by 5 =
                       Overall Score
                                         19/5 = 3.8
   To create the national indicator numbers, a weighted
average was calculated for each of the five indicators.
The indicator scores were weighted by the percentage
of total area of estuaries contributed by each geographic
area (Figure 1-5). For example, the weighted average for
the water quality index was calculated by summing the
products of the regional water quality index scores and
the area contributed by each region. These weighting
factors are used for all indicators except the coastal
habitat index, which uses the geographic distribution of
                     (Puerto Rico
                        < 1%)
        Gulf of Mexico
            25%
                 Southeast
                    16%
Great Lakes
   27%
                                 Northeast
                                   21%
Figure 1-5. Percentage of estuarine area contributed by each
geographic region assessed in this report.
                       total area of coastal wetlands (Figure 1-6). The overall
                       national score was then calculated by summing each
                       national indicator score and dividing by five.
                                                   Great Lakes
                                                      15%
                                                              Gulf of Mexico
                                                                  57%
                                                                                          Northeast
                                                                                           Southeast
                                                                                             14%
                                                         Figure 1-6. Percentage of coastal wetland area contributed by
                                                         each geographic region assessed in this report.
Large Marine Ecosystem  Fisheries
Data
   In addition to coastal monitoring data, a second type
of data used to assess coastal condition in this report is
LME fisheries data from the NMFS. The waters adja-
cent to the estuaries and wetlands of the United States,
from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore, constitute the
U.S. EEZ. Waters within and adjoining the U.S. EEZ
have been designated as LMEs, based on their distinct
bathymetry, hydrography, productivity, and trophic rela-
tionships (NOAA, 1988). The NMFS regulates fisheries
on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico coasts.
Information on the status of the fish stocks comes from
NMFS assessment data for  the Northeast Shelf LME,
the Southeast Shelf LME, and the Gulf of Mexico
LME. Ultimately, the Secretary of Commerce has
management responsibility  for most marine life in the
U.S. waters. Fishery resources are managed largely by
fishery management councils through extensive consul-
tation with state and federal agencies, affected industry
sectors, public interest groups, and in some cases, inter-
national science and management organizations.
Information provided for this report on U.S. living
marine resources and the three Atlantic LMEs was
compiled from NMFS productivity data and
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II 21

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    Chapter 1   Introduction


    Our Living Oceans (NMFS, 2003), a report issued
    periodically by NMFS covering most living marine
    resources of interest  for commercial, recreational,
    subsistence, and aesthetic or intrinsic reasons to the
    United States.
      Marine Fisheries Fuel the U.S. Economy
      More than one-fifth of the world's most productive
      marine waters lie within the LMEs of the U.S. EEZ. The
      value of both commercial and recreational fishing is
      significant to the U.S. economy, to thousands of private
      firms, and to individuals, families, and communities.
      •  More than 170,000 people and 123,300 commercial
         fishing vessels are employed by the commercial
         fishing industry in the United States, the world's fifth
         largest seafood-producing country.
      •  In 2001, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.8 billion
         pounds offish and shellfish, valued at $3.3 billion.
      •  The industry  contributed an estimated $28.6 billion
         (in value added) to the U.S. GNP.
      •  Recreational fishing added another $25 billion to
         the U.S. GNP.
Assessment and Advisory Data
   Assessment and advisory data provided by states or
other regulatory agencies are the third set of data used
in this report to assess coastal condition. Several EPA
programs, including the Clean Water Act Section
305(b) Assessment Program, the National Listing of
Fish and Wildlife Advisories (NLFWA) Program,  and
the Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure, and
Health (BEACH) Program, maintain databases that are
repositories for information about how well coastal
waters support their designated or desired uses. These
uses are important factors in public perception of the
condition of the coast and also address the condition of
the coast  as it relates to public health. The data for these
programs are  collected from multiple state agencies, so
data collection and reporting  methods differ among
states. Because of these inconsistencies, data generated
by these programs are not included in the estimates of
coastal condition.
                                                              The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) part-
                                                              nered with scientists from the University of California at Santa
                                                              Barbara to study impacts of the El Nino Storms.The project,
                                                              named "Plumes and Blooms", investigates the nutrient-rich brown
                                                              sediment plumes that, in turn, produce green marine algal blooms.
                                                              (photo: Channel Islands NMS)
22  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                          Chapter 1   Introduction
Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
Assessments
   States report water quality assessment information
and water quality impairments under Section 305(b) of
the Clean Water Act.  States and tribes rate water quality
by comparing measured values to their state and tribal
water quality standards. Water quality standards include
narrative and numeric criteria that support specific
designated uses and also specify goals to prevent degra-
dation of good-quality waters. States and  tribes use their
numeric criteria to determine how well the designated
uses assigned to waterbodies are supported. The states
then consolidate their more detailed uses  into general
categories so that EPA can summarize state and tribal
data. The most common designated uses  are
•  Aquatic life support
•  Drinking water supply
•  Recreation, such as swimming, fishing, and boating
•  Fish consumption.
   After comparing water quality data to  the criteria set
by water quality standards, states and tribes classify their
waters into the following categories:
Fully
Supporting

  These waters meet applicable water quality
  standards, both criteria and designated use.
Threatened

Not
Supporting
I
These waters currently meet water
quality standards, but states are concerned
that they may degrade in the near future.
These waters do not meet water
quality standards.
   The 305(b) assessment data (submitted by the
states in 2000) are stored in EPA's National Assessment
Database and are summarized in the National Water
Quality Inventory 2000 Report (U.S. EPA, 2002).
These data are useful for evaluating the success of
state water quality improvement efforts. Unfortunately,
each state monitors water  quality parameters differently,
so it is difficult to make generalized statements about
the condition of the nation's coasts based on these
data alone.
National Listing of Fish and Wildlife
Advisories
   States, U.S. territories, and tribes have primary
responsibility for protecting their residents from the
health risks of consuming contaminated, noncommer-
cially caught fish and shellfish. (Sale of commercial fish
in interstate commerce is regulated by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration [FDA].) Resource managers
protect residents by issuing consumption advisories for
the general population, including  recreational and
subsistence fishers, as well as for sensitive groups (e.g.,
pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and indi-
viduals with compromised immune systems). These
advisories inform the public that high concentrations
of chemical contaminants (such as mercury and PCBs)
have been found in local fish and  shellfish. The advi-
sories include recommendations to limit or avoid
consumption of certain fish and shellfish species from
specific waterbodies or, in some cases, from specific
waterbody types (e.g., all coastal waters within a state).
   The 2002 NLFWA is a database— available from
EPA and searchable on the Internet at http://www.epa.
gov/waterscience/fish— that contains fish advisory
information provided to EPA by the states and tribes.
The NLFWA database can generate national, regional,
and state maps that illustrate any combination of
advisory parameters.

Beach Advisories  and Closures
   There is growing concern in  the United States about
public health risks posed by polluted bathing beaches.
Scientific evidence documenting the rise of infectious
diseases caused by microbial organisms in recreational
waters continues to grow; however, not enough infor-
mation is currently available to define the extent of
beach pollution throughout the country. EPA's BEACH
Program, established in  1997, is working with state and
local governments to compile information on beach
pollution that will help define the national extent of
the problem.
   A few states have comprehensive beach monitoring
programs to test the safety of water for swimming.
Many other states  have only limited beach monitoring
programs, and some states have no monitoring
programs linked directly to water  safety at swimmable
beaches. The number of beach closings and swimming
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  23

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    Chapter 1   Introduction


    advisories that continue to be issued annually, however,
    indicate that beach pollution is a persistent problem. In
    2002, there were 529 beach closures and advisories in
    coastal and Great Lakes waters.

    Connections with Human Uses
       The water quality index, sediment index, benthic
    index, and coastal habitat index are all measures of
    ecological condition. The fish tissue contaminants index
    directly affects human uses of coastal waters and is also
    a measure of the condition of estuarine fish populations.
    The final chapter of this report (Chapter 9: Health of
    Galveston Bay for Human Use) presents a case study
    that outlines how these indicators of coastal condition
    connect with human uses. Although this report does
    not address bacterial contamination as a condition indi-
    cator, it  does present the areal extent of shellfishing
    restrictions  and swimming advisories based on
    exceedances of indicator bacteria concentrations in
    coastal waters. The type of assessment described in
    Chapter 9 cannot be done on scales larger than a  single
    estuary;  however, it is important to address coastal
    condition at several spatial scales (e.g., national,
    regional, state, and local). Chapter 9 provides an assess-
    ment approach that complements the national/regional
    approaches by examining the same  national/regional
    monitoring information, as well as additional site-
    specific information for an individual estuary
    (Galveston Bay) in order to evaluate conditions with
    regard to human uses.
Appendices
   Three appendices are provided at the end of this
report. Appendices A and B assess the quality of data
from EPA's NCA Program, the primary source of infor-
mation for this report. These appendices evaluate the
planning, sampling collection, laboratory processing,
and auditing aspects of the program, as well as list
the uncertainty levels for the estimates provided in
Chapters 2 through 8. The appendices also compare
these levels with the desired levels of certainty
developed through the data quality objective
(DQO) process.
   Appendix C compares the results of the NCCR I
(covering the period 1990 to 1996) with the results
of this report (1997—2000). Because of changes in
indicators and the availability of different types of data,
the comparison cannot be as straightforward as the
reader might desire (i.e., direct comparison of the
ranking in NCCR I to the  ranking in NCCR II). In
Appendix C, the estimates  and ranking for NCCR I
are recalculated using the approaches and methodolo-
gies developed in NCCR II. This recalculation allows
for a more direct comparison of the two reports.
                                                            Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) are mainly bottom dwellers, but
                                                            will come into mid-waters when searching for food.This species
                                                            was once abundant throughout Southern California, before it was
                                                            overfished.The giant sea bass eats spiny lobsters, rock crabs, and
                                                            squid (Mark Conlin).
24  National Coastal Condition Report I

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Chapter 2
National Coastal
Condition

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    Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
    National Coastal Condition
      The overall condition of estuaries in the United
    States is fair. Only one of the five indicators of estuarine
    condition received a poor overall rating, the coastal
    habitat index. The water quality index and the fish
    tissue contaminants index received a fair rating, and the
    benthic index and sediment quality index were rated
    fair to poor (Figure 2-1 summarizes U.S. estuarine
    condition). These ratings are based on samples collected
    at 2,073 estuarine sites in the conterminous 48 states
    (Figure 2-2) between 1997 and 2000  (about 90% of the
    samples were collected in 1999 and 2000). Of the five
                                                summary indicators (water quality index, sediment
                                                index, benthic index, coastal habitat index, and fish
                                                tissue contaminants index), only the fish tissue
                                                contaminants index was rated good for any region
                                                of the United States.
                                                   The water quality index is rated fair throughout the
                                                estuaries of the United States, although estuarine waters
                                                in the Northeast Coast region appear to have poorer
                                                water quality conditions than those in other regions of
                                                the country. The sediment index is poor in Northeast
                                                Coast and Puerto Rico estuaries and in the Great Lakes;
      Overall National
     Coastal Condition
      m
Water Quality Index
Sediment Quality Index
Benthic Index
Coastal Habitat Index
Fish Tissue Index
                                                 Overall
                                              Grant Liili=i£i
II \ ^
z? \ t=r^~ '
S/^b &
Surveys completed, but no indicator
data available until the next report.
reAl

                                                                                      Good  Fair   Poor
                                                                                *E
                                                                                 Surveys completed, but no indicator
                                                                                 data available until the next report.
    Figure 2-1.Overall national and regional coastal condition between  1997 and 2000.
26  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
                                                                                                                      I
     Figure 2-2 Sampling stations for the 1999-2000 NCA Program and for the coastal portion of the 1997-1998 Mid-Atlantic
     Integrated Assessment (U.S. EPA/EMAP and NCA).
borderline fair in West Coast estuaries; fair in the Gulf
Coast estuaries; and borderline good in Southeast Coast
estuaries. The benthic index shows that conditions are
poor in the Northeast Coast and Puerto Rico, border-
line fair in the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes, and fair
in the Southeast Coast and West Coast. Condition
as measured by fish tissue contaminants is poor in
Northeast Coast and West Coast estuaries and fair
to good in the remainder of the country.
   More specifically, 21% of estuarine area in the
United States (excluding the Great Lakes) is unimpaired
for human and/or aquatic life uses (Figure 2-3). About
28% of estuarine area is impaired for aquatic life use,
22% is impaired for human use, and an additional 44%
is threatened for both uses. Impaired aquatic life use
was indicated by lower-than-expected biodiversity,
increased abundance of pollution-tolerant species,
decreased abundance  of pollution-sensitive species, poor
water quality condition, poor  sediment quality, and
coastal wetland losses. Impaired human use was defined
as exceedances of fish tissue contaminant risk-based
guidelines for consumption (based on four 8-ounce
meals per month). Threatened use is equivalent to fair
overall condition for any of the indicators.
   Threatened
       44%
                            Unimpaired
                               21%
                  Impaired Aquatic
                      Life Use
                        13%
                Impaired Human Use
                       7%
Impaired Human and
  Aquatic Life Use
       15%
Figure 2-3. National estuarine condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  27

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    Chapter 2 National Coastal Condition
    Coastal Monitoring Data
       This section presents the monitoring data used to
    rate the five indices of estuarine condition. These calcu-
    lations do not include proportional area and location
    data for the Great Lakes. Due to sampling design differ-
    ences in the data sets, no areal estimates for the Great
    Lakes can be determined. Although the Great Lakes
    data are not presented in this section, they are addressed
    when discussing condition in specific regions of the
    country. Chapter 7 provides further details of the Great
    Lakes monitoring data.
           Water Quality Index
       Data from EPA's NCA Program indicate that the
    condition of the nation's estuaries, as measured by the
    water quality index, is fair. This index indicates that
    11% of the surface area of the nation's estuaries is in
    poor water quality condition and an additional 49% is
    in fair water  quality condition (Figure 2-4). Combined,
    these  categories show that 60% of the nation's estuaries
    are experiencing a moderate-to-high degree of water
    quality degradation. Poor condition is generally charac-
    terized by degradation in water quality response vari-
    ables  (e.g., increased chlorophyll a concentration or
    decreased dissolved oxygen concentration). Fair condi-
    tion is characterized by some degradation in response
    variables, but is more likely to be characterized by
    degradation due to environmental stressors (e.g.,
    increased nutrient concentrations and reduced water
    clarity). Water quality condition in Northeast Coast
    estuaries was the poorest in the nation (regionally), with
    19% of estuarine waters  in poor condition and another
    42% in fair condition.
      The sampling conducted in the EPA NCA Program has
      been designed to estimate the percent of estuarine area
      (nationally or in a region or state) in varying conditions
      and is displayed as pie diagrams. Many of the figures in
      this report illustrate environmental  measurements
      made at specific locations (colored dots on maps);
      however, these dots (color) represent the value of the
      indicator specifically at the time of sampling. Additional
      sampling may be required to define  variability and to
      confirm impairment or the lack of impairment at
      specific locations.
Water Quality Index - National (1997-2000)
                                                                                             Good     Fair

                                                              Figure 2-4. National water quality index data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
28  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorus
   Dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations for
summertime conditions in the nation's estuaries were
rated good for DIN and DIP. As a result of phyto-
plankton uptake and growth, nutrient concentrations in
summer are expected to be generally lower than at other
times of the year, except on the West Coast, where
Pacific upwelling events in summer often produce the
year's highest nutrient concentrations. Because of the
expectation for lower nutrient concentrations, the refer-
ence conditions were modified (reduced by 50%) for
East Coast and Gulf Coast estuaries. This  reduction in
reference concentration better represents the "higher,
worst-case" conditions generally observed in these
regions in the spring.
   DIN concentrations were uniformly low throughout
U.S. estuaries, with only 5% of waters  characterized as
having poor condition (Figure 2-5). Most  DIN concen-
trations that exceeded reference conditions were in
Northeast Coast estuaries. DIP concentrations exceeded
the regional reference  conditions in 9% of estuarine
waters (Figure 2-6). These elevated summer DIP
concentrations  were most often observed in Southeast
Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast estuaries.  Elevated
DIN and DIP  concentrations in Puerto Rico, Northeast
Coast, and Gulf Coast estuaries generally correspond to
the areas of elevated chlorophyll a concentrations.
Nitrogen - National (1997-2000)
                                                         I
                                                                                        pood     Fair    Poor

                                                         Figure 2-5. National DIN concentration data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  29

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    Chapter 2 National Coastal Condition
      Phosphorus - National (1997-2000)
                                              Fair
                                              38%
Chlorophyll a
   One of the symptoms of degraded water quality
condition is the increase of phytoplankton production,
as measured by the concentration of chlorophyll a.
Chlorophyll a is a measure used to  indicate the amount
of microscopic algae (or phytoplankton) growing in a
waterbody High concentrations of chlorophyll a indi-
cate the potential for problems related to overproduc-
tion of algae. High concentrations of summertime
chlorophyll a occurred in only 8%  of estuarine waters
(Figure 2-7), resulting in an overall national rating of
good. Moderate concentrations occurred in an addi-
tional 41% of estuarine waters. Only one region of
the country, Puerto Rico, received a rating of poor, with
29% of its waters exceeding the summertime reference
condition. Moderate increases in summertime chloro-
phyll concentrations occurred most often in Southeast
Coast (with 83% of estuarine waters exceeding poor or
fair guidelines), Northeast Coast  (50%), and Gulf Coast
(46%) estuaries. None of the estuaries in these regions
experienced large expanses of poor  conditions
(Southeast =  3%, Northeast = 15%, and Gulf of
Mexico = 8%.)
Water Clarity
   The overall water clarity of the nation's estuaries is
rated fair. Three different regional reference conditions
were established for measuring conditions:
                                                                                       Area Type
     rence Condition
    (ambient surface
   light that reaches a
   depth of I meter)
                                                                        5%
                          Areas having high natural levels
                          of suspended solids in the water
                          (e.g., Louisiana, Delaware,
                          Mobile Bay, Mississippi estuaries)
                          or extensive wetlands (e.g.,
                          South Carolina, Georgia).
                                                                       20%
                          Areas having extensive SAV beds
                          (e.g., Florida Bay, Indian River
                          Lagoon, and southern  Laguna
                          Madre) or desiring to  reestablish
                          SAV (e.g.,Tampa Bay).
                                                                       10%
                          The remainder of the country.
                                    Good    Fair     Poo
    Figure 2-6. National DIP concentration data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
   NCA estimates indicate that 25% of the nation's
estuaries do not meet these reference conditions (Figure
2-8). Locations with poor water clarity are distributed
throughout the country, but the regions with the
30  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                          Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
  Chlorophyll a - National (1997-2000)
  Water Clarity - National (1997-2000)
                                             Fair
                                             41%
Figure 2-7. National chlorophyll a concentration data (U.S.
EPA/NCA).
                                                                                                                                  I
                                   Good     Fair     Poor

Figure 2-8. National water clarity condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).



                                National Coastal Condition Report II  31

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    Chapter 2 National Coastal Condition
    greatest proportion of total estuarine area not meeting
    this condition are in West Coast (36%), Gulf Coast
    (29%), Northeast Coast (23%), and Puerto Rico
    (20%) estuaries.
    Dissolved Oxygen
       Dissolved oxygen conditions in the nation's estuaries
    are good. Often, low dissolved oxygen occurs as a result
    of large algal blooms that sink to the bottom and use
    oxygen during the process of decay. In addition, low
    dissolved oxygen concentrations can be the result of
    stratification due to strong freshwater discharge.
    Dissolved oxygen is a fundamental requirement for all
    estuarine life. Low levels of oxygen often accompany the
    onset of severe bacterial degradation, sometimes result-
    ing in algal scums, fish kills, and noxious odors, as well
    as loss of habitat and aesthetic values. This, in turn, can
    result in decreased tourism and recreational water use.
    The NCA estimates that only about 4%  of bottom
    waters in the nation's estuaries have low dissolved
    oxygen (Figure 2-9). This  estimate describes conditions
    only during daylight hours. All systems have dissolved
    oxygen cycles in which higher values are observed
    during daylight (accompanying oxygen production by
    phytoplankton) and lower values at night (with only
    respiration occurring). The NCA estimates do not apply
    to "dystrophic" systems, in which dissolved oxygen
    levels are acceptable during daylight hours, but decrease
    to low (even unacceptable) levels during the night.
    Many of these systems and the biota associated with
    them are adapted to this cycle—a natural process of
    oxygen production during the day and respiration at
    night—which is common in wetland, swamp, and
    blackwater ecosystems.
       The guideline used in the NCA analysis for  poor
    dissolved oxygen condition is a value below 2 mg/L in
    bottom waters. The majority of coastal states either use
    a different criterion, ranging from an average of 4 to
    5 mg/L throughout the water column to a specific
    concentration  (usually 4 or 5 mg/L) at mid-water, or
    include a frequency or duration of time that the low
    dissolved oxygen concentration must occur (e.g., 20%
    of observed values). The NCA chose to use 2 mg/L in
    bottom waters because this level is clearly indicative of
    potential harm to estuarine organisms.  Because so  many
    state agencies use higher concentrations, the NCA
    evaluated the proportion of waters that have dissolved
Dissolved Oxygen - National (1997-2000)
   Puerto Rico,
                                                             Figure 2-9. National dissolved oxygen concentration data (U.S.
                                                             EPA/NCA).
32  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
oxygen concentrations below 5 rng/L in bottom waters
as being in fair condition (i.e., threatened). About 24%
of bottom waters have dissolved oxygen concentrations
below 5 mg/L (Figure 2-9). Northeast Coast estuaries
showed the greatest number of locations experiencing
low dissolved oxygen.
   The NCA surveys measure dissolved oxygen condi-
tions  only in estuarine waters and do not include obser-
vations of dissolved oxygen concentrations in offshore
coastal shelf waters. The occurrence of hypoxia in Gulf
of Mexico shelf waters is a well-known and documented
phenomenon. The Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone is the
largest zone of anthropogenic coastal hypoxia in the
Western Hemisphere (CAST, 1999). Between 1989
and 1999,  midsummer bottom-waters hypoxia
increased to include nearly 8,000 square miles. In
2000 (the year of the Gulf of Mexico survey), the
hypoxic zone was greatly reduced to less than 1,800
square miles; however, the hypoxic zone returned to
about 8,000 square miles in 2001. The reduction in the
size of the zone in 2000 corresponds to severe drought
conditions in the Mississippi River watershed and,
presumably, decreased  flow and loading to the Gulf
of Mexico from the river mouth. A complete discussion
of the hypoxic zone is provided in Chapter 5, Gulf
of Mexico Coastal Condition.
  Interpretation of Instantaneous Dissolved
  Oxygen Information
  Although NCA survey results do not suggest that dis-
  solved oxygen concentrations are a pervasive problem,
  the instantaneous measurements on which these results
  are based may have underestimated the magnitude and
  duration of low dissolved oxygen events at any given
  site. Longer-term observations by other investigators
  have revealed increasing trends in frequency and areal
  extent of low-oxygen events in some coastal areas. For
  example, extensive year-round or seasonal monitoring
  data over multiple years in such places as the Neuse
  and Pamlico rivers in North Carolina and the Narragan-
  sett Bay in Rhode Island (see Highlight in Chapter 3)
  have shown a much higher incidence of hypoxia than is
  depicted in the present NCA data.These data show
  that while hypoxic  conditions do not exist continuously,
  they can occur occasionally to frequently for generally
  short durations of time (hours).
       Sediment Quality Index
   National estuarine conditions, as measured by
sediment quality, are rated fair to poor. The sediment
quality index is based on sediment toxicity, sediment
contaminant  concentrations, and the proportion of
TOC in the sediments. About 13% of sediments in the
nation's estuaries received a poor rating for one of these
index components (Figure 2-10). The regions showing
the largest proportional areas with poor condition were
Puerto Rico (61%), Northeast Coast (16%), and West
Coast (14%)  estuaries. Although there are no areal
estimates for  poor sediment conditions in the Great
Lakes, non-probabilistic surveys of that region
conducted locally resulted in sediment quality
being given a poor rating.
Sediment Toxicity
   Sediment toxicity in the nation's estuaries is rated
poor. During the NCA survey, researchers determined
sediment toxicity by exposing the organisms to sedi-
ments from each location and evaluating  the effects
of these sediments on the survival of the organisms.
Sediment toxicity tests, which were conducted using
the benthic amphipod Ampelisca abdita, showed
significant mortalities associated with 6% of estuarine
sediments in  the United States (Figure 2-11). Sediment
toxicity was observed most often with sediments
from West Coast (17%) and Northeast Coast (8%)
estuaries. This indicator does not have a fair category;
sediments were determined to be either toxic (poor)
or non-toxic  (good).
I
                                                         A sub-bottom profiler allows geologists to get data about the
                                                         seafloor and the structure below, (photo: Dan Blackwood, USGS)
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  33

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    Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
      Sediment Quality - National (1997-2000)
Sediment Toxicity - National (1997-2000)
                                                                                          Non-Toxic
                                                                                            94%
                                                                                                     |Good     Fair     Poor

                                                                   Figure 2-1 I. National sediment toxicity data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                      JGood     Fair

    Figure 2-10. National sediment quality index data
    (U.S. EPA/NCA).
34  National Coastal Condition Report II

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                                                                         Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

A Report to  the Nation  on the Condition of Coral Reefs

   In 1998, growing concerns for the health of coral reefs prompted the issuance of a Presidential
Order (E.O. 13089) for the protection of coral reefs, establishing the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
(USCRTF) and requiring a report to the nation every two years on reef condition.
   The United States has jurisdiction over tropical coral reefs that cover an estimated 7,607 square
miles. In the Atlantic and Caribbean, these reefs include shallow-water coral reefs off Florida,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the  Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge near Haiti.
In the Pacific, they include extensive coral reefs off the Hawaiian archipelago, American Samoa,
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands,
Wake Atoll, and six remote National
Wildlife Refuges. The Pacific Freely
Associated States  (Republic of Palau,
Republic of the Marshall Islands,  and the
Federated States of Micronesia) have some
of the richest coral reefs in the world,
covering an estimated 7,250 square miles
(Wilkinson, 2002). Once U.S. protec-
torates, and now associates through formal
pacts, these states asked to be included  in
U.S. coral reef activities.                     Scientist conducts coral reef survey (James Maragos, USFWS).
   Since the issuance of E.O. 13089, the first required biennial report, The State of Coral Reef
Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2002 (Turgeon et al., 2002), has
been published. In 2000, the USCRTF issued its National Plan for Action to Conserve Coral Reefs
(National Action  Plan) that called for a mapping and  monitoring program to help assess the
condition of U.S. coral reefs. Since then, Congress has appropriated substantial funding each
year for coral reef conservation. In addition, the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 further
integrated international, federal, state, and territorial agency efforts to map, monitor, conduct
research on, restore, and manage the U.S. coral reef ecosystems.
   To provide reliable assessments of reef health, the National Action Plan called for the mapping
of all shallow-water reefs by 2009, the establishment of a nationally coordinated coral reef moni-
toring network, and the initiation of new monitoring to fill information gaps. Presently, 46%
(6,894 square miles) of U.S. shallow-water coral reef habitats have been surveyed. Digital maps are
available for Puerto Rico,  the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii (http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov/), and much
of the Florida Keys. NOAA has awarded cooperative grants each year since fiscal year 2000 to
state and island agencies to build local capacity and fill gaps in monitoring. NOAA also awarded
grants to the Pacific Freely Associated States in fiscal year 2002. Data collected under these grants
and data from the National Coral Reef Monitoring Network (http://coris.noaa.gov/) will  be the
basis for the next  biennial report on coral reefs in 2004.
                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report II  35

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                            ghlight
               Atlantic Coast Environmental Indicators  Consortium

                  The Atlantic Coast Environmental Indicators Consortium (ACE INC)
               is developing broadly applicable, integrative indicators of ecological
               condition, integrity, and sustainability across four distinct and represen-
               tative estuarine systems on the Atlantic coast of the United States. These
               estuarine systems include the nation's two largest estuarine complexes, the
               Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia and the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound
               in North Carolina; a small estuary, the Parker Pviver, situated in the Plum Island
               National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER) site  in Massachusetts; and
               a river-dominated system in the southeast Atlantic Bight, the North River Inlet in South Carolina.
               These sites are representative of three primary producer bases (intertidal marsh—Plum Island
               and North Inlet; plankton dominated—Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle-Pamlico Sound; and
               seagrass dominated—portions of Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle-Pamlico Sound). They also
               have ongoing, long-term water quality and/or habitat monitoring programs in place that provide
               data for indicator development and testing. These  systems each contain both pristine and
               impaired waters.
                  Because different types of coastal systems likely  differ in their response to man-made or
               naturally induced stresses, a framework is required to  assess status and to predict responses for
               each of the major system types. ACE INC is working to  produce concise and accurate representa-
               tions of ecosystem function and health, based on key variables, to detect trends in ecosystem
               health and to use indicators to predict the effects of human actions versus natural variability across
               a variety of systems, both regionally and nationally. ACE INC defines an indicator as a sign or
               signal that relays a complex message, potentially from numerous sources, in a simplified and useful
               manner. An ecological indicator is a measure, an index of measures, or a model that characterizes
               one or more critical components of ecosystem structure and function. With a foundation of diag-
               nostic research,  an ecological indicator may also be used to identify major ecosystem stress
               (Jackson et al., 2000). The present lack of established regional and national bioindicators, despite
               extensive monitoring at thousands of sites nationwide and specific community efforts to develop
               bioindicators, is testimony to the magnitude and complexity of the task. Prior efforts to achieve
               this goal have suggested that the most promising avenue  to success is to link theoretical models
               with empirical relationships.
               Current ACE  INC research activities address the following primary objectives:
                  •  Use remotely sensed data and time-series information on key water quality and habitat
                     condition variables to enhance the archive of existing data for these systems
                  •  Apply detailed knowledge of ecosystem structure and function to analyze the existing data
                     archive and develop candidate indicators
                  •  Test the ability of these indicators to gauge ecosystem health and clearly detect trends
                     resulting from both natural variability and man-made stresses in multiple estuaries.
36  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                         Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

 The ACE INC research plan includes the following tasks:
   •  Development of indicators for microalgal and macrophyte functional groups that control
      much of estuarine and coastal primary production
   •  Development of indicators for plankton and fish community structure (organization)
      and function, specifically indices that relate to trophic transfer and sustainable higher
      trophic levels
   •  Coupling of biological indicators with physical-chemical and remote sensing assessments
      of ecosystem function, trophic state, and change
   •  Development and application of indicators within a national coastal indicator framework
      (EPA Estuarine and Great Lakes Ecological Indicators [EaGLe] Program).
   ACE INC is examining the indicators that form the backbone of monitoring and modeling
efforts for ecosystems, regional and national water quality, habitats, and living resources. These
indicators are used to calibrate and ground truth aircraft and satellite remote sensing of estuarine
and coastal resources in terms of plant community structure, function, and ecological health.
ACE INC is linking phytoplankton, marsh, and seagrass proxies with metrics of trophic structure
to provide indicators for the status of living resources.
   For more information on ACE INC,  visit http://www.aceinc.org.
                                                                                                             I
                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report II  37

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                            ghlight
                                                                          Table 2-1.Spearman correlation coefficients
                                                                          between molluscan concentration and the
                                                                          number of people living within  12 miles of
                                                                          each site, as per 1990 U.S. Census Bureau data.
                                                                          For silver, copper, and zinc, concentrations in
                                                                          oysters must be analyzed separately from
                                                                          those in mussels because oysters naturally
                                                                          accumulate those elements to a much greater
                                                                          extent than do mussels.
Status and Trends of Chemical
Concentrations  in Mussels and  Oysters
in the United  States

  NOAA created the NS&T Program to assess the impact of
human activities on the quality of coastal and estuarine areas.
In 1986, NS&T's Mussel Watch Project began to monitor
chemical contamination by analyzing mussel and oyster tissues
collected at fixed sites throughout the coastal United States.
The term "Mussel Watch" usually refers to a program that uses
mollusks as environmental sentinels to monitor chemical cont-
amination. Mollusks are good indicators of contamination
because  they concentrate chemicals from their surroundings
in their  tissues. This makes chemical analyses an integrated
measurement of contamination over time, rather than a snap-
shot. Measurements of chemical contaminants concentrated in
mollusk tissues are also less prone to error than measurements
of lower concentrations of contaminants in water.
  The NS&T sites for  the Mussel Watch Project were chosen
to be representative of their surroundings. Because the sites
must support an indigenous community of mollusk, the sites
were not selected randomly and were not located in "hot spots"
directly influenced by particular sources of contamination.
Details on the NS&T sampling strategy, site and species
descriptions, quality assurance methods, chemical methods,
data analysis information, raw data, and a list of NS&T publi-
cations available on the Internet can be found at http://nsandt.noaa.gov.
Distributions of Concentrations

  The Mussel Watch Project samples more than 220 sites regularly. In 1990, it sampled 214 sites,
and the  sampling results, together with 1990 U.S. Census Bureau data, illustrate a trend in the
distribution of chemical concentrations that has persisted  throughout the program. Table 2-1 lists
correlations between chemical concentrations and the number of people living within 12 miles of a
site. There are fairly strong connections between human population density and chemical concentra-
tions in  oysters and mussels for total chlordane, total DDT, total PCBs, total butyltin, total high
molecular weight (HMW) PAHs, and lead, with Spearman correlation coefficients that are greater
than 0.5 (Table 2-1). These findings are not surprising. The first four chemicals are synthetic chemi-
cals whose concentrations would be zero in the absence of human activity. Although total HMW
PAHs and lead would normally be found in mollusks, their present concentrations are almost
entirely  due to human actions. For total dieldrin, total low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs, and the
elements silver, mercury, and zinc, the national-scale correlations are low, but more than 40%  of the
Chemical Spearman Correlation
Coefficient
Total PCBs
Lead
Total organotins
Total chlordane
Total DDT
Total HMW PAHs
Zinc (oyster)
Silver (mussel)
Total PAHs
Copper (mussel)
Total LMW PAHs
Copper (oyster)
Chromium
Mercury
Zinc (mussel)
Total dieldrin
Silver (oyster)
Arsenic
Nickel
Selenium
Cadmium
0.623
0.598
0.585
0.598
0.553
0.520
0.486
0.458
0.473
0.288
0.252
0.193
0.181
0.179
0.174
0.153
0.044
-0.024
-0.107
-0.140
-0.3 1 2
38  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                        Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
   3.0
   2.8-
   2.6-
   2.4-
   2.2-
   2.0-
   1.8-
   1.6-
   1.4-
   1.2-
   1.0-
   0.8-
   0.6-
   0.4-
   0.2-
    1984  1986  1988  1990  1992  1994  1996  1998 2000 2002
                         Year
Figure 2-12. Trends in contaminants concentrations measured
in NOAA's Mussel Watch Project since 1986 (Developed by
NOAA for NCCR II).
high concentrations (those above the 85th percentile)
are found among the 15% of sites with 800,000 or
more people living within 12 miles. For other elements,
there was no evident tendency for high concentrations
to be driven by human actions.
Trends

   The national trends in  contamination for each chem-
ical measured in the Mussel Watch Project have been
described in various publications and on the Web. For
each chemical, the national-scale trends have shown
either a decrease or no trend at all over the last decade.
The only trace element to show a trend  (decrease) has
been cadmium. All the chlorinated organic compounds
whose use has been banned have been showing a
decrease. The results for organic chemicals for 1986 through 2002 are shown in Figure 2-12. All the
chlorinated compound concentrations continue to show statistically significant decreasing trends,
and at this point, there are also evident decreasing trends for LMW and HMW PAHs.
Concentrations above Public Health Advisories

   The intent of the Mussel Watch Project is to monitor the status and trends of coastal contamina-
tion, regardless  of whether chemical concentrations present a hazard to marine biota or to human
consumers of seafood. One indicator of coastal condition,  nonetheless, is the suitability of seafood
for human consumption. The FDA prohibits the interstate shipment and sale of seafood containing
more-than-specified concentrations of mercury and certain chlorinated hydrocarbons. FDA guide-
lines also suggest that mollusks not be consumed if concentration limits are exceeded for chromium,
nickel, lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Among the 4,000 mussel and oyster samples analyzed in the
Mussel Watch Project, no  mollusks collected in any year exceeded the FDA limit or guideline
for mercury, chromium, nickel, or arsenic. For chlorinated hydrocarbons, only total PCBs at the
Angelica Rock site in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, exceeded concentration limits. The limit for
cadmium (for humans eating shellfish at the 90th percentile consumption rate) was exceeded in
1991 at the  site on Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana. In several years, mollusks at 36
of the sites had lead concentrations that  exceeded the 0.8 ug/g wet weight guideline for children
consuming mollusks at the 90th percentile rate. Fewer sites had lead in excess of the 1.4 ug/g wet
weight limit for children consuming at the mean rate or pregnant women consuming at the 90th
percentile rate. No sites  had lead concentrations in excess of guidelines for adult consumption.
   The guidelines set by EPA for human health are generally more stringent than those set by FDA.
For example, although the FDA mercury limit of 1 ug/g wet weight has not been exceeded at any
NS&T site,  the EPA limit of 0.4 ug/g has been exceeded at least once at 25 sites. Exceedances of the
EPA guideline for arsenic  depend on how much of the total arsenic in a sample is assumed to be
inorganic. With an assumption of 10%, the  EPA arsenic guideline has been exceeded in all samples
and in all years. With an assumption that only 1%  of the total arsenic is in the inorganic form
(most toxic form), the guideline has been exceeded in some or all years at 47 sites. Major differences
between EPA and FDA limits are evident for dieldrin, total PCBs, and benzo(a)pyrene, the last
of which has no FDA limit. For the 222 sites sampled in 2001 and 2002, there were 7 exceedances
of EPA guidelines for dieldrin, 47 for total PCBs, and 45 for benzo(a)pyrene.
I
                              National Coastal Condition Report

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
    Sediment Contaminants
       The sediment contaminant indicator in the nation's
    estuaries is rated fair. National and regional monitoring
    programs conducted by EPA and NOAA provide infor-
    mation on the concentrations of contaminants found in
    estuarine sediments throughout the United States.
    Measurements of nearly 100 contaminants, including
    25 PAHs, 22 PCBs, 25 pesticides, and 15 metals, have
    been taken at each site. Long et al. (1995)  developed
    ERM and ERL values that were used as guidelines to
    determine sediment condition. Poor condition was
    determined to be an exceedance of one or more  ERMs,
    and fair condition was determined to be an exceedance
    of five or more ERLs. Poor sediment contaminant
    condition was observed in 7% of the estuarine sedi-
    ments in the nation, and fair condition was observed in
    an additional 8% (Figure  2-13). The highest  proportion
    of regional sediments exceeding these ERM guidelines
    occurred in Puerto Rico (23%), Gulf Coast (11%), and
    Northeast Coast (8%) estuaries.

    Sediment Contaminant Criteria (Long et al., 1995)
    ERM (Effects Range Median)—Determined for each
    chemical as the 50th percentile (median) in a database of
    ascending concentrations associated with adverse biological
    effects.
    ERL (Effects Range  Low)—Determined values  for each
    chemical as the I Oth percentile in a database of ascending
    concentrations associated with adverse biological effects.
  Sediment Contaminants - National (1997-2000)

         Many of the activities that take place on land can also
         effect the marine life in the Monterey Bay National
         Marine Sanctuary. Agriculture, an important multi-billion
         dollar industry can also deliver pesticides and sediment
         loads to the sanctuary during periods of heavy rainfall.
                                Good
                                        Fair
Figure 2-13. National sediment contaminants data
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
40  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                        Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Endocrine  Disruption in  Fish: An Assessment of Recent  Research
and  Results
   Concern has arisen that certain environmental contaminants, as well as some naturally occur-
ring compounds, have the potential to affect the endocrine system in animals. The endocrine
system regulates a number of vital life processes, including reproduction, growth, development,
and metabolism, through the production and action of hormones. Compounds that can either
mimic or antagonize the action of endogenous hormones are termed endocrine disrupting
compounds (EDCs), or endocrine disrupters. Studies on the identification and effects of EDCs
have become an important area of human and environmental health research.
   NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science completed an assessment of recent labora-
tory and field investigations into endocrine disruption in freshwater and saltwater species of fish.
Most of the research to date in fish in the United States and elsewhere has concentrated on repro-
ductive endocrine disruption, although other areas of the endocrine system, such as thyroid
hormone balance and function, may also be targets for EDCs. Laboratory studies revealed that
a number of chemicals—including certain industrial intermediates (e.g., alkyl phenols and
bisphenol-A), PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, dioxins, trace elements, and plant sterols—can interfere
with the endocrine system in fish. The potency of these EDCs, however, is typically hundreds
to thousands of times lower than that of naturally occurring hormones. Environmental endocrine
disruption in fish can result in the presence of female egg proteins in males and reduced levels
of natural hormones in males and females, as well as in the presence of both male and female
gonadal tissue  (intersex fish) in normally separate-sex species. Overt endocrine disruption does not
appear to be a widespread environmental phenomenon in  fish, particularly in the United States,
but rather it is more likely to occur in locations adjacent to sewage treatment plants (STPs), near
pulp and paper mills, and in areas of high organic chemical contamination. Some of the most
severe impacts, including the presence of intersex fish, have been seen adjacent to STPs, particu-
larly near certain facilities in the United Kingdom. Effects  near STPs are thought to be caused
primarily by natural and synthetic estrogens and to a lesser extent by degradation products of alkyl
phenolic surfactants. Effects in fish near pulp and
paper mills include reduced hormone levels and
masculinization of females, and they have been
linked to the presence of 6-osteral, a plant sterol
released during the paper-pulping process. In
areas of heavy  industrial activity and contamina-
tion, reduced levels of estrogens and  androgens, as
well as reduced gonadal development, have been
seen in fish and are thought to be linked to the
presence of PAHs, PCBs, and possibly dioxin.
   For more information visit
http://nsandt.noaa.gov/index_endocrine.htm.
                                               A mixed-species school of rockfish in the ocean above
                                               Cordell Bank, CA. (photo: Cordell Bank Expeditions)


                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  41

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                             ghlight
                                                                                 Pre- 1 972
                                                                       0 Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
                                                                       O Paralytic shellfish poisoning
                                                                       D Ciguatera
                                                                       D Fish kills
Harmful Algal  Blooms

   The term "harmful algal blooms" (HABs) describes a diverse array of marine algae blooms
that cause toxic effects in humans and other organisms; physical impairment of fish and shellfish;
nuisance conditions from foul odors to discoloration of waters; overwhelming effects on ecosys-
tems, such as severe oxygen depletion; and overgrowth of bottom populations. For some HAB
species, concentrations of only a few algae cells per liter may produce toxic effects that cause illness
or death  to humans, marine mammals, and other marine life.
    HABs have been responsible for an estimated $1 billion in economic losses over the past few
decades. These blooms have decimated the scallop fishery in Long Island's estuaries; closed shell-
fisheries on Georges Bank, from North
Carolina to Louisiana, and throughout
the Pacific Northwest; killed hundreds
of manatees in Florida, sea lions in
California, and dolphins in the northern
Gulf of Mexico;  and caused significant
respiratory illness in coastal residents
and vacationers.
   HABs are found in the waters of
almost all coastal and Great Lake states,
and they have been increasing in
number and extent. Nationwide, there
are more HAB species, more HAB
events, more algal toxins, more areas            — ^                Post-1972
affected,  more fisheries affected, and
higher economic losses today than there
were 25 years ago. The reason for the
apparent increase in HAB rates is uncer-
tain. Some reports of new HAB events
may simply reflect better detection
methods and more monitoring rather
than new species introductions or
dispersal  events.  Today, more researchers
and managers are surveying a greater
number of waterways for the presence of
HAB species, using more sensitive and
more accurate tools than ever before.
                                                                       O P/jesterio-like organisms
                                                                       O Macroalgae
                                                                       A Brown tide
                                                                       A Amnesiac shellfish poisoning
                                                                       9 Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
                                                                       O Paralytic shellfish poisoning
                                                                       D Ciguatera
                                                                       D Fish, bird, mammal, and submerged
                                                                         aquatic vegetation kills
                                                        Since 1972, the number and distribution of HAB species and events in
                                                        U.S. waters have increased (CENR.,2000).
42  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                           Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

Both natural events and human activities may also be responsible for the apparent increase in
HAB rates. In addition, natural events, such as hurricanes, may play a role in the spread of HABs
by dispersing the algae population and their nutrient sources via wind and water movement.
Humans may also contribute to the expansion of species by transporting toxic species to new port
areas in ships' ballast water.
   Several causes of HABs have been identified—some natural, others man-made—and research
continues to  identify and distinguish these causes. Excess nutrients delivered to coastal waters may
act as fertilizer and stimulate blooms in populations of naturally occurring algae.
   Currently, management options are limited; they include developing methods to reduce the
incidence and extent of HABs  containing blooms and minimizing the impact of the blooms.
Where possible, preventing the growth of HABs is preferable to treating the symptoms. It may be
possible to prevent growth of some HABs (1) by controlling the nutrient inputs to HAB species
that are stimulated by nutrient, (2) by using clays to precipitate algal cells, or (3) by using viruses
to attack the algal cells.
   For more information visit http://www.hab.nos.noaa.gov.
                    U.S. estuaries with reported moderate to high levels of nuisance or
                    toxic blooms, cited as symptoms of high  eutrophication conditions
                    that are caused primarily by nutrients (Bricker et al., 1999).
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report II  43

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
    Sediment Total Organic Carbon
       Although TOC exists naturally in estuarine
    sediments and is the result of the degradation of
    autothonous and allochthonous organic materials
    (e.g., phytoplankton, leaves, twigs, dead organisms),
    anthropogenic sources of TOC materials (e.g., organic
    industrial wastes, untreated or only primary-treated
    sewage) can significantly elevate the level of TOC in
    sediments. TOC in estuarine sediments is often a source
    of food for some benthic organisms, and high levels of
    TOC in estuarine sediments  can result in significant
    changes in benthic community structure and in the
    predominance of pollution-tolerant species. Increased
    levels of sediment TOC can also reduce the general
    availability of organic contaminants (e.g., PAHs, PCBs,
    pesticides); however, increases in temperature or
    decreases in dissolved oxygen can sometimes result in
    the release of these "TOC-bound" and "unavailable"
    contaminants. Nationally, the level of TOC in estuarine
    sediments was rated good, with only 3% of estuarine
    sediments being rated poor (Figure 2-14). The only
    exception to this rating was Puerto Rico, where estu-
    arine sediments showed high levels of TOC, with
    44% of sediments having TOC levels higher  than 5%
    (poor condition).
Total Organic Carbon - National (1997-2000)
                                                                                                    Fair (2-5%TOC)
                                                                                                        20%
                                                                        Good (< 2% TOC)
                                                                              77%
                                                                                            [Good     Fair     Poor
                                                             Figure 2-14. National sediment TOC data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
44  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                               Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
       Benthic Index
   The condition of benthic communities in the
nation's estuaries is fair to poor. Figure 2-15 shows that
17% of estuarine sediments are characterized by benthic
communities that are in poor condition (i.e., the
communities have lower-than-expected diversity, are
populated by greater-than-expected pollution-tolerant
species, or contain fewer-than-expected pollution-
sensitive species as measured by multimetric benthic
indices). Estuaries in the Northeast and Puerto Rico
were rated poor, with 22% and 35% of sediments
in those regions having poor benthic communities.
Estuaries along the Gulf Coast were rated borderline
fair, with 17% of sediments rated poor and an addi-
tional 26% rated fair for benthic communities.
   For the locations that showed poor benthic commu-
nity quality or reduced benthic diversity, the co-occur-
rence of poor environmental quality (exposure from
degraded water quality or sediment quality variables)
is shown in Figure 2-16. Of the 17% of the nation's
estuarine area that had poor benthos, 70% also showed
indicators of sediment quality and 42% showed indica-
tors of water quality. These figures indicate generally
that impaired benthic condition co-occurred in areas
with degraded sediment conditions. This  co-occurrence
does not imply causation. In fact, numerous sites with
documented water and sediment quality degradation
showed healthy, unimpaired benthic communities,
suggesting that the interaction is complex and that
increased environmental stress will not always result
in degraded aquatic life. However, the converse—the
occurrence of poor benthic community conditions—
mostly occurred in areas of environmental degradation.
       Coastal Habitat Index
   Although the loss of wetland habitats in the United
States has been significant over the past 200 years, only
small losses of coastal wetlands were documented from
1990 to 2000 (Table 2-2). The coastal habitat index
score is the average of the mean long-term, decadal loss
rate of coastal wetlands (1780-1990) and the present
decadal loss rate of coastal wetlands (1990-2000).
During the decade from 1990 to 2000, the United
States lost approximately 13,210 acres of coastal
  Benthic Index - National (1997-2000)
                                                           I
                                       Fair
                                       13%
                               Good    Fair     Poor
Figure 2-15. National benthic index condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  45

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
     Poor Water/Sediment Quality Indicators that Co-Occur with Low Benthic Diversity- National (1997-2000)
                 None
                 20%
       Sediment and
       Water Quality
           33%
                                Sediment Quality
                                     38%
                            Water Quality
                                 9%
Sediment Quality
Water Quality
Sediment and Water Quality
None
    Figure 2-16. Indices and indicators of degraded water/sediment quality that co-occur with poor benthic condition in U.S. estuaries (U.S.
    EPA/NCA).
    wetlands (exclusive of the Great Lakes region). This is a
    loss rate of about 0.2%. Averaging this recent rate of
    decadal wetland loss with the mean long-term, decadal
    loss rate (2.3%) results  in a national rating of poor for
    estuarine condition on  the coastal habitat index. The
    largest index scores were seen in West Coast estuaries
    (1.90) and in Gulf Coast estuaries  (1.30). Because Gulf
 Coast wetlands constitute two-thirds of the coastal
 wetlands in the conterminous 48 states and the Gulf
 Coast index score is high, the overall national rating for
 the coastal habitat index is poor (1.26). For the Great
 Lakes region, researchers  used other measurement
 approaches to assess wetland losses and rated them fair
 to poor.
    Table 2-2.  Changes in Marine and Estuarine Wetlands, 1780 to 1990 and  1990 to 2000 (Dahl, 1990; Dahl, 2003).
Coastline
or Area
Alaska
Hawaii
Puerto Rico
Northeast Coast
Southeast Coast
Gulf Coast
West Coast
Conterminous
48 States Total
Total (all areas)
Area 1990
(acres)
2, 1 32,900
31,150
1 7,300
452,310
1,107,370
3,777,120
320,220
5,657,020
7,838,370
Area 2000
(acres)
2,132,000
No data
No data
45 1 ,660
1,105,170
3,769,370
318,510
5,644,710
7,825,160
Change 1990-2000
(acres) (%)
-900 (0.04%)
—
—
-650(0.14%)
-2,200 (0.20%)
-7,750(0.21%)
-1,710(0.53%)
-12,310(0.22%)
-13,210(0.17%)
Mean Decadal Loss
Rate 1780- 1990
0.05%
0.06%
—
1.86%
1.91%
2.39%
3.26%
2.30%
1.25%
Index Value
0.05
—
—
1.00
1.06
1.30
1.90
1.26
0.71
46  National Coastal Condition Report I

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       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
   National estuarine condition as measured by fish
tissue contaminants is poor based on the NCA survey
alone; however, incorporating information from the
Great Lakes region (Chapter 7) increases the national
ranking from poor to fair. Figure 2-17 shows that 22%
of all sites sampled through the NCA survey showed
contaminant concentrations in fish tissues above  EPA
guidelines. This percentage may have been increased in
part due to the use of juvenile fish rather than fish of
commercial size. In most states, NCA surveys collected
fish for analysis of whole-body burdens of contaminants
(i.e., contaminants from the entire fish—fillets, head,
skin, organs). The use of juvenile-sized fish could
increase the likelihood of higher, whole-body concentra-
tions of contaminants, especially for those contaminants
not found in muscle tissue. In a few states, both edible
fillets and whole-body burdens were examined. EPA
Guidance describing risk-based concentrations of
concern for recreational and subsistence fishers (U.S.
EPA, 2000c) applies  to fillet, whole-body, and organ-
specific concentrations. Whole-body contaminant
concentrations for many contaminants  (e.g., pesticides,
cadmium, PAHs) are higher than the concentration in
muscle tissue (fillets); however, mercury concentrations
can be severely underestimated using the whole-body
concentration data. For example, mercury concentra-
tions can be three to five times more concentrated in
muscle tissue than in whole-body samples. About one-
third of coastal states often use whole-body concentra-
tions to set advisories for waters where consumer groups
eat whole fish. Few contaminant guidelines exist  for
wildlife protection.
   The NCA survey  data examined whole-body
composite samples (5 to 10 fish of a target species per
site) for 90 specific contaminants from 653 sites
throughout the estuarine waters of the United States
(except from Louisiana, Florida, and Puerto Rico). For
most contaminants, whole-body concentrations overes-
timate the risk of consuming only the fillet portion of
the fish unless the contaminant is concentrated in
muscle tissue (e.g., mercury), and the findings should
be considered accordingly. In addition, most analyses
were conducted on juvenile fish (non-market-size fish),
                                                                               Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Tissue Contaminants - National (1997-2000)
                                                         I
                                                                                       Good     Fair
                                                                                                       Poor
                                                        Figure 2-17. National fish tissue contaminants index data (U.S.
                                                        EPA/NCA).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  47

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    Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition
    which are known to have accumulated contaminant
    levels that are lower than those in larger, market-
    sized fish.
       The whole-body contaminant concentrations in fish
    and shellfish were compared with the range of concen-
    trations for EPA guidelines. At least one of the analyzed
    contaminants exceeded the maximum of the range in
    22% of estuarine waters sampled in the United States
    (Figure 2-17). An additional 15% of estuarine waters
    had fish or shellfish tissue concentrations within the
    noncancer range for at least one contaminant. Areas of
    poor and fair condition were dominated by total PCBs
    (39%), total DDT (16%), total PAHs (6%), and
    mercury (1%). Fish and shellfish analyzed  included
    Atlantic croaker, white perch, catfish, flounders, scup,
    blue crab, lobster, shrimp, whiffs, mullet, tomcod, spot,
    weakfish, halibut, soles, sculpins, sanddabs, basses,  and
    sturgeon. In the Northeast Coast region, 31% of sites
    where fish were captured were in poor condition, and
    29% were in fair condition (the Northeast Coast was
    the only region that showed  poor or fair condition for
    more than 50% of the sites yielding fish). Exceedances
in the Northeast Coast region occurred largely for total
PCBs (51%), PAHs (14%), DDT (9%), and mercury
(3%). In West Coast estuaries, 27% of sites where fish
were captured were in poor condition, and 11 % were in
fair condition, with exceedances primarily seen in total
PCBs (30%) and DDT (17%). Approximately 90% of
these sites were in San Francisco Bay, the Columbia
River, and the Puget Sound system. Exceedances in
Gulf Coast estuaries occurred at 22% of sites, primarily
for PCBs (16%) and DDT (10%).
   A factor of three was used  to correct whole-body
concentrations of mercury to approximate fillet concen-
trations,  based on a comparison of the ratio of whole
fish to fillet mercury concentrations found in scientific
literature, and 42% of estuarine sites that yielded fish in
the United States exceeded  EPA Guidance values for
mercury (Table 2-3). These exceedances included 48%
of estuarine sites where fish were captured in the
Northeast Coast, 43% in the West Coast,  18% in the
Gulf Coast (excluding Florida and Louisiana), and  10%
in the Southeast Coast.
Table 2-3. Projected Exceedances of Noncancer Health Endpoints for Associated Four 8-Ounce Fillet
Meals per Month for Mercury (Based on Three Times the Observed Whole-Body Concentrations)
(U.S.EPA/NCA).
Region
Northeast Coast
Southeast Coast
Gulf Coast
West Coast
Total United States
Proportion of Region
within the
Concentration Range
(0.12-0.23 ppm)(Fair)
34%
7%
12%
19%
24%
Proportion of Region
above the Upper
Limit of the
Concentration Range
(> 0.23 ppm)(Poor)
14%
3%
6%
24%
18%
Proportion of Region
in Poor and
Fair Condition
48%
10%
18%
43%
42%
                                                                                        The snook (Centropomus
                                                                                        undeimalis) is popular in the
                                                                                        recreational fishing industry
                                                                                        of the Florida Keys.This
                                                                                        species, usually found in the
                                                                                        Florida Bay and around the
                                                                                        mangroves of the Keys, has
                                                                                        also been spotted  out on the
                                                                                        reef, (photo: Bob Care -
                                                                                        Florida Keys NMS)
48  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                             Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries
  As of 2001, many marine fish stocks in LMEs
around the country were healthy, and other stocks were
rebuilt. Despite this progress, a number of the nation's
most significant fisheries face serious challenges,
including West Coast groundfish, the Southeast
Coast snapper-grouper complex, and Northeast Coast
mixed species.
  In 2001, NOAA's Office of Sustainable Fisheries
reported on the status of 595 marine fish and shellfish
stocks out of 951 total stocks (NMFS, 2002). Eighty-
one stocks were overfished (compared with 92 in 2000),
and 67 of these (83%) were steadily rebuilding. Twenty
more stocks in 2001 had sustainable harvest rates than
stocks in 2000. Sixty-five stocks experienced catches
exceeding allowable harvest levels. The NMFS has
approved rebuilding plans for the majority of over-
fished stocks. Of the 81 stocks that are overfished,
67 have an approved rebuilding plan, and 9 have plans
under development.
Recovery from Biomass  Depletion  in
Large Marine  Ecosystems
   Mandated management actions of the Northeast
Shelf LMEs are reversing declines in bio mass yields that
have occurred over the last several decades. Since 1994,
reductions in fishing effort increased the spawning stock
biomass levels of cod, haddock, yellowtail flounder, and
other species in the U.S. Northeast Shelf ecosystem.
   In the 1990s, herring and mackerel stocks began to
recover and establish higher stock sizes. This recovery
was due in part to a decrease in the  amount of foreign
fishing for these species, as well as to more than a
decade of low fishing mortality. Bottom trawl survey
indices for both species increased dramatically, with
more than a tenfold increase in abundance (average of
1977-1981 vs.  1995-1999) by the late 1990s. Stock
biomass of herring increased to more than 2.5 million mt
by 1997- For mackerel, total stock biomass has continued
to increase since the closure of the foreign fishery in the
late 1970s. Although  absolute estimates of biomass for
                                 Top 10 Commercial Species Landed in 2001

                       Top 10 by Quantity                      Top 10 by Value
Rank Species
1 Pollock
2 Menhaden
3 Salmon
4 Cod
5 Hakes
6 Flounders
7 Shrimp
8 Tunas
9 Herring
10 Crabs
Metric Tons
1 ,446,260
789,900
327,870
229,028
225,504
159,830
147,182
150,185
1 36,300
1 23,490
Species
Shrimp
Crabs
Lobsters
Pollock
Salmon
Tunas
Scallops
Clams
Cod
Halibut
Dollars (thousands)
$568,547
$381,667
$275,728
$236,923
$208,926
$207,300
$175,416
$161,992
$150,157
$115,169
                                   Recreational Fishing Statistics for 2001

          I 2.1 million anglers: 52% Atlantic, 25% Gulf of Mexico, 21% Pacific (excluding Alaska), 2% Puerto Rico
                  86.8 million trips: 61 % Atlantic, 26% Gulf of Mexico, I I % Pacific, 2% Puerto Rico
              444.2 million fish caught: 55% Atlantic, 36.5% Gulf of Mexico, 8% Pacific, 0.5% Puerto Rico
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  49

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       Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
      the late 1990s are not available for mackerel, recent
      analyses place the stock at or near a historic high in
      total biomass and spawning stock biomass. In addition,
      recent evidence indicates that,  following mandated
      substantial reductions in  fishing effort, both haddock
      and yellowtail flounder stocks  are responding to the
      catch reductions favorably, with substantial  growth
      reported in spawning stock biomass size since 1994
      for both species. In addition, a very strong year-class
      of yellowtail flounder was produced in 1998, and a
      strong year-class of haddock was produced in 1999
      (see Figure 2-18).
m
1)
p «
a.I
§1
CQ ^
J^ c
u a)
^1
^0
c  - ""v/ ^ y
^^ Spawning Stock Biomass ^^
^^ Recruitment ', <% ^r .
Exploitation *^^'
>
ImJ
— 	 ^ s
JLL^nnnn
-0.35
-0.30 oj
-0.25^
-0.20 1
•0.15 1
•0.10 m
•0.05
- nnn
         1975
                 1980
                         1985
       Figure 2-18. Spawning stock biomass, recruitment, and
       exploitation rate of Georges Bank haddock (Sherman et al.,
       2002).
         During the last two decades, herring and mackerel
      stocks have undergone unprecedented levels of growth,
      approaching an historic high in combined biomass.
      This growth is taking place during the same period that
      the fishery-management councils for the New England
      and Mid-Atlantic areas of the Northeast Shelf LME
      have sharply curtailed fishing effort on haddock and
      yellowtail flounder stocks. Studies of primary produc-
      tivity and zooplankton biomass suggest that there are
      ample food resources for these stocks. The "carrying
      capacity" of zooplankton that support herring and
      mackerel stocks and larval zooplanktivorous haddock
      and yellowtail flounder appears to be sufficient to
      sustain the strong year-classes reported for 1998
      (yellowtail flounder) and 1999 (haddock).
         The zooplankton component of the Northeast Shelf
      LME is in robust condition, with biomass levels at or
above the levels of the long-term median values of the
past two decades. This zooplankton community
provides a suitable prey base for supporting a large
biomass of pelagic fish (herring and mackerel), while
providing sufficient zooplankton prey to support strong
year-classes of recovering haddock and yellowtail
flounder stocks. No evidence has been found in the fish,
zooplankton, temperature, or chlorophyll component to
indicate any large-scale oceanographic regime shifts of
the magnitude reported for the North Pacific or
Northeast Atlantic Ocean areas.

Assessment and Advisory Data

Clean Water Act Section 305(b)
Assessments
   Twenty-three of the 27 coastal states and territories
(hereafter, states  and territories will be referred to as
states), the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Delaware
River Basin Commission rated general water quality
conditions in some of their estuarine waters. Altogether,
these states assessed 31,072 square miles of estuarine
waters, or 36% of the 87,369 square miles of estuarine
waters in the nation. Of these 27 coastal states, 14 rated
general water quality conditions in some of their coastal
waters. They assessed 3,221 miles of ocean shoreline,
representing 5-5% of the nation's coastline (including
Alaska's 36,000 miles of coastline),  or 14% of the
22,618 miles of coastline excluding Alaska.
   The states reported that 45% of their assessed
estuarine waters have good water quality that fully
supports designated uses (Figure  2-19).  Of the assessed
waters, nearly 4% are threatened for one or more uses.
Figure 2-19. Water quality in assessed estuaries of the United
States (U.S. EPA, 2002).
   50 National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                     Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Supporting
1
These waters meet applicable water quality
standards, both criteria and designated use.
               These waters currently meet water
Threatened    quality standards, but states are concerned
I             — that they may degrade in the near future.
               These waters meet water quality standards most
               of the time, but exhibit occasional exceedances.
               These waters do not meet water
               quality standards.
Some form of pollution or habitat degradation impairs
the remaining 51% of assessed estuarine waters. Most  of
the assessed ocean shoreline miles (2,755 miles, or 86%)
have  good quality and support a healthy aquatic
community and public activities (Figure 2-20). Of the
assessed waters, 79%  fully support designated uses and
7% are threatened for one or more uses. Some form of
pollution or habitat degradation impairs the remaining
14%  of the assessed shoreline.
   After comparing water quality data with water
quality standards, states and tribes classified the waters
into the following categories:
   For the purposes of this report, waters classified as
partially supporting or  not supporting their uses are
categorized as impaired. Twenty-two states reported
the individual use support of their estuarine waters
(Figure 2-21). States also provided limited information
on individual use support in coastal waters (Figure 2-22).
General conclusions cannot be drawn from such a small
fraction of the nation's  coastal waters. Significantly,
                                                Threatened
                                                    7%
                                                   Impaired
                                                     14%
Figure 2-20. Water quality in assessed shoreline waters of the
United States (U.S. EPA, 2002).
11 states had adopted statewide coastal fish consump-
tion advisories for mercury, PCBs, and other pollutants
as of the 2000 305 (b) reporting period. These advisories
are not represented in the use support numbers.
   The major stressors that impair assessed estuarine
waters are metals, pesticides, oxygen-depleting
substances, toxic chemicals, PCBs, and dissolved solids.
The states reported that pathogens, oxygen-depleting
substances, turbidity, suspended solids, oil and grease,
metals, and nutrients are the major stressors causing
impairment to assessed  ocean shoreline miles.
                                                                                                                 I
                                                           Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary  Secondary
                                                            Support  Consumption           Contact-   Contact
                                                                                        Swimming
                                                                            Designated Use

                                                  Figure 2-2 I. Individual use support for assessed estuaries of the
                                                  United States (U.S. EPA, 2002).
                                                                 2,500

                                                     2,000 •

                                                     1,500 •

                                                     1,000 •

                                                      500 •
                                                                    0

                                                                                                              -n
                                                           Aquatic Life     Fish    Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
                                                            Support  Consumption            Contact-    Contact
                                                                                       Swimming
                                                                            Designated Use

                                                  Figure 2-22. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
                                                  waters of the United States (U.S. EPA, 2002).
                                                                                            National Coastal Condition Report II   51

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                            ghlight
               Mercury in  Marine Life - A  Complex Story

                  How big a problem is mercury in marine life? Although scientists do not know how much
               of a problem mercury in marine life poses to humans, they do know that mercury in the human
               diet comes primarily from fish. Exposure to too much mercury via fish consumption can lead to
               neurological effects in the developing fetus, children, and adults and can increase the risk of heart
               disease in adults. Scientists also know that some of the larger predatory fish commonly consumed
               by humans, such as sharks, swordfish, and king mackerel, have high levels of mercury in their
               tissues. It is uncertain, however, whether these concentrations are getting higher or lower over
               time, because there is no national baseline for mercury concentrations in saltwater species.
                  How do we characterize the transport of mercury in estuarine and marine environments?
               First, although atmospheric deposition is not the only source of mercury in estuaries and coastal
               waters, it is a primary source. Mercury that is deposited in estuaries and coastal waters may have
               originated as air emissions from a nearby source, from a source within the state, from a regional
               source outside the state, or from a source outside the country, and identifying the correct source
               can be difficult. Second, conditions in the sediments in coastal areas affect the speed at which
               inorganic mercury is converted to methylmercury, the most toxic chemical form of mercury that
               enters the food chain. Scientists are currently unable  to determine which coastal areas are more
               likely to produce methylmercury at high rates and which will have relatively low rates.
               Unfortunately, even less is known about how mercury is transformed in the deep ocean. Third,
               although there is some information on the concentrations of mercury in fish and shellfish species,
               the migratory nature  of many marine species requires additional information on where particular
               species feed and what they eat in order to determine  how they are exposed to mercury. Finally, fish
               move globally in international commerce. Fish consumed in the United States  may have been
               harvested in a foreign country, and fish that people in other countries consume may have been
               harvested in U.S. waters.
                     Pacific (2,570)
                                                                                   Atlantic (5,674)
                    States with data in the Mercury in Marine Life Database (U.S. EPA, 2003b).
52  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                          Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
   What kind of monitoring data do we have? Many of the data collected on mercury from
long-term monitoring programs are collected by sampling small fish that serve as prey for larger
commercial and recreational species. Although the mercury concentrations are not very high in
these small fish,  concentrations are higher in the larger predator fish that consume these small fish,
and these larger  fish are typically the fish preferred by people. Data collected from a variety of
sources—5 federal, 4  regional, and 26 state monitoring programs—and assembled by EPA provide
a recent snapshot of mercury concentrations in fish and shellfish. The data show that mercury
concentrations are relatively high in some species popular among recreational fishers, but data are
limited or unavailable for several popular recreational species. In addition, the data show that less
information is available for many of the popular commercial species.
                                                                                                               I
Atlantic crocker
Bluefish
Dolphin*
King mackerel
Red drum
Red snapper*
Sheepshead
Spotted seatrout
Striped bass
Summer flounder*
0
-L
1

^=.
I
1

i
1


	 1
1



• Mean


a
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.
Mercury Concentration (ppm wet weight)
''Small sample size
  Mercury concentrations in the top 10 recreational species in the United States. The arrow at 0.12 ppm
  represents the lower acceptable concentration limit based on EPA Guidance for consumption of 4
  meals/per month (U.S. EPA, 2003b).
   What does it mean? For samples of king mackerel collected on the Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico coasts combined, the mean and median mercury concentrations are 1.06 and 0.85 ppm
mercury (wet weight), respectively. These are some of the higher concentrations observed in
recreational species; however, this is only a starting point. Scientists still need to understand how
the mercury is getting into these fish. That is why understanding how mercury is transported
among organisms in the marine environment is a complex challenge.
   For more information about the data set, contact John Wilson at wilson.john@epa.gov.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report I

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                            ghlight
               National  Land Cover Data

                  The USGS and EPA created a nationwide land cover data set, National Land Cover Data
               (NLCD), for the conterminous 48 states based on early to mid-1990s, 30-meter Landsat
               Thematic Mapper satellite imagery. This NLCD was initially created to meet the needs of six
               federal environmental monitoring programs that formed a partnership called the Multi-Resolution
               Land Characterization Consortium. The consortium consists of agencies that produce or use land
               cover data as part of their missions: USGS, EPA, NOAA, USDA, and the U.S. Forest Service
               (USES), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Bureau of Land
               Management (BLM). In addition to these federal agencies, other federal, state, and local govern-
               ment agencies and various environmental groups require recent intermediate-scale land cover data
               to perform their missions. Before the NLCD was created, USGS had  compiled an intermediate
               land cover data set for the conterminous 48 states based on 1970s aerial photography. Although
               the 1970s data set can still be used for some applications, many land cover changes have taken
               place over the past 20 or more years. The NLCD provides a relatively current, consistent,  and
               accurate land cover data set for a variety of applications: calculating land cover statistics, planning
               land use, deriving landscape pattern metrics, developing land management policies, and assessing
               ecosystem status and health.
                  The NLCD consists of 21 classes of land cover categories applied in a consistent manner across
               the 48 states (http://landcover.usgs.gov/index.asp). The NLCD developers established standard
               procedures to classify the  Landsat Thematic mapper satellite imagery that was used, in conjunc-
               tion with ancillary data sets, to refine the classification process.
                   Emergent Herbaceous Wetlani
                                                                                            Northeast
                   West
                   Coast
                         Commercial, Industrial,
                             Transportation
                       High Intensity Residential  | 0.26%

                       Low Intensity Residential  H| 1.02%
                                  Water

                                                                                       25%        30%
                   NLCD data for the 48 conterminous states, with a chart depicting percentage of total land cover for
                   selected categories (USGS, 1999).
54  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Land Cover Area Totals
Category Land Cover
Low-intensity residential
High-intensity residential
Commercial, industrial, transportation
Woody wetland
Emergent herbaceous wetland
Square
Miles
31,696.13
8,127.12
17,550.95
85,419.40
37,984.70
Percentage
of National
Total Area
1.02
0.26
0.56
2.75
1.22
Source: USGS, 1999

      Total acreage values were calculated for
   the conterminous 48 states based on the
   NLCD's 21 classes. The area and percentage
   of the national total for five land cover
   categories (low intensity residential; high
   intensity residential, commercial, industrial,
   and transportation; woody wetland;
   and emergent herbaceous wetland) are
   summarized in the table at right.
      For the NCCR II, areas of interest were extracted and evaluated for the five coastal regions
   (outlined in red on the map) of the conterminous 48 states. Analyses and comparisons can be
   made within and among these regions. The five land cover categories highlighted comprise only
   5.81% of the total national land cover; however, these highlighted categories are well represented
   in the nation's coastal regions. The bar  graphs show that the combined coastal regions account
   for the following percentages of the nation's land cover totals, reported by category: 32.97%  of
   commercial,  industrial, transportation;  46.67% of high-intensity residential; 45.6% of low-
   intensity residential;  52.45% of emergent herbaceous wetland; and 47-87% of woody wetland.
      For more information about the NLCD, contact Jimmy Johnston at jimmy_johnston@usgs.gov.
                     Great Lakes by Category
                                                          Northeast by Category
  Emergent Herbaceous
      Wetland
      Woody Wetland
 Commercial, Industrial,
   Transportation
High Intensity Residential

Low Intensity Residential
  Emergent Herbaceous
      Wetland
      Woody Wetland
 Commercial, Industrial,
   Transportation
High Intensity Residential

Low Intensity Residential
              J 32.53
              D % of Total Coastal Areas
              • % of Total National Area:
                      10    20   30   40   SO   60
                           Percent of Area
                        West by Category
| 0.93
0.49

0.39
0.19
D%ofTotal Coastal Are;
• % of Total National Are
                      10    20   30   40   SO   60
                           Percent of Area
                         Emergent Herbaceous
                            Wetland
                            Woody Wetland
                        Commercial, Industrial,
                          Transportation
                       High Intensity Residential

                       Low Intensity Residential
  Emergent Herbaceous
      Wetland
      Woody Wetland
 Commercial, Industrial,
   Transportation
High Intensity Residential

Low Intensity Residential
                                                    Gulf Coast by Category
Emergent Herbaceous
Wetland
Woody Wetland
Commercial, Industrial,
Transportation
High Intensity Residential
Low Intensity Residential
C
57.791
130.31

^i= 	 |28'35
pi. 	 "''2
	 1 D% of Total Coastal Areas
|765 	 ' •' •%ofTotal National Areas
10 20 30 40 SO 6
Percent of Area
                                                                                  Source: USGS, 1999
                                                                                            National Coastal Condition Report II  55

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                            ghlight
               Monitoring in  the National Marine Sanctuaries

                  The National Marine Sanctuary Program is developing a System-Wide Monitoring Program
               (SWMP) for the nation's 13 marine sanctuaries. The goal of the SWMP is to provide a consistent
               approach to the integrated design, implementation, and reporting of environmental data from
               individual sanctuaries, sanctuary networks, and the sanctuary system as a whole. The design
               process allows for tailored monitoring in all sanctuaries, developing information critical to
               management while contributing to and  benefitting from other local, regional, and national moni-
               toring programs. It also provides a means to design monitoring programs to address networks of
               sanctuaries, specific issues, or resource types. Driven by scale-specific questions based on existing
               threats to water quality, habitat and living resources, as well as system questions applicable at all
               sanctuaries, monitoring programs will be developed and implemented at multiple spatial scales,
               with priority given to sanctuary-based monitoring.
                  Key partners operating at relevant spatial scales will support the programs. Local, regional,
               and national reports will document results at appropriate  levels of specificity and incorporate
               an icon-based scheme to summarize the status and trends for key indicators. The most detailed
               technical information, and that  most applicable to site management, will be reported for
               individual sanctuaries.
                  One of the reporting methods that the National Marine Sanctuary Program  is considering is
               a method derived from the format used in the NCCR I. This  format consists of customized icons
               that use color (green, yellow, and red) to show status and  shapes (squares and upward- or down-
               ward-pointing triangles) to
               show trends. The use of
               changing colors in the trian-
               gular icons provides a forecast
               of pending condition based on
               the judgment of analysts,
               whereas square icons are used
               to illustrate static conditions.
               The icons include pictures or
               symbols that refer uniquely to
               elements that affect or compose
               the sanctuary system. This
               report card approach summa-
               rizes detailed monitoring results
               for specific sites and provides
               useful information to audiences
               with a general interest in
               marine sanctuaries.
Rating System for Icon Reports
Good
Overall ^a'C
Rating ' S
Pbor
-
^V Deteriorating from "good" to "poor"
/\ Improving from "fair" to "good"
| "Poor" and stable
     Water
     Stressors
Eutrophic
Condition
Human
Health
      Human
      Impacts
                          Habitat
               Abundance/
               Distribution
Contaminants  Structure
                 Human
                 Impacts
                                            Living Resources
                                           Invasives
Extracted
 Species
                       Biodiversity
                                 Human
                                 Impacts
                                Condition
56  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                           Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition

                 Sanctuary Report: Flower Garden Banks NMS
Good
 Fair
   Existing data were used to generate an example of this type of report for the Flower Garden
Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the northwest Gulf of Mexico. The diagram below illustrates
the good overall condition of the bank's reef resources, as well as several areas of concern to sanc-
tuary management. Text adjacent to the icons indicates specific  aspects of the environment that
analysts deemed responsible
for the resource's condition.
For example, the mass
mortality of a dominant
herbivorous sea urchin,
Diadema antillarum, in the
mid-1980s remains a signifi-
cant potential disruption to
the reef ecosystem (indicated
by the yellow box). Recovery
of Diadema populations has
not occurred, yet their  mass
mortality in the mid-1980s
has not resulted in significant    Poor. i
long-term changes in the
Flower Gardens.
   Another concern in  the Flower Gardens is that various discharges may threaten sanctuary water
and living resources. Charter dive vessels and oil and gas production facilities in the vicinity are
the primary sources of the discharges, which include sewage, bilge water, food, and produced
water from wells. High levels of scuba diving activity at certain mooring buoy locations also put
stress on some reef areas. In addition, illegal fishing in the sanctuary's deeper areas and mechanical
damage caused  by anchoring, tow cables, and fishing gear present additional potential threats to
the system. Although most of these activities have had minimal  consequences  on the sanctuary
thus far, sanctuary staff are  taking steps to characterize and monitor certain contaminants that
may act as indicators of problems, and  to monitor particular locations because trends indicate
that changes may occur in the near future.
   Additional information on the National Marine Sanctuary Program is available at
http ://sanctuaries. noaa. gov/.
                                                                                I
Water

u
W^ Algae

T Mooring
Locations
U-^=T7 Rig. Platform, &
\/ Ship Discharges
Habitat

V Moo ring
H Abundance/
Distribution
PAHs
\~?y Heavy Metals
Antifoulants
Anchoring
lb>7 Divers
V Fishing Gear
Living Resources

*
\Y/ Illegal Longlining
* Diadema
\*/ Tubastrea
\R/ Coral Diseases
V Visitation
Fishing
Oil and Gas Ops
                                                  National Coastal Condition Report II  57

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
    Fish  Consumption Advisories
       A total of 82 fish consumption advisories were in
    effect for estuarine and coastal marine waters of the
    United States in 2002, including 74% of the coastal
    waters of the contiguous 48 states (Figure 2-23)- In
    addition, 30 fish consumption advisories were in effect
    in the Great Lakes and their connecting waters. An
    advisory may represent one waterbody or one type of
    waterbody within a state's jurisdiction, or one or more
    species offish. Some of the advisories are issued as
    single statewide advisories for all coastal estuarine or
    marine waters within the state (Table 2-5). Although
    the statewide coastal advisories have placed a large
    proportion of the nation's coastal waters under advisory,
    these advisories are often issued  for the larger size-classes
    of predatory species (such as bluefish and king mackerel)
    because larger, older individuals have had more time
    to be exposed to and accumulate one or more
    chemical contaminants in their  tissues than have
    younger individuals.
The yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus), abundant in the
waters of the Florida Keys, is the center of a large commercial
and recreational fishing industry. Found in the water column
above the reef this is usually one of the first species a diver or
snorkeler will see upon entering the water (photo: Jim Raymont -
Florida Keys NMS)
            Number of
            advisories per USGS
            cataloging unit in 2002

                     I
                     2-4
                     5-9
                     No Advisories
    Figure 2-23.The number of coastal and estuarine fish consumption advisories per USGS cataloging unit.This count does not include
    advisories that may exist for noncoastal or nonestuarine waters. Alaska did not report advisories for 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
58  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Table 2-4. Summary of States with Statewide
Advisories for Coastal and Estuarine Waters
(U.S. EPA,2003c)
State Pollutants
Alabama Mercury
Connecticut PCBs
Florida Mercury
Georgia Mercury
Louisiana Mercury
Maine Dioxins
Mercury
PCBs
Massachusetts Mercury
PCBs
Mississippi Mercury
New Hampshire PCBs
New Jersey PCBs
Cadmium
Dioxins
New York Cadmium
Dioxins
PCBs
North Carolina Mercury
Rhode Island PCBs
Mercury
South Carolina Mercury
Texas Mercury
Species
under Advisory
King mackerel
Bluefish
Lobster (tomalley)
Striped bass
Bluefish
Cobia
Greater amberjack
Jack crevalle
King mackerel
Little tunny
Shark
Spotted sea trout
King mackerel
King mackerel
Bluefish
Lobster (tomalley)
Striped bass
King mackerel
Lobster (tomalley)
Shark
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna
King mackerel
Bluefish
Lobster (tomalley)
Striped bass
American eel
Bluefish
Lobster (tomalley)
Striped bass
American eel
Blue crab
(hepatopancreas)
Bluefish
Lobster (tomalley)
Striped bass
King mackerel
Shark
Bluefish
Shark
Striped bass
Swordfish
King mackerel
King mackerel
   The number and geographic extent of advisories
can serve as indicators of the level of contamination
of estuarine and marine fish and shellfish, but a number
of other factors must also be taken into account. For
example, the methods and intensity of sampling and
the contaminant levels at which advisories are issued
often differ among the states. In the states with
statewide coastal advisories, one advisory may cover
many thousands of square miles of estuarine waters  and
many hundreds of miles of shoreline waters. Although
advisories in U.S. estuarine and shoreline waters have
been issued for a total of 23 individual chemical conta-
minants, most advisories issued have resulted from four
primary contaminants. These four chemical contami-
nants—PCBs, mercury, DDT and its degradation
products DDE and DDD, and dioxins/furans—were
responsible at least in part for 91% of all fish consump-
tion advisories in effect in estuarine and coastal marine
waters in 2002 (Figure 2-24, Tables 2-6  and 2-7). These
chemical contaminants are biologically accumulated
(bioaccumulated) in the tissues of aquatic organisms to
concentrations many times higher than concentrations
in seawater (Figure 2-25). Concentrations of these
contaminants in the tissues of aquatic organisms may
   be increased at each successive level of the food web.
As a result, top predators in a food web may have
concentrations of these chemicals in their tissues that
can be a million times higher than the concentrations
in seawater. A direct comparison of fish advisory conta-
minants and sediment contaminants is not  possible
because states often issue advisories for groups of
chemicals; however, five of the top six contaminants
associated with fish advisories (PCBs, DDT, dieldrin,
chlordane, and dioxins) are among the contaminants
most often responsible for a Tier 1 National Sediment
Inventory classification (associated adverse effects to
aquatic life or human health are probable) of water-
bodies based on potential human health effects  (U.S.
EPA,  1997).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  59

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
            PCBs
            Other
     |    Mercury

     o
    U
           Dioxin



      DDT and DDE
                                                                 Table 2-5. The Four Bioaccumulative Contaminants
                                                                 Responsible, at Least in Part, for 9 I % of Fish Consumption
                                                                 Advisories in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Waters in 2002
                                                                 (U.S. EPA,2003c)
                                                                 Contaminant
 Number
    of
Advisories  Comments
                                                                 PCBs
    53      Seven northeast states (CT, MA,
            ME, NH,NJ, NY,and Rl) had
            statewide PCB advisories, and
            seven states and the Territory of
            American Samoa had advisories
            for specific  portions of their
            coastal waters.
                                                                 Mercury
                      10
                            20
                                  30
                                        40
                                             50
                                                   60
                                                         70
                       Percent ofTotal Number of Advisories
                           Listing Each Contaminant
    Figure 2-24. Percentage of estuarine and coastal marine advi-
    sories issued for each contaminant. An advisory can be issued for
    more than one contaminant, so percentages may not add up to
    100 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

    29      Eleven states (AL, FL, GA, LA, MA,
            ME, MS, NC, Rl, SC, and TX) had
            statewide mercury advisories in
            their coastal waters; six of these
            states also had statewide mercury
            advisories for their estuarine
            waters. Seven states and the
            Territory of American Samoa had
            advisories for specific portions of
            their coastal waters.
                                                                 DDT, DDE,         14      All DDT advisories were issued in
                                                                  and DDD                 California (12), Delaware (I), and
                                                                                            the Territory of American Samoa
                                                                                            (I)-
                                                                 Dioxins            12      Statewide dioxin advisories were in
                                                                                            effect in three states (ME, NJ, and
                                                                        ^^^^1             NY).  Five states had dioxin
                                                                                            advisories for specific portions of
                                                                                            their coastal waters.
                                                                 Table 2-6.The Four Bioaccumulative Contaminants
                                                                 Responsible, at Least in Part, for 91% of Fish Consumption
                                                                 Advisories in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Waters in 2002
                                                                 (Great Lakes) (U.S. EPA,2003c)
                                                                 Contaminant
  Number
      of
 Advisories Comments
                                                                 PCBs
     30      Eight states (IL, IN, Ml, MN, NY,
             OH, PA, and Wl) had PCB
             advisories for all five Great Lakes
             and several connecting waters.
                                                                 Mercury
      I I      Three states (IN, Ml, and PA)
             had mercury advisories in their
             Great Lakes waters for Lakes Erie,
             Huron, Michigan, and Superior,
             and several connecting waters.
                                                                 DDT, DDE,
                                                                 and DDD
    Figure 2-25. Bioaccumulation process (U.S. EPA, 1995).
             One state (Ml) had a DDT
             advisory in effect for Lake
             Michigan
                                                                 Dioxins
      14      Dioxin advisories were in effect
             in three states (Ml, NY, and Wl)
             that included all five Great Lakes
             and several connecting waters.
60
      National Coastal Condition Report II

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                                                                                Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
Beach Advisories and Closures
   EPA gathered information on the 2002 swimming
season at 2,823  beaches nationwide (both coastal
and inland) through the use of a voluntary survey.
The survey respondents were state agencies and local
government agencies from coastal counties, cities, or
towns bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico,
Pacific Ocean, the Great Lakes, and Hawaii, as well as
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam,  and the
Northern Mariana Islands. A few of these respondents
were regional (multiple-county) districts. Data are
available only for those beaches for which officials
participated in the survey. EPA conducts the  survey
each year and displays the results on the BEACH
Watch Web site at www.epa.gov/OST/beaches. All data
cited in this report were derived from data collected by
the EPAs BEACH Watch Program during the 2002
swimming season.
   EPAs review of coastal beaches (U.S. coastal areas,
estuaries, the Great Lakes, and coastal areas of Hawaii
and the U.S. territories) showed that, of the 2,823
beaches responding to the survey, 2,031 were marine
or Great Lakes beaches. Of these coastal beaches, 581
(or 29%) had an advisory or closing in effect at least
once during the 2002 swimming season (Figure 2-26).
                                                                                         Percentage of
                                                                                         reporting beaches
                                                                                         with at least one
                                                                                         advisory or closure
                                                                                         in 2002:
Figure 2-26. Percentage of beaches with advisories/closures by coastal state in 2002. Percentages are based on number of beaches in
each state that reported information, not the total number of beaches.There were no BEACH Watch Program survey responses from
Alaska, Mississippi, or American Samoa (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  61

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    Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition
    Beach advisories or closings were issued for a number of
    different reasons, including elevated bacterial levels in
    the water, preemptive reasons associated with rainfall
    events or sewage spills, and other reasons (Figure 2-27).
    Some of the major causes of public notifications for
    beach advisories and closures were  stormwater runoff,
    wildlife, sewerline problems, boat discharges, publicly
    owned  treatment works (POTWs), and in many cases,
    unknown sources (Figure 2-28).
                 Preemptive
                   Closure
                  (Sewage)  Other
                     3%  \  5%
              Preemptive
               Closure
               (Rainfall)
                 13%
                                        Elevated
                                        Bacteria
                                         Levels
                                          79%
    Figure 2-27. Reasons for beach advisories or closures for the
    nation's coastal waters (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                       rCSO 1%
                           SSO3%
                 Other
      Unknown
        54%
POTW2%
 Septic System 2%
  Sewer Line Problem 3%
   Boats 2%

  Stormwater
     Runoff
      17%
 Wildlife
   8%
Figure 2-28. Sources of beach contamination for the nation's
coastal waters (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                      A beach volunteer records the numbers and species of birds present at his designated beach
                      watch, (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)
62  National Coastal Condition Report I

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 Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

Oct 1999
Sea-Viewing Wide  Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS)

   The coastal ocean is constantly affected by natural cycles of nutrient and sediment inputs, as
well as the impact of increased human population and changing land uses. Rainfall and runoff,
usually during the spring, provide nutrients that promote algal blooms. This nutrient flow can
affect both estuaries and the coastal ocean.  In addition, variations in yearly rainfall can  alter the
magnitude of algal blooms. Understanding the movement and impact of nutrients and runoff on
the coastal zone requires analysis of drainage patterns, pollution transport, concentrations of algae,
and sedimentation.
   Satellite-borne sensors can provide synoptic data on algae and sediments over large areas, greatly
enhancing field programs. A key tool for this application is the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View
Sensor (SeaWiFS), which has provided imagery during most cloud-free days over the past
5 years. SeaWiFS was developed by Orbimage to support NASA's global climate programs. With
a 1-kilometer pixel size, it can monitor large estuaries and the coastal  ocean. NOAA's Center for
Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) has developed new methods for analyzing SeaWiFS
data that have allowed it to be          ^^^^^^^^^^
used to  assess the coastal zone.
For instance, the SeaWiFS images
above show the seasonal difference
in the Texas  coast for two different
years, 1999 and 2001. A spring
algal bloom is evident in March
of both years, with higher chloro-
phyll along the coast.  However,
conditions vary between years,
with chlorophyll concentrations
greater in 2001 than in 1999 for
both spring and fall. Precipitation
in the region was also higher in
2001 than in 1999- The CCMA is
examining these patterns in detail
for the entire U.S. coastal area for
September 1997 to  present in
order to determine patterns and
variability along the coast.
   For more information, visit
http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/rsd/welcome.html.
                                     I
       National Coastal Condition Report I

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                             ghlight
                Microbial Source Tracking

                  Urbanization has caused increased point and nonpoint source runoff into estuaries and may
                increase fecal coliform pollution. Shellfish harvesting areas are opened or closed based on the
                number of fecal coliforms, mainly E. coli, present in seawater and shoreline surveys that identify
                sources of fecal contamination. These indicators protect the public from disease-causing microor-
                ganisms associated with human waste. Unfortunately, fecal coliform standards for shellfish
                harvesting are sometimes exceeded when no obvious source of contamination can be identified.
                This often results in shellfish harvesting areas being closed without a specific identified
                pollution source.
                  Bacterial pollution sources within coastal areas have three general sources: wildlife, domestic
                animals, and humans. Fecal coliforms quantified using traditional  approaches can be from any
                of those sources, but human illnesses have generally been only associated with bacterial pollution
                from human sources. One method that has been developed as a potential technique for bacteria
                source tracking is the use of antibiotic resistance testing of E. coli bacteria. The rational of this
                method is that fecal coliform bacteria from humans will have acquired multiple antibiotic
                resistance (to three or more antibiotics)  due to the large  number of antibiotics used in medical
                treatment. Wildlife generally will not harbor antibiotic resistant pathogens due to the absence of
                their use in wildlife species. Domestic animals (e.g., cattle, hogs, and chickens) and pets will
                generally be more intermediate in their  overall antibiotic resistance.
                  The Urbanization in Southeast Estuarine Systems (USES) study has evaluated the impact of
                urbanization on estuarine water quality  in terms of fecal coliform bacterial effects by comparing
                water quality in highly urbanized Murrells Inlet and pristine North Inlet in coastal South
                Carolina. Significant differences were found between these areas in fecal coliform densities and
                bacterial species comprising the coliform group. Elevated fecal coliform densities were found in
                the inner and outer regions of the urban estuary, and E.  coli accounted for 83% of all bacterial
                species. In pristine North Inlet, the highest coliform densities were found in  the inner regions,
                adjacent to deciduous hardwood forest,  and wildlife were the primary pollution source. E. coli was
                the dominant bacterial species detected, but only accounted for 59% of all bacterial species
                present. Nonetheless, E. coli was the dominant species in the coliform group in surface waters of
                both areas, and it was not possible on that basis alone to identify pollutant sources.
                  The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) method was able to  differentiate among pollution
                sources. MAR results found that 2.5%  of E. coli bacteria in Murrells Inlet were resistant to
                multiple antibiotics. The majority of sites had resistance to only a single antibiotic (either ampi-
                cillin or penicillin). Only one site had MAR that matched human wastewater treatment plant
                samples within the region, suggesting a  human source. These results compared favorably with
64  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                            Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

other highly urbanized coastal regions of South Carolina including Broad Creek in Hilton Head,
where 3% of the E. coli were antibiotic resistant. MAR was much lower (<1%) in a rural water-
shed in Beaufort County, the Okatee River, and in North Inlet. In addition, the MAR index
values in urbanized Murrells Inlet (2.47) and Broad Creek (3-40) were higher than in the rural
Okatee River (1.04) or North Inlet (<1)  watersheds. Similarly, the total number of antibiotics to
which E. coli exhibited resistance was much higher in urbanized Murrells Inlet (8 antibiotics) and
Broad Creek (8 antibiotics), when compared to rural Okatee River (2 antibiotics). Analysis of
"Presumptive" Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) estimates indicated that the remaining
human waste load  for Murrells Inlet was less than 1% of the pet waste load estimated for dogs
and cats. These findings, when taken in toto for Murrells Inlet, suggest that the vast majority of
bacteria in Murrells Inlet is from domestic animals rather than human sources. Thus, to reduce
fecal coliform loadings in Murrells Inlet and other coastal areas, it will be important to develop
programs to control pet waste loads.
                   Bacterial closure sign prohibiting shellfish harvesting.This single issue
                   is often a lightning rod at galvanizing public response to changes in
                   environmental conditions within coastal areas.
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  65

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                            ghlight
               Condition  of the  National Estuarine Research Reserve System

                  The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a network of 25 protected
               areas representing different biogeographic regions of the United States. These protected areas, or
               reserves,  are estuarine areas established to promote long-term research, environmental monitoring,
               education, and coastal stewardship. NERRS was established by the Coastal Zone Management Act
               of 1972, as amended, and is a partnership program between NOAA and the coastal states.  NOAA
               provides  funding and national guidance, and a lead state agency or university is responsible for
               managing the reserve with input from local partners.
                            Padilla Bay
  Kachemak Bay

  South Slough


San Francisco Bay
  Elkhorn Slough
                        Tijuana River
                                                                     Hudson River
                                                  acques Cousteau/Mullica River

                                                          Old Woman Creek

                                                             Chesapeake Bay MD

                                                            North Inlet-Winyah Bay
St. Lawrence
  River
                                                                                             Wells
             Great Bay
              Waquoit Bay
             Narragansett Bay
           Delaware
           Chesapeake BayVA
                      Estuarine Research Reserves
                      O Designated
                      O Proposed
                                                                Grand Bay
                                                                    Weeks Bay
                                                                        Apalachicola
         North Carolina

       ACE Basin
      Sapelo Island

       GuanaTolomato Matanzas
  Rookery Bay
                                                                                            Jobos Bay
               Prepared by NOAA's Ocean Service, Estuarine Reserves Division, for the National Coastal Condition Report I.

                  In the mid-1990s, NERRS initiated a monitoring program to improve coastal zone manage-
               ment. The SWMP tracks short-term variability and long-term changes in coastal ecosystems
               represented in the NERRS. The initial phase of the SWMP began in 1996 and focuses on
               monitoring of water quality and atmospheric parameters. Future phases of the program will
               include biodiversity monitoring and land use habitat-change analyses.
66  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                         Chapter 2  National Coastal Condition

   The data collected by the program thus far have been used to measure the success of restora-
tion projects and to analyze water quality conditions related to oyster diseases. NERRS has
conducted two assessments on water quality data collected through the SWME These assessments
evaluated water quality data from 22 of the 25 NERRS between 1995 and 2000 and analyzed
different aspects of the data collected, including the frequency and duration of hypoxic events,
ecosystem metabolism, and the impacts of coastal storms on water quality. Reports documenting
the methods and results from these assessments can be downloaded from http://www.ocrm.
nos.noaa.gov/nerr/monsys.html. Results from the North Carolina and North Inlet—Winyah Bay,
South Carolina, estuaries showed that short-term changes to salinity and depth during the passage
of tropical storms were variable and dependent on the fetch (area over which the winds blew) of
approaching storms. With a few exceptions for salinity, changes to water quality parameters were
abrupt and short-lived.
                                                                                                              I
Effect of storms on mean daily salinity at the North Carolina (noczi) and North Inlet-Winyah Bay (niwol),
South Carolina, NERRS sites in 1996 (Sanger et al.,2002).

   More information about the NERRS program is available at http://www.ocrm.nos.
noaa.gov/nerr. Monitoring data for each reserve are available from NERR's Centralized Data
Management Office at http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report I

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                            ghlight
               Nonindigenous Species

                  Nonindigenous species, also known as "exotics" because they are often transported from other
               countries, are a major threat to biodiversity around the world. The daily inundation of nonindige-
               nous species on the nation's coastlines is a continual concern to environmentalists. Many of the
               species are transported to the United States by foreign ships, which discharge millions of gallons of
               ballast water at large commercial shipping ports. Ballast discharges release everything from bacteria
               and viruses to mussels, crabs, fish, and algae. Although some species do not survive the long
               voyage, others do, and as ships get faster, the survival rate of these exotic species increases.
                  The West Coast of the United States, particularly San Francisco Bay, has a very large number
               of nonindigenous species. One reason for this is that the United States engages in a tremendous
               amount of trade with Asian countries, and this trade brings many nonindigenous species of Asian
               origin to the West Coast. Also, San Francisco Bay is a large estuary that is sheltered from the
               dynamic wave action of the open ocean, and although the West Coast seems to have more
               nonindigenous species than the East Coast, many more surveys have been conducted along the
               West Coast to determine what exotic species are present. Recently, however, scientists have been
               looking at the major ports and estuaries of the East Coast  and Gulf of Mexico to obtain similar
               information.  Intracoastal transfer of exotic species is also  a concern. Progress is being made in
               ballast water research and legislation to significantly reduce the number of living organisms being
               transported from overseas.
                               | Range Established
                             I   I States with Records
                               _l States without Records
                          Myriophyllum spicatum distribution in the United States as of April 2003. Map
                          indicates recorded presence in at least one site within the drainage, but does
                          not necessarily imply occurrence throughout that drainage (USGS).
68  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                         Chapter 2   National Coastal Condition

                  • Fishes
                  D Mollusks
                  D Crustaceans
                  • Other Invertebrates
                  D Plants
       Hawaii
       IS     23
o
  45
                39
                                            Gulf of Mexico
                                                      3
                                            14
         37
Number of nonindigenous species by taxa in coastal regions of the United States (USGS).

   Although many nonindigenous species were transported by ships, most aquatic plants known
to be invasive did not arrive in ship ballast water, but were imported intentionally through the
aquarium and water garden trade. Submerged aquatic vegetation has a well-founded reputation of
vigorous invasiveness and can become permanently established where introduced. Eurasian water-
milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a prime example. In the United States, Eurasian water-milfoil
grows in every state except Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, and Wyoming. Although it has long
been established in freshwater lakes  and rivers of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions, this plant
is a newcomer to arid western states, where aquatic systems are often stressed and vulnerable. In
many estuarine rivers, fresh to  brackish marshes, tidal  creeks, and protected bays scattered along
the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts, the Eurasian  water-milfoil has thrived and has often become
the dominant submerged aquatic plant.
   Information about coordinated agency efforts against nonindigenous species can be found at
www.anstaskforce.gov. The USGS maintains a geographic database of nonindigenous aquatic
species for the United States at http://nas.er.usgs.gov. For more information, contact Amy Benson
at amy_benson@usgs.gov.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report I

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    1
     Chapter 3
Northeast Coastal

Condition


v
   mf^^m
   m

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    Northeast  Coastal Condition

       The overall condition of Northeast Coast estuaries
    is poor (Figure 3-1)- Twenty-seven percent of estuarine
    area is impaired for aquatic life (poor condition), 31%
    is impaired for human use, and an additional 49%
    is threatened for aquatic life use (Figure 3-2). The
    Northeast Coast region contains diverse landscapes,
    ranging from mountains and forests and rocky coastal
    headlands in Maine to coastal plain systems in the
    Mid-Atlantic. The Northeast Coast is the most densely
    populated coastal region in the United States and
    includes the coastal waters of Maine, New Hampshire,
    Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York,
    New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
    Virginia (Figure 3-3). In the Northeast Coast region,
    the ratio of watershed drainage area to estuary water
                                           area is relatively small when compared to the ratios
                                           in the Southeast Coast and Gulf Coast regions. The
                                           by-products of past and current human activities
                                           in Northeast Coast watersheds are washed to the
                                           sea, affecting coastal conditions in the region. The
                                           highest levels of sediment contamination are found
                                           in depositional environments near urban centers,
                                           reflecting current discharges and the legacy of past
                                           industrial practices.
                                             Anthropogenic nutrients delivered by rivers to  the
                                           coast come from a variety of sources. In New England,
                                           nutrient inputs  from agricultural activity are relatively
                                           small. Much of the nutrient delivery to the coast in the
                                           nonurban areas of northern Maine results from atmos-
                                           pheric deposition  onto watersheds (Boyer et al., 2002).
         Northeast
          Overall
         Score (1.8)
       Good  Fair   Poor
         Water Quality Index (2)
        I Sediment Quality Index (I)
         Benthic Index (I)
        I Coastal Habitat Index (4)
         Fish Tissue Index (I)
               Figure 3-1.The overall
               condition of Northeast Coast
               estuaries is poor
                       Unimpaired
                          11%
        Threatened
           49%
©'
Impaired Aquatic
   Life Use
      9%
 Impaired Human Use
        13%
                            Impaired Human and
                              Aquatic Life Use
                                   18%
    Figure 3-2. Northeast Coast estuarine condition
    (U.S. EPA/NCA).
2000 Population Density:
Persons per Square Mile
    < 25
    25 -50
    50 - 125
    > 125
                                           Figure 3-3. Human population density by county for watersheds
                                           that drain to the Northeast Coast (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).
72  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
In urbanized coastal settings, from Casco Bay, Maine,
through Long Island Sound, wastewater treatment
facilities that discharge directly into coastal waters are
the major source of anthropogenic nitrogen input. In
the Mid-Atlantic, in addition to atmospheric and urban
sources, agricultural operations from crops, poultry
farms, and manure from other animal operations are
important additional sources of nutrients. (Roman et
al., 2000) provide  a recent and detailed review of the
geological history of the Northeast and the effects of
human activity along coastal New England. A review
of the geologic history and geomorphology of Mid-
Atlantic estuaries and subsequent human alterations
can be found in Paul (2001).
   In New England, successive glacial advances shaped
the landscape, soils, and coastline. The major estuaries
are former river valleys (Connecticut and Hudson) that
were scoured by glaciers and submerged following rapid
melting of the most recent large ice sheet between
17,000 and 13,000 years ago. Thicker soils are found
in the Mid-Atlantic, due in part to the lack of glacial
scouring, and contribute to relatively higher sediment
delivery to coastal  waters, which reduces the water
clarity from New Jersey southward. The resulting reduc-
tions in light penetration usually limit seagrass meadows
to depths less than 7 feet in Southeast coastal plain estu-
aries. In contrast, seagrass meadows can exceed 33 feet
in depth in the clearer waters of New England (Thayer
et al., 1984; Roman et al., 2000). The coastal waters
from New York southward are relatively shallow, with
samples of marine  organisms collected at an average
depth of 21 feet, contrasting with an average depth of
57 feet for collection of benthic  organisms from  the
waters from New York northward through Maine.
                                                           I
Woods Hole Yacht Club, Great Harbor at Woods Hole,
Massachusetts (Edgar Kleindinst, NMFS Woods Hole Laboratory).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II 73

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    Chapter 3 Northeast Coastal Condition
       Cape Cod represents a major biogeographic transi-
    tion area that divides the more boreal waters to the
    north of Cape Cod (Acadian Province) from the
    warmer, temperate waters to the south of Cape Cod
    (Virginian Province) (Figure 3-4). The relatively larger
    average tidal ranges of 7 to 13 feet in the Acadian
    Province contribute to greater tidal mixing and flushing,
    in contrast to the tidal ranges of 7 feet or less in the
    coastal waters of the Virginian Province. Chesapeake
    Bay is considered microtidal in character, having average
    tidal ranges  of less than 3  feet (Hammar-Klos and
    Thieler, 2001).
       Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United
    States, initially formed as a result of an impact when a
    bolide (a large extraterrestrial object, such as an asteroid
    or comet) crashed into shallow seas 35 million years
    ago (Poag, 1999). Along the western shore of Chesa-
    peake Bay, the Susquehanna, Potomac, and James  rivers
    cut into the side of this crater and currently contribute
    80% of the  bay's fresh water. As the most recent ice
    sheet to the north melted, the sea once again entered
    and flooded former river valleys  around the crater's edge
    (Poag, 1999).
   Currently, Chesapeake Bay has a total area of 4,404
square miles, representing 59% of the Northeast Coast
water area. The large size and volume of the bay and the
relatively small tidal range contribute to a freshwater
residence time of 7-6 months, much longer than that of
other estuaries in the region (Nixon et al., 1996). In
contrast, Delaware Bay, Narragansett Bay, and Boston
Harbor have freshwater residence times of 3-3, 0.85,
and 0.33 months, respectively (Dettmann, 2001).
Because of the size of Chesapeake Bay, conditions
heavily influence area-weighted statistical summaries
of Northeast Coast conditions.
   NCA sampling sites for the Northeast Coast
are shown in Figure 3-4. From Delaware northward
through Maine,  sampling locations are based on
probabilistic sampling designs targeting 100% of the
coastal waters over a 2-year sampling period. Stations
sampled from the 2000 summer field season were
included in this  analysis and are shown in Figure 3-4.
Because these stations are randomly and uniformly
distributed throughout the region, they represent
the entire area; however, because there were only one-
half as many per unit area, their weighting factors were
                                                                                          Passamaquoddy
                                                                                               Bay
                                                                              Casco Bay ^ Penobscot Bay
                                                                          Great Bay       Acadian
                                                                                        Province
                                                                          Massachusetts Bay
                                                                               Cape Cod
                                                                         oQ
                                                                     Narragansett Bay
                                                              Long Island Sound
                                                                               Buzzards Bay
                                             Delaware Bay

                                         • Maryland Coastal Bays
                                                                              Virginian
                                                                               Province
                                                                              Sediment Samples
                                                                              O Sampling stations
                                     Chesapeake Bay
                 Figure 3-4. Sampling stations on the Northeast Coast used for NCA and Mid-Atlantic Integrated
                 Assessment (MAIA) data (U.S. EPA/NCA).
74  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
doubled in calculations. The design of Maryland coastal
bays called for 100% sampling of coastal waters in
2000; thus, the weighting factors were not altered. In
Chesapeake Bay, the water quality and benthic data
measured by the Chesapeake Bay Program in 2000
were used for this analysis. All of the Chesapeake Bay
sediment chemistry data and fish tissue contaminant
data used in this report are based on the Mid-Atlantic
Integrated Assessment  (MALA) 1997 survey (U.S.
EPA, 2002).
   Several of the coastal states  participating in the
NCA surveys also have their own separate monitoring
networks. For example, New Jersey has shellfish, water
quality, and chlorophyll monitoring networks. New
Jersey's monitoring networks have a higher density of
stations in coastal waters and are monitored at greater
frequency than those used in the broad NCA surveys
(Baldwin-Brown et al., 2003).  These networks are not
probabilistically designed, and sites are located largely
based on best scientific judgment; however, some sites
are essentially placed at random in an area. Some of
these random sites have been incorporated in the NCA
monitoring design. Such complementary monitoring
programs provide essential additional information
for the interpretation of time-varying coastal conditions
(particularly those that vary over short time scales),
as well as provide the additional information needed
to document areas of local impairment.
  The sampling conducted in the EPA NCA Program has
  been designed to estimate the percent of estuarine area
  (nationally or in a region or state) in varying conditions
  and is displayed as pie diagrams.  Many of the figures in
  this report illustrate environmental measurements
  made at specific locations (colored dots on maps);
  however, these dots (color)  represent the value of the
  indicator specifically at the time of sampling. Additional
  sampling may be required to define variability and to
  confirm impairment or the lack of impairment at
  specific locations.
 Coastal Monitoring Data
       Water Quality Index
   The condition of Northeast Coast estuaries as
measured by the water quality index is fair to poor.
Poor water quality condition was found in 19% of the
Northeast Coast estuarine area during the summer of
2000 (Figure 3-5) Most of the stations rated poor were
concentrated in a few estuarine systems, in particular
New York Harbor, some tributaries of Delaware Bay
the Delaware River, the coastal bays of Maryland and
Delaware, and the western and northern tributaries of
Chesapeake Bay. Fair condition was observed in 42% of
Northeast Coast estuaries. The water quality index indi-
cates that water quality degradation was more prevalent
in the coastal waters of the Virginian Province (south of
Cape Cod) than in  the coastal waters of the Acadian
Province (north of Cape Cod), but signs of degraded
water quality condition were also noted throughout the
Acadian Province. Generally, the relatively open rocky
coasts; cold, salty waters; and high tidal ranges of the
Acadian Province favor well-mixed conditions that
  Water Quality Index - Northeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: Number of component
   indicators in poor or fair condition

   • Good = No more than I is fair
   OFair  = I is poor or 2 or
           more are fair
   • Poor = 2 or more are poor
   O Missing
                                                                                                    Poor
                                                                                                    19%
                                                         Figure 3-5. Water quality index data for Northeast Coast
                                                         estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  75

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    minimize accumulation of nutrients or organic
    matter, which lead to the undesirable effects associated
    with water quality degradation. In contrast, the histori-
    cally unglaciated parts of the Virginian Province have
    extensive watersheds to funnel nutrients, sediment, and
    organic material into secluded, poorly flushed estuaries
    that are much more susceptible to eutrophication.
    The pattern of eutrophication also closely reflects the
    distribution of population density (Figure 3-3).
       Further analyses are based on the spatial patterns
    of the five component indicators used in the NCA
    water quality index. For local management applications,
    the results summarized in this report should be
    interpreted in the context of additional information,
    such as site-specific criteria and state water quality
    standards. There are few estuarine water quality
    standards for nitrogen or chlorophyll a. For this
    regional/national assessment, a single set  of guidelines
    was used throughout the  region, except when assessing
    specific indicators (e.g., water clarity).
    Assessing Water Quality Condition in Individual
    Estuarine Systems
    Water quality responses can be complicated and cannot
    be described by a simple index for all estuarine systems.
    An index that may work well throughout most of a region
    may not describe the eutrophic conditions in a specific
    estuary.  For example, Delaware Bay has naturally high
    concentrations of suspended solids, and DIN concentra-
    tions remained high during the sampling period when
    phytoplankton production was light-limited. Water quality
    degradation in much of the open portion of Delaware
    Bay is not considered to be a problem in late summer.
    In this report, selected tributaries of Delaware Bay and
    many parts of the Delaware River received poor ratings
    on the water quality index for specific sites, whereas
    open water areas in the Delaware Bay received fair or
    good ratings. For such local situations, less weight could
    be given to nutrient concentrations measured in late
    summer and greater weight to phytoplankton production
    (chlorophyll a) or dissolved oxygen concentrations. The
    water quality index used in this report is intended for
    regional  and national assessments and may not be suitable
    for every individual estuary. Indicators that account for
    local  ecological conditions may need to be measured, in
    addition  to the standard set of NCA  indicators, to provide
    a better  picture of water quality in certain estuarine
    systems. The NCA data used for the  national and regional
    assessments in this report are of known quality and can
    be queried using different weighting factors and indicator
    combinations that may be more representative of specific
    estuary conditions.
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorous
   Figures 3-6 and 3-7 show the concentration ranges of
DIN and DIP in surface waters in the Northeast Coast.
From a regional perspective, the overall rating for DIN
is fair (11% of the estuarine area is in poor condition),
and the overall rating for DIP is good (5% of the estu-
arine area is in poor condition). DIP is more likely to
promote algal growth in tidal-fresh parts of estuaries,
whereas DIN is the nutrient type most responsible for
eutrophication in  open estuarine and marine waters.
The highest nutrient concentrations in the Northeast
Coast were found in New York Harbor and Maryland
coastal bays, Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island), and
several tributaries  in the Chesapeake and Delaware
estuaries. Fair to poor conditions were measured in
Delaware Bay, Narragansett Bay, and Great Bay (New
Hampshire). Good conditions were notable in the
Chesapeake mainstem,  Long Island Sound (for DIN),
and much of the Acadian Province. Thus,  even during
the late-summer NCA sampling period, up to 38%
of the Northeast Coast  had moderate to high levels
of nutrients.
  Nitrogen - Northeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: DIN concentration

   • Good = < 0.1 mg/L
   OFair  = O.I -0.5 mg/L
   • Poor = > 0.5 mg/L
   OMissing
                                            Poor
                                             11%

                                            Fair
                                            17%
Figure 3-6. DIN concentration data for Northeast Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
76  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                      Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition

Benthic  Condition in  Chesapeake Bay Declines When  Dissolved
Oxygen  Declines

   Changes in the number and types of benthic macroinvertebrate communities (BMC) can
help document ecological conditions. Degraded BMCs often have lower species diversity and can
include opportunistic species that occur in great abundance. BMC data can be summarized using
a BMC index (Paul et al., 2001), which is designed to discriminate between healthy and degraded
sites within a region or state. BMC index variations can be analyzed in relation to known stressors
(e.g., the probability of degraded benthic conditions in relation to low dissolved oxygen in
bottom waters). Using data collected from 1990 to  1993  from the open waters of Chesapeake
Bay, there is an increasing probability of BMC impairment (BMC index values <0) at sites with
progressively lower dissolved oxygen concentrations. The  EPA acute and chronic criteria for
dissolved oxygen shown below are based on independent  laboratory testing with marine organisms
(U.S. EPA, 2000a). This laboratory versus field survey comparison provides some confidence in
the validity of the BMC index.
                                                                                          I
                  £ §
                       1.0
                      0.8
                         -00  00
IE c °'6
I-g
CD
•5 | 0.4
fro
||0.2
Q_ ^
    0.0
                                     °  Acute Criterion
                                                 Chronic Criterion
                                                                 0  0
                                   2468
                                     Bottom Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)
                Chesapeake Bay 1990-1993 Virginian Province Data, large systems
                (Paul etal.,2000).
                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  77

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
      Phosphorus - Northeast (2000)
       Site Criteria: DIP concentration

       • Good = < 0.01 mg/L
       OFair  = 0.01 -0.05 mg/L
       • Poor = > 0.5 mg/L
       O Missing
                                                 Fair
                                                 33%
    Figure 3-7. DIP concentration data for Northeast Coast
    estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Chlorophyll a
   The concentration of the plant pigment chlorophyll
a is used to estimate the quantity of algae suspended in
the surface water. About 15% of estuarine area in the
Northeast Coast is rated poor for this indicator, which
results in an overall rating of fair for chlorophyll in the
region (Figure 3-8). Generally, the broad pattern of
pigment concentration is similar to that of nutrients,
with concentration much higher to the south of Cape
Cod than to the north. Chlorophyll a concentrations
mirror nutrient levels in the Maryland coastal bays,
Chesapeake tributaries, and much of the Northeast
Coast coastal waters; however, there is little apparent
spatial correlation between  chlorophyll a and nutrients
in the Chesapeake  mainstem, Delaware Estuary, or New
York Harbor region. Spatial patterns in nutrient levels
and chlorophyll a differ for a number of reasons. One
reason is that algae may not be able to use nutrients
effectively in very turbid water (e.g., in low-light envi-
ronments, such as the Delaware  Bay)  or in regions with
high flushing rates. As a result of nutrient uptake by
phytoplankton blooms, dissolved nutrients may be low.
Locations of peak nutrient  and bio mass concentrations
may coincide in space or time.
                                                                 Chlorophyll a - Northeast (2000)
    Fishing boats in the harbor at Smith Island, Chesapeake Bay
    Maryland (Mary Hollingen NODC biologist, NOAA).
                                                                  Site Criteria: Chlorophyll a
                                                                  concentration

                                                                  • Good =  < 5 [jg/L
                                                                  OFair =  5 - 20 [jg/L
                                                                  • Poor =
                                                                  OMissing
                                                                  Good
                                                                           Fair
                   Poor |
                                                               Figure 3-8. Chlorophyll a concentration data for Northeast Coast
                                                               estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
78  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                       Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
 1937  Delaware Statewide Aerial Photography

   The ability to assess land use changes over time is a valuable tool for resource managers. Altered
shorelines, urban and suburban sprawl, reductions in agricultural acreage, and changes in habitat
types are just some land use issues that concern resource managers. In an effort to trace such land
use changes, planners in the state of Delaware will soon be able to visually compare current aerial
views of the state with historic photos from more than 60 years ago .
   Delaware Coastal Programs, in a cooperative effort with the state's Natural Heritage Program,
Natural Areas Program, and Forest Service, is undertaking a project that will assist in identifying
land use changes by compiling a complete aerial image of the state as it looked in 1937. By
comparing these photographs to ones taken in 1997, resource managers will be able to review
a 60-year timeframe within which to assess land use changes.
   For this project, approximately 700 aerial images of Delaware taken in 1937 were obtained
from the National Archives. These photographs were scanned and georeferenced to Delaware
State Plane Coordinates, North American Datum 83 meters using ERDAS IMAGINE software.
Spatially referenced mosaics were created for each of Delaware's three counties, and any distorted
edges, fiducial marks, and photograph borders were cropped. These mosaics enable comparative
analysis with existing 1997 statewide Digital Ortho-Quarter Quads. Geographic information
systems (GIS) technologies were utilized to identify land use changes.
   One analysis currently underway involves evaluating changes in forest cover. In Delaware,
older-growth forests are one of the most biologically diverse habitat communities. For the purpose
of this effort, older-growth forests are defined as areas that have not been clear cut for 50 years or
more. The forest canopy, canopy gaps, and understory of these areas harbor a high number of
state-listed rare and endangered species when compared to  most upland habitat areas.
   To better assess valuable older-growth habitats, forested areas in the  1937 photos were
on-screen digitized using ArcGIS software. This coverage will be converted to a grid that
can be  directly compared with recent photos using  spatial analysis techniques to ascertain the
location and extent of forest area in 1997 that also  existed in 1937- These locations will  be used
to determine the most likely areas of historic forests. Upon field verification, this information will
enable planners and resource managers to prioritize and strengthen conservation efforts of these
critical habitats.
   Planned future projects include habitat trends and beach extent analysis. Other potential
projects using 1937 imagery are also under development.

                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report II 79

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                            ghlight
               Coastal Water Quality in New  England

                  Cooperating state programs have, for the first time, collected and documented regional
               gradients in New England coastal waters using a consistent set of indicators. Gradients for most
               of the water quality variables were ranked in the highest 25% (upper quartile), the middle 50%,
               and the lowest 25% (lower quartile). The figure of coastline traces shown on the following page
               ranks DIN (sum of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia), phytoplankton pigment (chlorophyll a), light
               transparency (Secchi depth), water column stratification (delta Sigma-t), and dissolved oxygen
               with water quality through the use of colored dot markers. These coastal water conditions are
               based on samples collected in the summer and fall of 2000. Annual Total Nitrogen (TN) loading
               estimates come from the New England Sparrow model and are based on conditions in the early
               1990s. These estimates are shown in the left-most coastline trace on the figure.
                  Excess nutrient loading can contribute to elevated water column nutrient concentrations,
               higher  levels of phytoplankton pigments, and reduced  transparency to light. The red dots indicate
               data in the upper 25% for DIN and chlorophyll a. In  contrast, red dots illustrate the lower
               quartile for light transparency.
                  When lighter freshwater floats on top of denser saline water, the water column is stratified.
               In such a water column, the mixing of oxygen to depth is diminished. The red dots indicating
               surface to bottom water column density difference (delta Sigma-t) illustrate the degree of stratifica-
               tion, with sampling locations falling in the upper 25% (most stratified) colored in red and the
               lower 25% (least stratified) colored in green. In a well-mixed water column, stratification is
               absent, and oxygen can be transported from the surface to water at deeper depths.
                  The far right coastline trace illustrates regional gradients in the dissolved oxygen content of
               water sampled near  the bottom of the water column. Marine water quality criteria for dissolved
               oxygen are used to define the dot colors. Oxygen concentrations that fall below the EPA acute
               criterion level of 2.3 rng/L are illustrated with red dots. Yellow dots are used to represent the loca-
               tions where oxygen  concentrations were higher than the acute level, but less than or equal to the
               EPA chronic criterion  level of 4.8 mg/L (U.S. EPA, 2000a).
80  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                        Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   Regional scale gradients in dissolved oxygen can be noted in these coastline traces. In the
Acadian Province north of Cape Cod, dissolved oxygen concentrations measured during the
summer 2000 NCA survey were consistently greater than 4.8 mg/L. Water temperatures in the
Acadian Province are relatively cold, and consequently, the water holds more oxygen. Tidal ranges
are usually greater than 2 meters, promoting increases in  tidal currents and an increased mixture
of oxygen from the surface to depth. Waters are warmer south of Cape Cod, with tidal ranges less
than 2 meters resulting in reduced tidal currents, and consequently, a decreased mixture of oxygen
from the surface to depth than locations farther north. Dissolved oxygen concentrations fall below
4.8 mg/L for some of the bottom waters in the area south of Cape Cod, including upper
Narragansett Bay, western Long Island Sound, and along the New Jersey shore. Oxygen concen-
trations persistently below this chronic dissolved oxygen criterion can adversely impact sensitive
marine organisms (Coiro et al., 2000).
                                                             Secchi           Dissolved
                        TN Loading    DIN    Chlorophyll a   Depth   Sigma-t   Oxygen
TN (kg/y * 1 0 6)
• >7.9
O > 3.0 -7.9
0 > I.I -3.0
. £0.2




DIN (mg/L)
• > 0.3 1
0 >O.OI -0.31
• £ 0.01




Chl-o(re;i_)
• > 5.8
0 > 1.6-5.8
• £ 1.6




Secchi (m)
• >2.4
0 > 0.9 - 2.4
• < 0.9




Sigma-t
• > 1.05
0 > 0.03 -1.05
• £ 0.03




DO (mg/L)
• >48
0 > 23 - 4.8
• & 2.3

    Source: Moore et al., 200-4

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    Water Clarity
       Poor water clarity may be attributed to a number
    of sources, including suspended sediments, organic
    material (especially living or dead algae), and dissolved
    tannins. Estuaries are naturally turbid environments.
    Turbid waters supply building material for maintaining
    estuarine structures and provide food and protection
    to resident organisms; however, the extensive particle
    loads of turbid waters  are harmful if they bury benthic
    communities, inhibit filter feeders, or block light
    needed  by seagrasses. Because 23% of the Northeast
    Coast estuarine area has poor water clarity, the overall
    rating for the region is fair (Figure 3-9).
      Water Clarity - Northeast (2000)
       Site Criteria: Light
       penetration at I meter depth
       • Good = > 20% in NE
               > 25% in CB
               > 10% in DB
               10% to 20% in NE
               20% to 25% in CB
               5% to 10% in DB
               < 10% in NE*
               < 20% in CB*
               < 5% in DB*
  OFair
  OPoor
       OMissing
    Figure 3-9. Water clarity condition for Northeast Coast estuaries
    (U.S. EPA/NCA). *NE represents sampling sites in the Northeast
    Coast region except for those sites located in Chesapeake Bay
    (CB) or Delaware River/Bay (DB).
                                 Reference Condition
                                  forWater Clarity
                            (Percentage of Incident Light
                             Reaching I  Meter in Depth)
Estuarine Systems
     Chesapeake Bay
     system	
                                    20%
     Delaware River/Bay
     system	
                                    5%
     All remaining
     Northeast Coast
     estuarine systems
                                    10%
                                                          Large mussels dot the shoreline at Edgar M.Tennis Preserve, Deer
                                                          Isle, Maine (Captain Albert E.Theberge, NOAA Corps, ret).
Dissolved Oxygen
   The final indicator for the water quality index is
the concentration of dissolved oxygen measured 1 meter
above the sediment. This indicator is rated fair for
Northeast Coast estuaries. Oxygen levels may become
depleted in isolated bottom regions when  excess organic
material  sinks and decays, especially if the water column
is stratified. Most states use 5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen
as the criterion for designating unacceptable water
quality. Sensitive organisms can tolerate dissolved
oxygen concentrations below 2 mg/L  (hypoxia) for only
a few days before dying. Hypoxia (and often anoxia)
was evident in 10% of the Northeast Coast estuarine
area, almost exclusively in the deep, isolated trenches of
the Chesapeake  mainstem (Figure 3-10). Fair conditions
(2—5 mg/L dissolved oxygen) were measured in another
18% of the region, notably in the Chesapeake Bay,
Long Island Sound, and Narragansett Bay. Dissolved
oxygen levels were acceptable in two-thirds of Northeast
Coast estuarine area. The areal extent  of low dissolved
oxygen in larger estuarine systems in 2000 may have
been reduced  by drought, which leads to reduced fresh-
water and nutrient input (e.g., Chesapeake Bay,  Long
Island Sound).
82  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   Temporal variations in dissolved oxygen depletion
can have adverse biological effects (Coiro et al., 2000).
Stressful hypoxia may occur for a few hours before
dawn in productive surface waters, when respiration
depletes dissolved oxygen faster than it is replenished.
The NCA Program does not measure  these events
because most samples are taken later in the day. As a
result of a variety of factors, year-to-year variations in
dissolved oxygen in estuaries can be  substantial, includ-
ing variations in freshwater inflow, factors affecting
water column stratification, and changes in nutrient
delivery. A recent review of factors affecting the extent
of hypoxic bottom water in Chesapeake Bay can be
found in Hagy (2002) and Hagy et  al. (2004). The
Highlight "Use of a Hybrid Monitoring Design in
Rhode Island," found at the end of this chapter, focuses
on temporal variations in oxygen depletion in upper
Narragansett Bay, which are modulated by predictable
variations in tidal range. In the summer of 2000, the
NCA survey detected dissolved  oxygen concentrations
below 5 rng/L (yellow dots in Figure 3-10). More
intensive and complementary monitoring programs in
upper Narragansett Bay documented episodic dissolved
oxygen  depletion events (dissolved oxygen <2 mg/L)
during short time periods. These short-duration events
can be accompanied by fish kills.
  Dissolved Oxygen - Northeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: Dissolved oxygen
   concentration

   • Good = > 5 mg/L
   OFair  =2-5 mg/L
   • Poor = < 2 mg/L
   O Missing
                                          Fair
                                          18%
Figure 3-10. Dissolved oxygen concentration data for Northeast
Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
       Sediment Quality Index
   Sediment condition as measured by the sediment
quality index in Northeast Coast estuarine areas is rated
poor. Sixteen percent of Northeast Coast estuarine
sediments received a poor rating (Figure 3-11), meaning
that at least one of the component indicators (sediment
toxicity, sediment contaminants, or sediment TOC) at
each of the sites received a poor rating. Regions that are
relatively unimpaired include the Acadian Province
(other than Great Bay, New Hampshire), eastern Long
Island Sound, and the open regions of the  Delaware
and Chesapeake bays.
  Sediment Quality Index - Northeast (2000)
I
  Site Criteria: Number and
  condition of component indicators

  • Good = None are poor and sediment
          contaminants is good
  OFair  = None are poor and sediment
          contaminants is fair
  • Poor = I or more are poor
  O Missing
                                          Fair
                                          10%
                                                          Figure 3-1 I.Sediment quality index data for Northeast Coast
                                                          estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Portsmouth area, New Hampshire (Mr Sean Linehan, NOAA,
NGS, Remote Sensing).

                             National Coastal Condition Report II  83

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                            ghlight
               Changes in Organic Contamination in  Mussels in New York Harbor
               after September  11, 2001

                 The September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) resulted in a massive
               plume of dust and smoke  that blanketed lower Manhattan Island and the adjacent harbor area.
               The NOAA has been monitoring five Mussel Watch  Project sites in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary
               since 1986 for a series of organic chemicals, including PAHs, DDT and other chlorinated pesti-
               cides, and PCBs (additional information is available at http://nsandt.noaa.gov). In 1995, those
               analyses were augmented with measurements of dioxins, furans, and coplanar PCBs, and in  1999,
               polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), commonly found in flame retardants, were also quantified. In
               December 2001, mussels were collected at the five Mussel Watch sites, as well as at four additional
               sites. Despite the attack on the WTC, the general pattern of improving environmental conditions,
                                                                         continued and was documented
                                                                         by NOAA's Mussel Watch
                                                                         Project. This conclusion holds for
                                                                         PAHs, DDT, chlordane,  dieldrin,
                                                                         PCBs, furans, and PBBs. The
                                                                         chemical exceptions are dioxins
                                                                         and polybrominated diphenyl
                                                                         ethers (PBDEs).
                     Staten Jamaica Swin-
                     Island   Bay  burne
                                bland
Sandy
Hook
Liberty  Shore Ft.Wads- Ellis
Island  Road  worth  Island
Battery
 Park
               Concentrations (ng/g dry weight) of PDBEs following geographic
               gradient, increasing from Staten Island towards the Battery Park site
               closest to the WTC (developed by NOAA for the National Coastal
               Condition Report II).
                                                             Dioxin concentrations in
                                                          December 2001 were generally
                                                          higher than in 1995- Of the
                                                          sites sampled, Sandy Hook,
                                                          Ellis Island, Staten Island,
                                                          and Shore Road all had higher
dioxin mussel tissue concentrations than the highest concentration reported for 1995- The highest
concentration of 913 pg/g was found at Shore Road, one of the December 2001 special collection
sites and the site located furthest from the WTC.

   PBDEs are widely used as flame retardants in items such as furniture and are some of the most
likely contaminants to have been mobilized by the WTC disaster. PBDEs have not previously
been measured by the Mussel Watch Project; therefore, there are no data to compare across time.
PBDE concentrations range from the vicinity from a low of 9-4 ng/g at Staten Island to a high of
119 ng/g at Battery Park. Mussel tissue concentrations of PBDEs generally follow a geographical
pattern, with sites with the lowest concentrations typically being located south of the Verrazano
Narrows Bridge. With the exception of the Liberty Island site, the general south to north increase
in mussel tissue concentrations of PBDEs continues up to the WTC site, with the highest concen-
trations detected at Battery Park, which lies adjacent to the WTC site.
84  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
  Sediment Toxicity
    Sediment toxicity in Northeast Coast estuaries is
  rated poor. About 8% of estuarine sediments in the
  Northeast Coast were toxic and considered in poor
  condition (Figure 3-12). Regions highlighted as
  impaired by this indicator include parts of Cape Cod
  Bay, western Long Island Sound, New York Harbor,
  and tidal-fresh parts of tributaries in lower New Jersey
  and Delaware. Figures 3-12 and 3-13 and statistical
  analysis reveal a generally weak relationship between
  sediment contamination (ERM exceedances) and
  amphipod survival. In part, this  may reflect the strict
  criterion of mortality used to characterize  toxicity in
  the amphipod assay. It also highlights the  need  for a
  more complete analysis of the bioavailability of the
  toxicants, e.g., an analysis that considers the effect of
  equilibrium partitioning and the mitigating effects of
  sequestering toxicants with sulfides or organic carbon
  (DiToro et al., 1991; U.S. EPA,  1993; Daskalakis and
  O'Conner, 1994).
  Sediment Contaminants
    The sediment contaminants rating for the Northeast
  Coast is fair. Eight percent of estuarine area has metal or
  organic contaminant concentrations that exceed ERM
  limits, and 12% has concentrations that exceed metal or
  organic contaminants for five or more ERL limits, but
  do not exceed ERM limits (Figure 3-13). Poor condi-
  tion is evident in clusters neighboring major urban
  areas, including New York Harbor, western Long Island
  Sound, the upper Chesapeake Bay, and Narragansett
  Bay. Metals were responsible  for most ERM exceedances
  (primarily nickel and mercury, but also silver and zinc).
  Most of the remaining ERM exceedances  resulted from
  PCBs and DDT. The 12% of estuarine sediments
  exceeding ERLs (but not ERMs) for five or more
  contaminants occurred more frequently for metals
  (arsenic, chromium, mercury, and nickel)  than  for
  organics (primarily DDT).
  Sediment Toxicity - Northeast (2000)
Sediment Contaminant Criteria (Long et al., 1995)

ERM (Effects Range Median)—Determined for each
chemical as the 50th percentile (median)  in a database of
ascending concentrations associated with adverse biological
effects.
ERL (Effects Range Low)—Determined values for each
chemical as the I Oth percentile in a database of ascending
concentrations associated with adverse biological effects.
   Site Criteria: Amphipod survival rate
                                                            I
                        Good
                         89%
    od    Fair     Poor
Figure 3-12. Sediment toxicity data for Northeast Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
  Sediment Contaminants - Northeast (2000)
  Site Criteria: ERL and ERM criteria
  exceedance

  • Good =  Less than 5 ERLs exceeded,
           no ERMs exceeded
  OFair =  Exceeds 5 or more ERL criteria,
           no ERMs exceeded
  • Poor =  Exceeds I or more ERM criteria
  O Missing
Figure 3-1 3. Sediment contaminants data for Northeast Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                         National Coastal Condition Report II  85

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                           ghlight
               Virginia Revives  its  Coastal  Heritage and Waters through Oysters

                 In the early 1900s, oyster landings in Virginia
               exceeded 9 million bushels annually. Today, the
               total catch of the state's keystone species is less
               than 1 percent of that number, and the habitat,
               water quality, and economic benefits of once-
               thriving oyster populations have been nearly
               lost. A collaborative effort spearheaded by the
               Virginia Coastal Program (VCP) has resulted
               in a large-scale oyster restoration program,
               with preliminary monitoring results indicating
               restoration efforts may be the start of a slow
               recovery process.
                 Since the early 1990s, a number of scientific
               and environmental agencies have undertaken
               small-scale oyster restoration projects in Virginia's
               waters. In 1993, the Virginia Marine Resources
               Commission (VMRC) began building three-
               dimensional reefs stocked with disease-tolerant
               oysters. When that succeeded, the VCP deter-
               mined it would be worthwhile to increase the
               project's scale into one large, focused effort.
         Virginia Oyster
       Heritage Program
         1           I    M II  •' I .
            Towles Point
          Sanctuary Reefs
(Photo:Virginia Marine Resources Commission,
April 2003)
                 In March 1999, the VCP established the Virginia Oyster Heritage (VOH) Program, a
               partnership among state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, private companies, and
               local watermen. The program has managed more than $ 11 million in funds from federal, state,
               and private sources. With assistance from watermen, local governments, volunteers, and the U.S.
               Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE), the VMRC is building 1-acre sanctuary reefs throughout
               Virginia's coastal waters. These designated sanctuaries, consisting of a series of mounds of oyster
               shell 8 to 10 feet high, provide the substrate necessary for oyster settlement and growth. Planted
               near them are multi-acre flat beds of shells, where harvest will be allowed. Additionally, volunteer
               oyster gardeners are planting and growing seed oysters on some of the reefs in conjunction with
               the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
                 During 2000 through 2002, 13 sanctuary reefs were constructed in the lower and upper
               Rappahannock River, and almost  500 acres of enhanced harvest area were restored with the
               addition of live oysters and cultch. A large-scale reef restoration effort surrounding Tangier and
               funded by the USAGE  began in 2001, with four new reefs and 200 acres of enhanced harvest
               area. On the seaside of Virginia's Eastern Shore, more than 20 acres of reef also were restored,
               and by the end of 2002, 8 reefs had been constructed in Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.
86  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                          Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
                    A
   A Completed Oyster Reef
     Restoration Sites
   A 2002 Oyster Reef
     Restoration Sites
                             A
                                                               In addition to these restoration
                                                            activities, educating the public
                                                            about the role oysters play in
                                                            water quality, biodiversity, and
                                                            the coastal economy has also been
                                                            a priority Thousands of Virginians
                                                            have learned about the critical
                                                            role oysters play in keeping
                                                            coastal waters clean and providing
                                                            habitat for other marine life. The
                                                            private, non-profit Virginia Oyster
                                                            Reef Heritage Foundation has
                                                            raised hundreds of thousands of
                                                            dollars and gives businesses and
                                                            individuals an opportunity to get
                                                            involved in this initiative. A model
                                                            for other restoration efforts in the
                                                            Chesapeake Bay, the VOH
Program and its partners served as a catalyst for a bay-wide commitment to increase oyster
populations 10-fold over the next 10 years and helped galvanize a bay-wide strategy to meet this
commitment. The VOH Program has set the stage with an outdoor laboratory for comprehensive
on-the-ground monitoring. Virginia's coastal resource managers have already documented, in
numerous places, 10-fold increases in spat abundance where substrate has
been provided.
   Although scientists are still trying to quantify the reefs' achievements, the partners in the VOH
Program are confident about the program's success. Optimism is high that the VOH Program is
helping to create an educated citizenry and a sustainable fishery that will benefit both the state's
economy and coastal ecosystems.
   For more information on the VOH Program, contact Laura McKay at (804) 698-4323 or
lbmckay@deq.state.va.us, or Jim Wesson at (757) 247-2121 or jwesson@mrc.state.va.us. Visit
the VOH Program at http://www.deq.state.va.us/oysters/ for a map of reef-restoration sites  and
highlights of monitoring, education, and volunteering activities.
Status of oyster reef restoration in Virginia's coastal zone
(Graphic prepared by theVirginia Marine Resources Commission for
NCCRII).
                                                                                  National Coastal Condition Report II  87

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                        ghlight
           Sediment Toxicity in  Delaware  Bay

              Sediment contamination in coastal waters is an important environmental issue because of its
           potentially toxic effects on ecological resources, and indirectly, on human health. For this reason,
           characterizing areas of sediment contamination and toxicity are important goals for coastal
           resource management.
                                                                       Pennsylvania
                                                                       Delaware
   Delaware Bay, whose watershed drains portions of New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, is one of
the largest coastal plain estuaries (907 square miles) on the
East  Coast. The urban centers of Philadelphia, Trenton,
Camden, and Wilmington contain numerous sources
of contaminants, including municipal and industrial
discharges that contribute metals, PCBs, and chlorinated
pesticides to the Delaware Bay.
   As part of NOAA's NS&T Program, the sediment
toxicity of Delaware Bay was measured at 73 stations using
a stratified-random sampling design. Samples were concur-
rently examined for chemical contaminants and BMC
structure. Three different toxicity tests were performed:
(1) amphipod bioassay survival during 10-day exposures to
whole sediment,  (2) sea urchin fertilization success in pore
waters, and (3) bacterial bioluminescence (Microtox™) in
organic extracts of sediment.
   Estimates of the area of toxicity in Delaware Bay varied
with the bioassay testing procedure used, from 1 % toxicity
based on the amphipod test to 56% toxicity based on the Microtox™ test, with the sea urchin test
resulting in a toxicity estimate of 11%. The latter two tests involve more sediment handling than
the amphipod test, and therefore, create less realistic exposures of organisms to sediment. The
results of these three tests do not necessarily mean that organisms exposed under natural condi-
tions will be adversely  affected. Nonetheless, the 1% of the bay area samples found to be toxic
in the amphipod test were also the most heavily contaminated with heavy metals and PAHs.
   The condition of BMCs is a response to actual field conditions rather than manipulated
laboratory exposures, but is affected by sediment characteristics beyond just chemical contamina-
tion. In Delaware Bay, indices of BMC health (e.g., taxa, density, diversity, evenness) were highly
variable and poorly correlated with bioassay results. The  indices were found to vary much more
in response to salinity and to sediment grain size than to any other factors. The upper freshwater
portion of the Delaware Bay, however, where chemical contamination was high, was an area where
BMCs seem to have been affected most by contamination. For more information, visit
http://nsandt.noaa.gov/index_bioeffect.htm.
                                                                   Source: Hartwell et al., 2001
National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
Sediment Total Organic Carbon
   Regions of highTOC content are likely to be
depositional sites for fine sediments. If there are
pollution sources nearby, these depositional sites are
likely to be hot spots for contaminated sediments.
Figure 3-14 shows that only 2% of the area of
Northeast Coast estuarine sediments have a high TOC
content (greater than 5% TOC), and an additional
26% of the area has moderate quantities (2% to 5%
TOC). This results in an overall rating of good for
TOC in the Northeast Coast. Generally, elevated
TOC contents were found in the same locations
as contaminated sediments.
  Total Organic Carbon - Northeast (2000)
        • Good = <
        OFair  = 2%-
        • Poor = >
        O Missing
                                         Fair
                                         26%
                Fair
                       Poor
Figure 3-14. Sediment TOC data for Northeast Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
       Benthic Index
   Coastal condition in the Northeast Coast region as
measured by a combination of benthic indices of the
Virginian Province (Paul et al., 2001) and the Acadian
Province based on biodiversity (developed by NCA for
this report) is poor (Figure 3-15). Twenty-two  percent
of estuarine sediments evaluated using variations in
benthic communities in the Northeast Coast received
a rating of poor.
   Poor conditions are evident at the head of
Chesapeake Bay and in most of its major western tribu-
taries. In contrast, most of the eastern shore is  in good
condition. Poor conditions are also prevalent in many
of the Maryland coastal bays, portions of Delaware Bay
New York/New Jersey Harbor, western Long Island
Sound, and upper Narragansett Bay. Conditions are
good along the northern section of the Maine  coast,
with localized areas of poor conditions occurring in
Maine waters from Penobscot Bay southward.
   Coastal conditions in the Acadian Province  are more
oceanic and have higher bottom-water salinity than in
the Virginian Province. In these northern estuaries,
                                                           Benthic Index - Northeast (2000)
Site Criteria: Benthic index score
• Good = > 0.0
• Poor = < 0.0
O Missing
-<-JSC=
//




-i
^

I

                                                                                                Poor
                                                                                                22%
                                                                                78%
                                                           Good
                                                                   Fair
                                                                           Poor
                                                         Figure 3-15. Benthic index data for Northeast Coast estuaries
                                                         (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  89

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
      Northeast Benthic Index
       The Northeast Coast region contains two major
      biogeographic provinces: the Virginian  Province, which
      includes coastal waters along the east coast of Cape
      Cod and south through Chesapeake Bay, and the EMAP
      Acadian Province, which includes the U.S coastal waters
      in the Gulf of Maine. A benthic index  (Paul et al., 2001)
      was used in the Virginian Province based on EMAP
      Virginian Province data from 1990 to  1993. The EMAP
      Virginian Province used a level of taxonomic  detail for
      characterizing the benthic community composition
      comparable to that  currently used by  the Chesapeake
      Bay Program and Maryland Coastal Bays Program.
      However, from Delaware northward through Maine,
      the analysis of benthic communities used a lower level
      of taxonomic detail. For the Northeast Coast analysis
      of benthic conditions summarized in this chapter, the
      taxonomic detail included in the Chesapeake Bay and
      Maryland coastal bays summer 2000 surveys  was aggre-
      gated to the lower level of taxonomic detail so that it
      would be comparable with the rest of the benthic data
      for the Northeast Coast.
    benthic communities were sampled at stations with an
    average depth of 57 feet, 36 feet deeper than the average
    depth of stations sampled in the Mid-Atlantic estuarine
    waters south of Cape Cod. A calibrated benthic index
    for the Acadian Province is not currently available. For
    this report, the Shannon-Weiner H' diversity index was
    used to characterize benthic communities in the
    Acadian Province. Areas of low diversity, (Shannon-
    Weiner H' < 0.63) were classified as poor. This cutoff
    point was selected to include 75% of the sites  in the
    Acadian Province, where one or more ERMs for either
    metals or organics were exceeded.  Based on this crite-
    rion, 9% of the coastal waters  of the Acadian Province
    are considered poor.  Some of these areas may have low
    diversity due to natural causes, including areas with
    high exposure to wave  action and  coarse sediment grain
    size, as well as mesohaline environments (<20  ppt
    salinity), where lower diversity is associated with salinity
    stress.  A benthic index that is  specifically calibrated for
    use in the coastal waters north of Cape Cod and that
    makes adjustments for such habitat variables is currently
    being developed.
       The performance of the benthic index was checked
    against other indicators of coastal condition (except for
    those stations located in Chesapeake Bay). Water quality
    and benthic condition  were  sampled from the same
    location for all stations. For these sites, the water quality
    index was good, and the  benthic index was good 85%
of the time. Also, when the benthic index was good,
DIN was good 74% of the time, DIP was good 69%
of the time, and good water clarity co-occurred 71%
of the time. Dissolved oxygen showed a very strong
association with benthic index: when dissolved oxygen
in bottom waters fell below 2.0 mg/L, indicating poor
condition, the benthic index also indicated poor condi-
tion 82% of the time. There  was no  statistically signifi-
cant co-occurrence between chlorophyll a and benthic
index. When the sediment condition index was poor,
benthic index was poor 57% of the time. A poor
rating for sediment TOC was accompanied  by a poor
benthic index 65% of the time, and  a poor sediment
contamination  rating was  accompanied by a poor
benthic index 67% of the time. Sediment toxicity
was found to vary independently of benthic index.
Figure 3-16 emphasizes the high degree of co-occur-
rence between poor benthic condition, poor water
quality, and poor sediment quality.
   Additional refinements to the benthic indices may
provide better discrimination between good and poor
  PoorWater/Sediment Quality Indicators that
  Co-Occur with Low Benthic Diversity -
  Northeast (2000)
   OSediment Quality
   OWater Quality
   • Sediment and Water Quality
   ONone
Figure 3-16. Indicators of poor water and sediment quality that
co-occur with poor benthic condition in Northeast Coast estuaries
(Chesapeake Bay system not included) (U.S. EPA/NCA).
90  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
conditions in specific coastal systems. Dauer et al.
(2002) provides a summary of recent efforts in using
benthic indices to discriminate between different
sources  of anthropogenic stress in Chesapeake Bay.
Although benthic indices can provide important
insights about the spatial extent of affected benthos,
additional diagnostic work is often needed to attribute
observed impacts to underlying causes.
       Coastal  Habitat Index
   Wetlands are threatened by many human activities,
including loss and destruction due to land development,
eutrophication, the introduction of toxic chemicals,
and the spread of non-native species. Ecologists estimate
that more than one-half of the Northeast's coastal
wetlands have been lost since pre-colonial times.
Although modern legislation has greatly slowed the
destruction, the Northeast Coast lost 650 acres between
1990 and 2000. This amounts to a loss of 0.14% over
10 years. Combining this average with the mean long-
term decadal wetland loss rate from 1780 to 1990 and
multiplying by 100 results in a coastal habitat index
score of 1.00. This means the coastal habitat index for
the Northeast Coast is rated fair to good. For more
information about wetlands and threats to the region,
refer to EPA's wetlands Web site, http://www.epa.gov/
owow/wetlands.
       Fish Tissue  Contaminants Index
   Estuarine condition in Northeast Coast estuaries is
rated poor for concentrations of contaminants in fish
tissues. Figure 3-17 shows that 31% of all sites sampled
where fish were caught (48 of 156 sites) exceeded risk-
based criteria guidelines used in this assessment. Whole-
fish contaminant concentrations may be higher or lower
than concentrations associated with fillets only. Only
those contaminants that have an affinity for muscle
tissue, e.g., mercury, are likely to have significantly
higher concentrations in fillets than in whole fish.
Concentrations for many other contaminants will be
lower in fillets than in whole fish. In Northeast Coast
estuaries, elevated contaminant concentrations were
observed in various catfish, white perch, weakfish,
lobster, flounders, scup, Atlantic tomcod, and blue crab
and most often included total PCBs, total PAHs, DDT,
and mercury.
I
  Tissue Contaminants - Northeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: EPA Guidance concentration

   • Good =  Below Guidance range
   OFair  =  Falls within Guidance range
   • Poor  =  Exceeds Guidance range
Great Sippewissett Marsh, West Falmouth, Massachusetts (Edgar
Kleindinst, NMFS,Woods Hole Laboratory).
                                                         Figure 3-17. Fish tissue contaminants data for Northeast Coast
                                                         estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  91

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                          ghlight
              A Case  Study of Contamination Assessment in  New York Harbor

                One of the values of the EMAP Estuaries Program is its ability to provide broad insight about
              the quality of coastal waters to local managers, potentially spawning smaller, localized studies
              to investigate coastal conditions. For New York Harbor, results from the EMAP sampling led
              to a more intense Regional EMAP (REMAP) sampling, with results from these regional studies
              triggering a more focused sampling using the Contamination Assessment and Reduction Program
              (CARP). CARP is designed to identify sources of contamination  in coastal waters.
                EMAP 1990-1993 ERM exceedances in theVirginian Province.
                                               f       I ME
                                            VT |   New
                                               I Hampshire
                     REMAP Stations
                     • At least one ERM
                       exceeded
                     • No ERMS exceeded
                                               1993-1994 REMAP stations in New York Harbor exceeding ERMs.
              Data from EMAP-Virginia Province 1990-1993.
92  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                      Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   To managers in the New York and New Jersey areas, it was evident that sediment contamina-
tion in the New York Harbor area was a substantial problem. When examining EMAP data using
ERM exceedances as one indicator of sediment contamination, New York stands out along the
East Coast in its concentration of "hits." As a result of this broad-scale monitoring, the New York
Harbor Estuary Program (HEP) and EPA Region 2 cooperatively developed a REMAP sampling
effort, applying the probabilistic sampling approach more intensively at the local harbor scale.
This monitoring plan was designed to assess contamination in the harbor, including sediment
degradation and its relationship to contamination or physical properties of the sediment. The plan
also examined whether this degradation is localized or widespread in New York Harbor and its
sub-basins. The REMAP results showed that half of the Harbor exceeded at least one ERM
criterion for contamination (Adams et al., 1998).
   Using this REMAP information, the HEP coordinated CARP sampling  to identify sources
of contaminants and to focus on  areas previously identified as contaminated with management
implications of dredging activities. The goal of the HEP is to track sources of contaminants from
the land, water, and air, utilizing  existing state and national programs (Trackdown and Cleanup,
Combined Sewer Overflow/Storm Water Abatement, Waste Site Inventory, Superfund, and the
Clean Air Act) to identify possible sources, such  as sewer and stormwater overflows, industrial
discharges, tributary inputs, landfill leachate, accidental spills, and atmospheric deposition. Such
data can be used to generate simple and complex models to identify contaminant sources, examine
outcomes  of clean-up efforts, support a long-term dredging monitoring plan, and make a
complete assessment of the dredged material.
                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  93

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries     Demersal  Fisheries
      The U.S. Northeast Shelf is one of the world's most
    productive LMEs. The most visible natural resource
    capital of the Northeast Shelf LME is its rich biodiver-
    sity of fish, plankton, crustacean, mollusk, bird, and
    mammal species. The coastal states from Maine to
    North Carolina currently receive $1 billion of economic
    benefits annually from the fisheries of the ecosystem.
    Management efforts are under way to rebuild the
    depleted condition of cod, haddock, flounder, and
    other fish stocks to recover the economic potential
    of these species.
      The coastal zone draining into the Northeast Shelf
    LME has an area of approximately 193,050 square
    miles. Preliminary estimates suggest that about 7 billion
    gallons per day of wastewater flow into the system from
    municipal and industrial treatment facilities. The nitrate
    and phosphate loadings in several estuaries  and embay-
    ments have exceeded the present "natural" capacity of
    the  ecosystem to adequately recycle the nutrients,
    resulting in significant overproduction of phytoplankton
    and contributing to the increasing frequency and extent
    of HABs in near-coastal waters.  Controlling the amount
    of nutrient loadings and adequately treating wastewater
    will reduce the threat of coastal eutrophication.
      With appropriate management practices, the
    ecosystem should provide the necessary capital in
    natural productivity for full recovery of depleted fish
    stocks. Previously, severe declines in mackerel and
    herring  populations due to overexploitation were
    reversed by limiting the fishery for these species through
    licensing and other restrictions on foreign fishing.
   Northeast Shelf LME demersal (groundfish)
fisheries include about 35 species and stocks in waters
off New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. In the
New England subsystem, the groundfish complex is
dominated by members of the cod family (e.g., cod,
haddock, hakes, and pollock), flounders, goosefish,
dogfish sharks, and skates. In the Mid-Atlantic
subsystem, groundfish fisheries include mainly
summer flounder, scup, goosefish, and black sea bass.
   Groundfish resources of the Northeast Shelf LME
occur in mixed-species aggregations, resulting in signifi-
cant bycatch interactions among fisheries directed to
particular target species or species  groups. Management
is complex because of these interactions. This
complexity is reflected, for example, in the use of
different mesh,  gear, minimum landing sizes, and
seasonal closure regulations set by the various manage-
ment  bodies in  the region (e.g., New England Fishery
Management Council [NEFMC], Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council [MAFMC], Atlantic States
Marine Fisheries Commission [ASMFC], individual
states, and the Canadian government). New England
groundfish (14 species) are managed primarily under
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, as
well as peripherally under provisions of the ASMFC's
Northern Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. Summer
flounder, scup, and black sea bass  are managed under
a joint ASMFC—MAFMC fishery management plan
(FMP), and weakfish are managed under an ASMFC
FMP  Demersal fisheries in New England were tradi-
tionally managed primarily by indirect methods, such as
regulating fishing gear mesh sizes, imposing minimum
fish lengths, and closing some areas. The principal
regulatory measures currently in place  for the major
New England groundfish stocks are limits on allowable
days at sea for fishing, along with  closure of certain
areas,  trip limits (for cod and haddock), and targets for
total allowable catch that correspond to target fishing
mortality rates. The Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black
Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan includes provisions
for catch quotas aimed at restoring these stocks.
    Fishermen maintaining gear on the dock, Gloucester; Massachusetts
    (Nance S.Trueworthy).
94  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   Extensive historical data for the Northeast Shelf
LME demersal fisheries have been derived from both
fishery-dependent (i.e., catch and effort monitoring)
and fishery-independent (e.g., NOAA research vessel)
sampling programs since 1963- The boundaries of the
Northeast Shelf LME are depicted in Figure 3-18.
Since 1989, a sea-sampling program has been
conducted aboard commercial fishing vessels to
document vessel discard rates and to collect high-
quality, high-resolution data on their catch. Despite the
past management record, some of the Northeast Shelf
LME demersal stocks (e.g., cod, yellowtail flounder,
haddock, American plaice, and summer flounder)
are among the best understood and assessed  fishery
resources in the country.
                                           Georges
                                            Bank
                                 South New England
                                Mid-Atlantic Bight
Figure 3-18. Northeast Shelf LME subareas and sampling
locations (Sherman et al., 2003).
Principal Groundfish and Flounders
   The principal groundfish and flounders group
includes important species in the cod family (e.g.,
Atlantic cod, haddock, silver hake, red hake, and
pollock), flounders (e.g., yellowtail, summer, winter,
witch, windowpane,  and American plaice), and redfish.
Recent annual landings of these  12 species (representing
19 stocks) have averaged 81,000 mt (69% U.S. com-
mercial, 21% Canadian, and 10% U.S. recreational
landings), compared with  a combined long-term poten-
tial yield of 247,000 mt (Figure 3-19). Total revenue to
fishers from the principal U.S. groundfish and flounder
commercial landings in 2000 was $121 million,
compared with $109 million in 1997- The Northeast
groundfish complex supports important recreational
fisheries for species, including summer flounder,
Atlantic cod, winter flounder, and  pollock.
            I
 900
 800-
 700-
 600-
 500-
 400-
 300-
 200-
 100-
                                                                               Commercial Landings (x 1,000 mt)
                                                                               Abundance Survey Index (kg/tow)
 180
• 160
• 140
• 120
• 100
•80
•60
•40
•20
I
                                                                                                             -Q
                                                                                                             <
   I960  1965  1970  1975   1980  1985  1990   1995  2000
                         Year
Figure 3-19. Landings in metric tons (mt) and abundance index
of principal groundfish and flounders, 1960-2000 (NMFS, 2003).
   The abundance index for this group of species
declined by almost 70% between 1963 and 1974,
reflecting substantial increases in exploitation associated
with the advent of distant-water fleets. Many stocks in
this group declined sharply, notably Georges Bank
haddock, most silver and red hake stocks, and most
flatfish stocks. By 1974, indices of abundance for many
of these species had dropped  to the lowest-ever
recorded levels.
   Groundfish partially recovered during the mid-to-late
1970s because of reduced fishing efforts associated with
increasingly restrictive management. Cod and haddock
abundance increased markedly, stock bio mass of pollock
increased more or less continually, and recruitment and
abundance also increased for  several flatfish stocks.
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  95

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    The abundance index peaked in 1978, but subsequently
    declined, and fell to new lows in 1987 and 1988. The
    abundance index for the principal groundfish and
    flounders fell to a 30-year low in 1992, but has subse-
    quently more than doubled since that year (Figure 3-19).
    The most recent changes in the aggregate index are due
    primarily to substantial increases (since 1996) in the
    bio mass index for redfish in the Gulf of Maine subarea
    (Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 200la),  but also
    reflect increased biomasses of haddock and yellowtail
    flounder in the Georges Bank subarea (Northeast
    Fisheries Science Center, 200 Ib).
       Landings of most groundfish species declined
    substantially during the mid-1990s. For many stocks,
    landings continue to remain relatively low because
    of generally poor recruitment and despite continued
    restrictions on days at sea, low trip limits, and addi-
    tional area closures in the Gulf of Maine.  However,
    for some stocks,  including Georges Bank yellowtail
    flounder and haddock, strong year-classes appearing
    in 1997 and 1998, respectively, combined with sharp
    reductions in fishing mortality, led to improved
    stock conditions (Northeast Fisheries Science Center,
    200Ib) and resulted  in increased landings during
    1999 and  2000.
    Management Concerns
       During most of the 1980s and early 1990s, New
    England Shelf ecosystem groundfish harvests were
    regulated by indirect controls on fishing mortality,
    such as mesh and fish size restrictions, and some area
    closures. Since 1994, these controls have been more
    stringent and focused. Amendment 5 to the NEFMC's
    Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, implemented
    in March 1994, marked the beginning of an effort-
    reduction program to address the requirement to elimi-
    nate the overfished conditions of cod, haddock, and
    yellowtail flounder. The regulatory package included a
    moratorium on new vessel entrants, a schedule to reduce
    the number of days at sea for trawl and gill net vessels,
    increases in regulated mesh size, and expanded closed
    areas to protect haddock. Since December 1994, three
    large areas have also  been closed to protect the regulated
    groundfish stocks; these include Closed Areas I and II on
    Georges Bank and the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area.
       A groundfish vessel buyout program was initiated in
    1995, first as a pilot project and later as a comprehen-
sive fishing capacity-reduction project. The program
was designed to provide economic assistance to fish-
ermen adversely affected by the collapse of the ground-
fish fishery and who voluntarily chose to remove their
vessels permanently from the fishery. This  reduction
in vessels helps fish stocks recover to a sustainable level
by reducing the excess fishing capacity in the Northeast
Shelf LME. The vessel buyout program, which
concluded in 1998, removed 79 fishing vessels at a cost
of nearly $25 million and resulted in an approximate
20% reduction in fishing effort in the Northeast Shelf
LME groundfish fishery.
This flounder is one of several flatfish species found on the
Stellwagen Bank and in the basin. Development of juveniles
occurs primarily within sheltered bays and estuarine areas
(Dann Blackwood and Page Valentine, USGS).
Pelagic Fisheries
   The Northeast Shelf LME pelagic fisheries are
dominated by four species: Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic
herring, bluefish, and butterfish. Mackerel, herring,
and butterfish are considered to be underutilized, and
bluefish are considered to be overutilized. The abun-
dance of mackerel, herring, and butterfish is  presently
above average, whereas that of bluefish is below average.
   The long-term population trends for  mackerel
and herring, as measured by research vessel survey
data, have fluctuated considerably during the last
25 years (Figure 3-20). The combined abundance index
for these two species reached minimal levels in the mid-
to late 1970s, reflecting pronounced declines for both
species and a collapse of the Georges Bank herring stock,
but the index subsequently increased steadily and peaked
in 1999-
96  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
 CZI Total Landings (x 1,000 mt)
 — Mackerel Landings (x 1,000 mt)
  800
Herring Landings (x 1,000 mt)
Abundance Survey Index
                  18
    I960   1965  1970  1975  1980  1985   1990  1995  2000
                          Year
Figure 3-20. Landings in metric tons (mt) and abundance index
of principal pelagic fish stocks, 1960-2000 (NMFS, 2003).

   Although historical catch data (except perhaps for
bluefish) are generally adequate for assessment purposes,
stock assessments for the Northeast Shelf LME pelagic
resources  are relatively imprecise, owing to the highly
variable trawl survey indices of abundance used for
calibrating cohort analysis models, the short life span of
some stocks (butterfish), and the current low exploita-
tion rates of some species (mackerel and herring). The
development of more precise assessments will require
the use of hydroacoustic and mid-water trawl surveys
to estimate herring and mackerel abundance, as well as
alternative types of sampling surveys to estimate bluefish
abundance. In  1997, autumn hydroacoustic surveys
were implemented to improve stock assessments for
Atlantic herring by indexing spawning concentrations.
Research is under way to estimate the  size of herring
spawning groups directly from these surveys and to
combine these  estimates with data from traditional catch-
at-age methods.
The American lobster (Homarus americanus) finds homes in rock
piles or digs holes in muddy places. Its claws, used for catching
and crushing prey, can be regenerated if lost, as in the case here.
Lobsters come in a variety of colors, including mottled reddish
brown, white, and blue (Dann Blackwood and Page Valentine,
USGS, Woods Hole, Massachusetts).
Northeast Shelf Ecosystem  Invertebrate
Fisheries
   Offshore fisheries for crustacean and molluscan
invertebrates are among the most valuable fisheries of
the Northeast Shelf LME. In 2000, U.S. commercial
landings of American lobster (38,300 mt)  and sea
scallops (14,500 mt of shucked meats) ranked first
and second in overall ex-vessel value ($304 million and
$165 million, respectively). Landings of surf clams, ocean
quahogs, squids, and  northern shrimp contributed
another roughly $100 million in revenue.  Revenues
from these invertebrate fisheries exceeded those for
all Northeast Shelf LME finfish fisheries combined.
American Lobster
   A recent assessment of American lobster stocks
(ASMFC, 2000) indicated that fishing mortality rates
for lobster in the Gulf of Maine were double the over-
fishing level.  For the inshore resource distributed from
southern Cape Cod through Long Island Sound and for
the offshore stock  on Georges Bank, fishing mortality
substantially exceeded the overfishing level. Throughout
its range, the lobster fishery has become increasingly
dependent on newly recruited animals, and commercial
catch rates have markedly declined in heavily fished
nearshore areas. In some locations, more than 90% of
the lobsters landed are new recruits to the fishery, almost
all of which are juveniles (i.e.,  not yet sexually mature).
Fishing mortality rates for both inshore and offshore
stocks presently far exceed the levels needed to produce
maximum yields. Lobster landings during 1998—2000
averaged 38,100 mt, with a record-high catch of 39,700
mt in 1999 (Figure 3-21). Despite overfishing, lobster
abundance has remained high due to favorable
environmental conditions for lobster reproduction
and recruitment.
                                                            45
                                                                         Landings (x 1,000 mt)
                                                                         LPUE - Maine Inshore Waters Index
                                                             1940
                                                                                                           0.0
                                                                                                  1990    2000
                          Figure 3-2 I. Landings of American lobster in the northeastern
                          United States, 1940-2000, in metric tons (mt). The index shows
                          the average number of legal-sized lobsters caught per trap
                          averaged over a 24-hour period in Maine inshore waters (NMFS,
                          2003). (LPUE = landings per unit effort)
                                                        National Coastal Condition Report II  97

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    Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
    Sea Scallops
       Sea scallops are harvested in the United States in
    the Northeast Shelf LME from Cape Hatteras, North
    Carolina, to the U.S./Canadian border on Georges
    Bank and in the Gulf of Maine. Dredges are the
    principal harvesting gear, although otter trawls take
    a small proportion of the landings (Serchuk and
    Murawski,  1997).
       Management of the sea scallop fishery changed
    markedly in 1994, when—to address overfishing—
    management measures affecting the number of days at
    sea, vessel crew size, and dredge-ring size were imple-
    mented. Since December 1994, the harvesting of sea
    scallops in two  areas on Georges Bank and one area on
    Nantucket  Shoals (closed to protect depressed ground-
    fish stocks) has been prohibited, except under highly
    controlled,  limited area-access provisions. In April 1998,
    two areas in the Mid-Atlantic subarea were also closed
    (for 3 years) to  scallop  fishing to protect large numbers
    of juvenile scallops.
       A recent stock assessment (Northeast Fisheries
    Science Center, 200 Ib) indicated that sea scallop
    biomass in  the closed areas increased dramatically
    between 1994 and 2000. Smaller but substantial
    increases also occurred in areas open to fishing as a
    result of reduced  fishing effort and good reproductive
    success. Increases in stock biomass generated large
    increases in U.S. scallop landings  in both 1999 and
    2000 (Figure 3-22).
      20
      18-
      16-
      14-
      12-
      10-
U.S. Landings (x 1,000 mt)
Canadian Landings (x 1,000 mt)
        1941  1946 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991  1996
                               Year

  Figure 3-22. Landings of Atlantic sea scallop in the United States
  and Canada, 1940-2000, by metric tons (mt).
                                               Assessment and Advisory Data

                                               Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
                                               Assessments
                                                  The states on the Northeast Coast assessed 10,582
                                               (85%) of their 12,451 estuarine square miles for their
                                               2000 305(b) reports. They used state-specific criteria,
                                               which may differ from those used in the NCA analysis,
                                               and found that 49% of the assessed estuarine waters
                                               fully support their designated uses, 8% are threatened
                                               for one or more  uses,  and the remaining 43% are
                                               impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degrada-
                                               tion  (Figure 3-23).  Individual use support for estuaries
                                               is shown in Figure 3-24.
                                                  In 2000, Northeast Coast states assessed 404 (5%) of
                                               their 7,716 shoreline miles. Ninety-two percent of the
                                               assessed shoreline waters fully support their designated
                                                                                            120001

                                                                                          Threatened
                                                             Assessed
                                                               85%
                                                             Figure 3-23. Water quality in assessed Northeast Coast
                                                             estuaries (U.S. EPA, 2002).
   10,000
    9,000 -
    8,000 -
    7,000 -
    6,000 -
    5,000 -
    4,000 -
    3,000 -
    2,000 -
    1,000-
      0

                                                        Aquatic Life   Fish    Shellfishing
                                                          Support Consumption
                                    Primary   Secondary
                                    Contact-    Contact
                                    Swimming
                         Designated Use

Figure 3-24. Individual use support in assessed Northeast
Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA, 2002).
98  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                   Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
uses, and no uses are reported as threatened; however,
8% are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
degradation (Figure 3-25)- Individual use support
for Northeast Coast shoreline waters is shown in
Figure 3-26 and listed in Table 3-2.
Figure 3-25. Water quality in assessed shoreline waters of the
Northeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2002).
   300
   250-

   200-
1)
1  IS°-

   I GO-

    SO-

     0
                                                                    Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
                                                                     Support  Consumption           Contact-   Contact
                                                                                                 Swimming
                                                                                     Designated Use
                                                             Figure 3-26. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
                                                             waters of the Northeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2002).
       Table 3-2. Individual Use Support for Assessed Shoreline Waters Reported by the Northeast Coast
       States under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act  (U.S. EPA, 2002).
                                        Assessed Estuaries Impaired
                                        (mi2) and Percentage of Total
                                            Area Assessed for the
               Assessed Shoreline Impaired
               (mi) and Percentage of Total
                   Area Assessed for the
Individual Uses
Aquatic life support
Fish consumption
Shellfishing
Primary contact — swimming
Secondary contact
Individual Use
2,335 (27%)
3,950 (38%)
1,665 (15%)
221 (3%)
10 (7%)
Individual Use
0
18(36%)
35 (24%)
0
0
                                                                                Replanting marsh grass in an
                                                                                effort to protect and rebuild
                                                                                this beach near Annapolis,
                                                                                Maryland (Mary  Hollinger,
                                                                                NODC biologist, NOAA).
                                                                                           National Coastal Condition Report II  99

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     Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
     Fish  Consumption Advisories
        In 2002, 7 of the 10 Northeast Coast states
     (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
     New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) had statewide
     consumption advisories for fish in coastal waters,
     placing nearly all of their coastal and estuarine areas
     under advisory Due in large part to these statewide
     advisories, an estimated 81% of the  coastal miles of
     the Northeast Coast and 56% of the estuarine area
     were under fish consumption advisories. A total  of
     33 different advisories were active in 2002 for the
     estuarine and coastal waters of the Northeast  Coast
     (Figure 3-27).
        Advisories in the Northeast Coast were in  effect for
     10 different pollutants (Figure 3-28). Most of the
     listings (94%) were, at least in part,  caused by PCBs.
     Boston Harbor was listed for multiple pollutants.
              •™	Chesapeake
                  Bay
Number of
advisories per
USGS cataloging
unit in 2002:

I    I 2-4
^1 5-9
   J No advisories
     Figure 3-27.The number offish consumption advisories for the
     Northeast Coast active in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
                               Chlorinated
                                 Pesticides
                                         0       20      40       60      80
                                               Percent of Total Number of Advisories
                                                    Listing Each Contaminant

                             Figure 3-28. Pollutants responsible for fish consumption
                             advisories in northeastern coastal waters. An advisory can be
                             issued for more than one contaminant, so percentages may not
                             add up to 100 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
                                                                  These species were under advisory in 2002 for at
                                                                  least some part of the Northeast Coast:
                                                                  American eel
                                                                  Bluefish
                                                                  Brown bullhead
                                                                  Flounder
                                                                  Lobster
                                                                  Rainbow smelt
                                                                  Smallmouth bass
                                                                  Tautog
                                                                  Walleye
                                                                  Atlantic needlefish
                                                                  Blue crab
                                                                  Channel catfish
                                                                  King mackerel
                                                                  Lobster (tomalley)
                                                          Scup
                                                          Striped bass
                                                          Tilefish
                                                          White catfish
                                                          Bivalves
                                                          Blue crab (hepatopancreas)
                                                          Common carp
                                                          Largemouth bass
                                                          Northern hogsucker
                                                          Shark
                                                          Swordfish
                                                          Tuna
                                                          White perch
                                                          Source: U.S. EPA, 2003c
                                                                 Filleting the day's catch. Patuxent Riven Maryland (Mary Hollinger,
                                                                 NESDIS/NODC biologist, NOAA).
100  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                               Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
Beach Advisories and Closures
   Of the 826 coastal beaches in the Northeast Coast
that reported information to EPA, only 18% (151
beaches) were closed or under advisory for any period
of time in 2002. The states with the highest percentage
of beaches with advisories/closures were Maryland and
New York, where 33% of 12 beaches and 31% of 199
beaches, respectively, indicated that they were closed
at least once in 2002. Table 3-3 presents the number
of beaches and advisories/closures for each state.
Figure 3-29 shows the percentage of beaches in each
county that had at least one advisory or closure in 2002.
Only two states in the region (New Hampshire and
Virginia) did not have any coastal beach closings in
2002. All of the beaches in the Northeast Coast that
reported information have monitoring programs.
   The primary reasons why beach advisories and
closures were implemented at coastal beaches in the
Northeast were elevated bacteria levels or preemptive
closures associated with rainfall events or sewage-related
problems. Most beaches had multiple sources of water-
borne bacteria that resulted in advisories or closures
(Figure 3-30). Stormwater runoff and wildlife were
most frequently identified as sources, and unknown
sources accounted for 28% of the response (Figure 3-31).
Table 3-3. Number of Beaches and Advisories/Closures in 2002 for
Northeast Coast States (U.S. EPA, 2003a)
State
Maine
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
TOTALS
No. of
Beaches
7
13
199
74
70
199
228
IS
12
9
826
No. of
Advisories/
Closures
1
0
45
8
18
62
10
3
4
0
151
Percentage of
Beaches Affected
by Advisories/
Closures
14.3%
0.0%
22.6%
10.8%
25.7%
31.2%
4.4%
20.0%
33.3%
0.0%
18.3%

                                Percentage of beaches
                                reporting with at least
                                one advisory or closure
                                per county in 2002:

                                B 1-10
                                n 11-so
                                • 51-100
                                |  | No Data Available
                                                            I

Figure 3-29. Percentage of beaches with advisory or closures
by county for the Northeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                    Other
                     18%
                                                                                               Elevated
                                                                                               Bacteria
                                                                                                Levels
                                                                                                 43%
          Preemptive
           Closure
           (Sewage)
                                                                      Preemptive
                                                                       Closure
                                                                       (Rainfall)
                                                                         35%
                                                          Figure 3-30. Reasons for beach advisories or closures for the
                                                          Northeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                          Other
                                                                           4%
                                                               Unknown
                                                                 28%
                                                                   Wildlife
                                                                     13%
                         CSO2%
                            SS04%
                             POTW4%
                              Septic System 2%
                               Sewer Line Problem 2%
                                Boats 5%
                            Stormwater
                              Runoff
                               36%
                                                          Figure 3-31. Sources of beach contamination for the Northeast
                                                          Coast (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  101

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                             ghlight
                Recovery from Biomass Depletion in  Large Marine  Ecosystems

                  Multi-year time series measurements of the plankton in two LMEs have shown that phyto-
                plankton and zooplankton populations are in good condition, indicative of a stable and highly
                productive food-web base. The robust condition of plankton enhances conditions for reversing the
                declines in bio mass of demersal fish that have occurred over the last several decades. Since 1994,
                mandated reductions in fishing effort led to increases in the spawning stock biomass (SSB) levels
                of haddock, yellowtail flounder, and other species in the Northeast Shelf ecosystem.
                   Following the cessation of foreign fishing on herring and mackerel stocks in the late 1970s and
                a decade of very low fishing mortality, both species began to recover to high stock sizes in the
                1990s. Bottom trawl survey indices for both species increased dramatically, showing more than a
                10-fold increase in abundance (1977-1981 vs. 1995-1999 averages) by the late 1990s. Stock
                biomass of herring increased to  more than 2.5 million mt by 1997- The total stock biomass of
                mackerel has also continued to increase since the closure of the foreign fishery in the late 1970s.
                Although absolute estimates of biomass for the late 1990s are not available, recent analyses place
                the stock at or near a historic
                high in total biomass and SSB.
                Additionally, recent evidence
                indicates that both haddock and
                yellowtail flounder stocks are
                responding favorably to catch
                reductions, with substantial
                growth reported in SSB size
                since 1994 for haddock and
                flounder. In 1998, a very strong
                year-class of yellowtail flounder
                was produced, and in 1999, a
                strong year-class of haddock was
                produced, as shown in the
                figures to the right.
CD
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
 0


120
                   Georges BankYellowtail
                        ' Spawning Stock Biomass
                        I Recruitment
                         Exploitation Rate
                                                  1.0
                                                  0.8
0.6  -
    o
    1
0.4  °
                                                  0.2
                                                  0.0
          1975
                 1980
                        1985
                           Year
                                1990
                                       1995
                                              2000
                                                    :- 100
                                                   O a)
                                                   8
                                                   8.2
                                                   §1
                                                       80
                                                        60
£&  40
DO ^
I "2  20
a.
oo
      0
                                                                     Georges Bank Haddock
                                                                          i Spawning Stock Biomass
                                                                          I Recruitment
                                                                           Exploitation Rate
                                                                         \
                                                                  nllfln-J-IL
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
                                                            1975
                                                                    1980
                                                                           1985    1990
                                                                             Year
                                                                                          1995
                                                                                                 2000
                                                   *mt - metric tons
102  National Coastal Condition Report I
                                                   Source: Sherman et al., 2003.

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                                                                       Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   At the base of the food web, primary productivity provides an input of carbon that supports
important marine commercial fisheries. Zooplankton production and biomass provide the prey-
resource for larval stages of fish and the principal food source for herring and mackerel in waters
of the Northeast Shelf ecosystem. During the past 20 years, the long-term median value for the
zooplankton biomass of the Northeast Shelf ecosystem has been about 29 cubic centimeters of
zooplankton per 100 m3 of water, produced from a stable mean-annual primary productivity of
350 grams  of carbon per square meter
per year (gCm yr). During the last two
decades, the zooplanktivorous herring
and mackerel stocks underwent unprece-
dented levels of growth, approaching an
historic high combined biomass. This
growth took place during the same
period that the fishery management
councils for the New England and Mid-
Atlantic areas sharply curtailed fishing
effort on haddock and yellowtail
flounder stocks. Given the observed
robust levels of primary productivity and
zooplankton biomass, it appears that the
carrying capacity of zooplankton is suffi-
cient  to sustain the strong year-classes
reported for yellowtail flounder (1998)
and haddock (1999).
An undulating oceanographic recorder, towed behind a ship,
is used to collect ecological parameters needed to assess
the state of the marine ecosystem (Jerome Prezioso, NOAA
NMFS).
   The zooplankton component of the
Northeast Shelf ecosystem is in a robust condition, with biomass levels at or above the levels of the
long-term median values of the past two decades. This supplies a suitable prey base for supporting
a large biomass of pelagic fish (herring and mackerel), and provides sufficient  zooplankton prey to
support strong year-classes of recovering haddock and yellowtail flounder stocks. The Northeast
Shelf ecosystem is in relatively stable oceanographic condition. No evidence has been found in the
fish, zooplankton, temperature, or chlorophyll components that indicates any large-scale oceano-
graphic  regime shifts of the magnitude reported for the North Pacific or northeast Atlantic Ocean
areas.
   For more information, contact Ken Sherman at kenneth.sherman@noaa.gov.
                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report II  103

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                            ghlight
                Predicted Nitrogen and  Phosphorus  Loads to the New England  Coast
                using SPARROW Model

                  In the 1980s and 1990s, the USGS developed SPARROW models to assist in performing
                national and regional water quality assessments (Smith et al.,  1993 and 1997)- SPARROW, which
                refers to Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes, uses regression equations to
                relate measures of water quality condition to pollution sources and watershed characteristics.
                These relations are then used to provide estimates of water quality fluxes at unmonitored waters.
                In 2004, New England SPARROW models were completed by the USGS, in cooperation with
                EPA and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission  (NEIWPCC). The
                models provide nutrient (total nitrogen [TN] and total phosphorus [TP] flux estimates for nearly
                42,000 stream reaches throughout the region (Moore et. al., 2004). The models were calibrated
                using nutrient measurements at nearly 70 sites where the USGS and other agencies measure water
                quality conditions.
                         New England Model Nitrogen Load
                                                                          U Kennebec River (includeds Androscoggin)
                                                                        Presumpscot River
                                                                Taunton River
                                                                     lerrimac River      Nitrogen load sites, in
                                                                                   metric tons per year
                                                                                   o 30-10
                                                                                   o 100-250
                                                                                   • 250-1,000
                                                                                   O 1,000-3,000
                                                                                   O 3,000-8,000
                                                                                   • 8,000-16,200
                                             Nitrogen loadings from New England watersheds to coastal waters as
                                             predicted by the New England SPARROW model (Moore et al.,2004).
104  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                      Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
   The New England SPARROW models have r2 values of 0.95 for the TN model and 0.94 for
the TP model. Significant predictors of TN include atmospheric deposition, developed (urban and
suburban) land area, agricultural land area, and discharges from municipal wastewater-treatment
facilities. Significant predictors of TP include agricultural land area, developed land area, forested
land area, and discharges from municipal wastewater-treatment and pulp and paper facilities.
   Development of a New England SPARROW model is being used to enhance the ability of EPA
Region 1 to meet requirements under the Clean Water Act, including development of TMDL
studies for waters impaired by pollutants and development of nutrient criteria. The New England
SPARROW model will provide the following information:
     •  Estimated mean annual loadings of TN and TP in all 42,000 New England stream
        segments for the mid-1990s time period
     •  Estimated TN and TP loadings contributed by pollutant sources in each stream segment
     •  Estimated TN and TP loadings from individual stream segments to downstream stream
        TN and TP loadings within watersheds and to coastal waters
     •  Information on the impact of nutrient-sources (e.g., wastewater treatment facilities;
        forested, urban, suburban, and agricultural lands), and watershed characteristics (e.g.,
        presence of reservoirs and lakes, and stream-flow velocities) on pollutant loads
     •  Estimates of TN and TP fluxes to New England coastal waters for use in assessment of
        coastal conditions as part  of the ongoing NCA Program.
   Additional information  on SPARROW models nationally is available at
http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/sparrow/index.html, and the New England SPARROW Report can
be obtained at http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/sir/2004/5012/.
I
                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  105

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                             ghlight
                Virginia Seaside Heritage  Program

                   Virginia's Eastern Shore—a vast system of barrier islands,
                bays, and salt marshes—is a global treasure designated by
                the United Nations (UN) as a Man and the Biosphere
                Reserve. The intertidal and shallow subtidal areas, undevel-
                oped beaches, and marshes support an incredible array of
                waterfowl and shorebirds. These habitats also serve as
                breeding, nursery, and foraging sites for  finfish and shellfish,
                which are of tremendous economic value to commercial and
                recreational fishermen.
Blue-eyed bay scallop.
                   In the 1800s, this barrier island lagoon system was a mecca for hunting, fishing, and recreation
                for people from Washington, DC, to New York. Finfish and shellfish harvests provided income to
                thousands of Virginians. Unfortunately, seafood harvests of all types and shorebird populations
                declined dramatically beginning in the late 1800s due to over-harvesting, disease, the environ-
                ment, and loss of habitat. Destructive hurricanes and storms also hit Virginia's seaside in the
                1880s, 1890s, and early 1900s, and bird populations have declined steadily due to hunting, preda-
                tion, and habitat loss. Sadly, despite strong conservation efforts over the last few decades, there has
                not been a great resurgence of seagrasses, oysters, scallops, finfish, and birds.
                   The Virginia Seaside Heritage Program (VSHP), a new public-private partnership initiated by
                the VCP and its partners, is an ambitious 3-year program (2002—2004) aimed at restoration,  use-
                conflict resolution, and protection of the aquatic resources of the seaside. The VSHP will build on
                the momentum of recent restoration success and develop the tools necessary to support long-term
                restoration and  management strategies for the seaside. This area holds tremendous potential to
                demonstrate appropriate management of economic development and habitat restoration within a
                rare and fragile ecosystem.

                   This 3-year program has four elements:
                     •  Development of a comprehensive seaside inventory of natural resources and human use
                        patterns that will form the basis for long-term restoration and management strategies
                     •  Restoration of seagrass acreage, scallop beds, oyster reefs, marshes, and shorebird habitats
                     •  Development of management tools, such as a use-suitability model, improved
                        enforcement capabilities, and public education efforts.
                     •  Development of sustainable ecotourism opportunities through construction or
                        enhancement of public access sites, creation of a canoe/kayak water trail and map,
                        and an ecotour guide certification course.
                   For more information about this project, please contact Laura McKay, VCP Manager, at (804)
                698-4323 or lbmckay@deq.state.va.us. Please also visit the VSHP Web site at
                http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/vshpweb/homepage.html.
106  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                   Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition

Use  of a Hybrid  Monitoring  Design in  Rhode  Island

   Rhode Island's monitoring program  for Narragansett Bay includes random samples during the
NCA index period; measurements made from moored instrumentation recording water properties
every 15 minutes; towed instrumentation; and targeted sampling designed to document the spatial
extent of low dissolved oxygen events that often accompany minimal tidal range in summer and
early fall. The upper Narragansett Bay stratifies when the tidal range is less than 0.8 meters.
   Phytoplankton often bloom in the surface layer when upper Narragansett  Bay stratifies,
followed by subsurface declines in dissolved
oxygen (Bergando, In press). The August 6
sampling date was selected one year in advance of
when a low dissolved oxygen event was considered
likely, following a period of minimum tidal range.
   Information from two of the moored instru-
ments in upper Narragansett Bay indicated that,
preceding the target sampling on August 6, 2002,
near—bottom dissolved oxygen concentrations fell
below EPA's (U.S. EPA, 2000a) chronic criterion
for dissolved oxygen (4.8 mg/L)  for 10  days and
below the acute criterion for dissolved oxygen
(2.3 mg/L)  for 5 days. This low dissolved oxygen
event was accompanied by fish kills in upper
Narragansett Bay.
                                                                                         I
                             Dissolved oxygen concentrations in Upper
                             Narragansett Bay,August 6,2002.
                    W  1.2
                    I
                    -8  0.9
                    f-
                    |  0.6
                    |
                    3  0.3
                       0.0
                  Region of De-stratification
       Region of Surface Blooms and Subsurface Hypoxia
    6/1   6/15   6/29   7/1    7/27   8/10   8/24   9/7    9/21
                         Date - 2002
Absolute tidal range - Newport, Rhode Island, (developed by
Dana Kester [deceased], formerly of URI GSO)
                                                           National Coastal Condition Report II  107

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     Chapter 3   Northeast Coastal Condition
     Summary
   The NCA Program is providing an important baseline of conditions
that can serve as the benchmark for determining how conditions change
in the 21st century. For the first time, consistently collected data sets from
cooperating state programs permit statistically valid comparisons of coastal
conditions across the region. The summary of NCA results in this chapter
is based on observations from a single survey year of the Northeast Coast
during a late-summer index period. Even without temporal replication,
dramatic geographic gradients are evident because of the geological
history, latitudinal variations in climate and tidal range, and human
activities in this region.
   Problems associated with excess nutrients from human activities are
much less prevalent in the Gulf of Maine than in the waters to the south
of Cape Cod. Problems related to low oxygen levels in bottom waters are
more severe in the coastal waters of the Virginian Province. The NCA
sampling design provides  a snapshot of late-summer conditions across the
Northeast Coast region. Low oxygen levels between 2 and 5 rng/L are
evident in a number of areas. Oxygen concentrations that persist below
4.8 mg/L  and periodic fluctuations below 2.3 mg/L (Coiro et al., 2000)
can have an impact on benthic communities and lead to fish kills.
   Clean sediments with low levels  of chemical contamination, an absence
of acute toxicity, and moderate to low levels of TOC are found in 73% of
the Northeast Coast. High levels of sediment contaminants are found in
8% of the region, with the highest levels of sediment contaminants often
found in depositional environments in the vicinity of cities (Figures 3-3
and 3-13). Such sediments require special care when dredging is needed to
maintain navigation channels. Lower levels of sediment contamination are
found over an additional  12%  of the region, associated with areas of high
human population density (Figure 3-3). Sediment toxicity is found only
in 8% of the Northeast Coast (Figure 3-12). In many situations where
low levels  of sediment contamination are evident, sediments are found to
be nontoxic. In situations where sediment toxicity is evident, additional
Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) approaches can be used to help
diagnose causes of observed toxicity.
   Assessment of communities of benthic organisms can be used to
characterize Northeast Coast ecosystem conditions. Based on the benthic
index used in this study, conditions are considered to be good along the
northern Maine coast, Cape Cod Bay, most of southeastern Massachu-
setts, near the mouth of Narragansett Bay, eastern Long Island Sound,
portions of New Jersey, and the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay. Benthic
conditions are considered to be poor in 22% of the Northeast Coast,
often in the vicinity of high human population density.
   For the Northeast Shelf LME, mandated management actions have
resulted in some recovery of depleted haddock and yellowtail flounder
spawning  stocks biomass and good recruitment.
108  National Coastal Condition Report I

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          Chapter 4
Southeast Coastal
Condition
m$
              i
             !3i.'

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Southeast  Coastal  Condition


       The overall condition of Southeast Coast estuaries
     is fair to good, although there is evidence of human-
     induced stress in some areas.  In 2000, the NCA
     collaborated with state resource agencies in  the region
     to facilitate collection of environmental stressor and
     response data from 151 locations (Figure 4-1)

throughout Southeast Coast estuaries using comparable
methods and techniques. Results indicate that most of
the estuarine area of the southeastern United States is in
fair to good  ecological condition. This means that in the
late summer, when data were collected, environmental
stressors (e.g., nutrients, contaminants) and conditions
for aquatic life showed few signs of significant impair-
ment (Figure 4-2). Forty percent of the estuarine area
fully supports human and aquatic life uses, 37% is
threatened for human and aquatic life use, and 23%
is impaired for these uses (Figure 4-3).
   The estuaries of the southeastern United States
(Carolinian Province) extend from Cape  Henry,
Virginia, through the southern end of the Indian River
Lagoon and along the east coast of Florida (Figure 4-1)
                                                                           heast
                                                                        Overall
                                                                       Score (3.8)
                                                               Good  Fair   Poor
                                                                  Water Quality Index (4)
                                                                  Sediment Quality Index (4)
                                                                  Benthic Index (3)
                                                                  Coastal Habitat Index (3)
                                                                  Fish Tissue Index (5)
                            Figure 4-2.The overall
                            condition of Southeast Coast
                            estuaries is fair to good.
                                                                       Threatened
                                                                          37%
                                 Unimpaired
                                    40%
                                                                 Impaired Human and
                                                                   Aquatic Life Use   Impaired Aquatic
                                                                        5%            Life Use
                                                                                        18%
     Figure 4-1. Southeast Coast sampling stations (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Figure 4-3. Southeast Coast estuarine condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
110  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition

  to include part of the West Indian Province from Indian
  River Lagoon through Biscayne Bay. This region of the
  country is referred to as the Southeast Shelf LME. The
  Southeast Coast region contains a wealth of resources,
  including barrier islands such as North Carolina's Outer
  Banks; busy shipping ports in Miami and Jacksonville,
  Florida, Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South
  Carolina; quiet coastal wetlands  that provide a habitat
  for migratory birds and other animals; and important
  commercial and recreational fishery resources. North
  Carolina contains the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound, one
  of the largest and most productive aquatic systems in
  North America. The sound represents North Carolina's
  key resource base for commercial fishing, recreational
  fishing, and tourism. Similarly, the coastal resources in
  other Southeast Coast states provide the resource base
  for fishing and tourism industries and generate vast
  amounts of sales tax income for  those states.
          I960
                                              2000
Figure 4-4. Population of coastal counties in the Southeast Coast
states from 1960 to 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003).
   The population of coastal counties along the
Southeast Coast increased 64% between 1970 and
1990 (U.S. Census Bureau,  1996). In 1999, the
southern region of the United States was the most
populous area of the nation, accounting for 96 million
residents. Florida was among the five most  populous
states in  1999 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001)  and has
demonstrated a growth rate  of almost 2% per year in
its coastal population. Figure 4-4 presents population
data for Southeast Coast counties from the  U.S. Census
Bureau and shows that these coastal county populations
have more than doubled since I960.
   The estuarine resources of the Southeast Coast
are diverse and extensive, covering an estimated 4,487
square miles. The coastal population in the southeastern
United States increased by 160% over the 40-year
period from I960 to 2000, the largest percentage
increase in the country. Given the influx of people and
businesses to southeastern coastal states and the ensuing
pressures on the coastal zones of this region, there is an
increased need for effective management of the
resources of the Southeast Coast.
I
                                                           This largest of the Atlantic octopus species, Octopus vulgahs,
                                                           exhibits a threat display to thwart the attention of an inquisitive
                                                           diver (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                        National Coastal Condition Report II  111

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                           ghlight
               South  Carolina's Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto Basin National Estuarine
               Research Reserve System

                 The Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin of South Carolina has largely undeveloped tracts
               of saltwater marshes, maritime forests, upland pines, and bottomland hardwoods. These ecologi-
               cally important components, coupled with management goals that balance conservation of natural
               resources with economic development and population growth, have focused national attention on
               the ACE Basin. Colleton County, South Carolina, in which the ACE Basin study area is located,
               is expected to increase from its 1990 population of 34,377 to more than 47,500 by the year 2010.
               People are attracted to the ACE Basin's mild climate, rural character, affordable land prices, recre-
               ational opportunities, and natural setting; however, extensive population growth and urbanization
               may adversely impact the very things that draw people to this area.  Stressors associated with such
               population growth include habitat loss,  resource depletion, nonpoint source pollution, and
               nutrient loadings to estuaries and coastal waters.
                                               	s
                                               Dorchester'
                                                                          Project Area
                                                                           Project Boundary
       3rv
'   *9tOF
                                                                        5   0   5  10 Miles
                        Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin
112 National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                         Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
   A major challenge for the basin's rural communities will be to strike a balance between
supporting the area's socioeconomic needs and protecting its natural resources. This will require
strong ecological research and a commitment to responsible growth. Conservation, research,
education, and cooperation have provided the basic architecture for the ACE Basin National
Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). The reserve is managed by the South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources  (SCDNR), and a 21-member steering committee representing
local business, education, forestry,  fisheries, environmental groups, tourism, and private
landowners guides the development of research and educational activities. Funding for the ACE
Basin characterization has been provided by NOAA and the SCDNR. The SCDNR and its
Divisions of Marine Resources; Land, Water, and Conservation; and Wildlife and Freshwater
Fisheries implemented the project  in partnership with NOAA's  Coastal Services Center in
Charleston, South Carolina, and the National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, Colorado.
   Because of its relatively pristine  nature, the ACE Basin provides ideal sites for monitoring
changes in the physical and biological aspects of the region. Interdisciplinary research provides
information for conserving biological diversity and for assessing the impacts of pollution on
ecosystems and habitats. In addition, the ACE Basin may offer  a model for solving similar prob-
lems in other coastal regions. Local communities are being introduced to the  idea that promoting
sustainable development and protecting natural watersheds are advantageous to the region's long-
term benefit. Outreach activities that strengthen the community's understanding of these concepts
are vital to the region's preservation.
   For additional information, please visit the following Web sites: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/
acebasin/ and http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/marine/mrri/acechar/.


                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  113

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Coastal Monitoring Data
         E  Water Quality Index
        The water quality index for estuaries in the Southeast
     Coast region is rated fair to good (Figure 4-5)- Only
     5% of estuarine area was rated poor for water quality,
     and 45% was rated fair. The water quality index was
     calculated by combining the indicator values for DIN,
     DIP, chlorophyll a, water clarity, and dissolved oxygen
     for Southeast Coast estuaries.
     Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorous
        High  DIN and DIP concentrations in surface waters
     are often indicators of high eutrophic potential.  DIN
     was rated good because none of the  Southeast Coast
     estuarine area had DIN concentrations that exceeded
     0.5 rng/L (Figure 4-6). DIP received a fair rating
     because 12% of the DIP concentrations  exceeded
0.05 mg/L (Figure 4-7). The 12% value for DIP
is an approximation because the phosphorus sample
was based on filtered, acid-preserved phosphorus for
North Carolina samples, which provides a measure of
total phosphorus, not of DIP only. Literature suggests
that for estuaries in the Southeast Coast region, DIP
represents about 97% of the total phosphorus (Van
Dolah et al., 2002).
  The sampling conducted in the EPA NCA Program has
  been designed to estimate the percent of estuarine area
  (nationally or in a region or state) in varying conditions
  and is displayed as pie diagrams. Many of the figures
  in this report illustrate environmental measurements
  made at specific locations  (colored dots on maps);
  however, these dots (color) represent the value of the
  indicator specifically at the time of sampling. Additional
  sampling may be required to define variability and to
  confirm impairment or the lack of impairment at
  specific locations.
       Water Quality Index - Southeast (2000)
  Nitrogen - Southeast (2000)
        Site Criteria: Number of component
        indicators in poor or fair condition

        • Good = No more than I is fair
        OFair  = I  is poor or 2 or more are fair
        • Poor = 2 or more are poor
   Site Criteria: DIN concentration

   • Good = < O.I mg/L
   • Fair  = O.I -0.5 mg/L
   • Poor = > 0.5 mg/L
   O Undetermined
                                                                                                       
-------
Chlorophyll a
   Chlorophyll a received a fair rating because 83%
of Southeast Coast estuarine area had concentrations
greater than 5  ug/L (Figure 4-8).
                                                                                        Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
  Phosphorus - Southeast (2000)
  Chlorophyll a - Southeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: DIP concentration

   • Good = < 0.01 mg/L
   OFair  = 0.01 -0.05 mg/L
   • Poor = > 0.05 mg/L
   O Undetermined
                                     Undetermined
                                           20 Mg/L
   OUndetermined
                                     Undetermined
                                          
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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Water Clarity
        Water clarity in Southeast Coast estuaries is fair.
     Water clarity was estimated by light penetration through
     the water column using either a transmissivity meter or
     a Secchi disk. Eighty percent of estuaries have good
     water clarity, and  12% have poor water clarity (Figure
     4-9). Estuaries across the nation were divided  into three
     turbidity classes based on regional expectations for light
     penetration related to SAV distribution—low, moderate,
     and high. Highly  turbid waters generally have between
     5%  and 10% transmission of light at 1  meter; moder-
     ately turbid waters have between  10% and 25% light
     transmissivity; and low turbidity waters have between
     20% and 40% transmissivity. However,  only two turbi-
     dity classes were appropriate for most of the Southeast
     Coast estuaries—high and moderate—because of the
     high natural organic content of estuaries in the region.
     By defining reference conditions and ranges for turbidity,
     measured values can be compared with expected values,
     taking into account natural causes of turbidity.
Dissolved Oxygen
   Dissolved oxygen in Southeast Coast estuaries is
good. Twenty-four percent of the bottom waters have
dissolved oxygen levels between 2 and 5 mg/L, and
74% of the bottom waters have levels above 5 mg/L
(Figure 4-10). Dissolved oxygen is one of the most
important water quality measurements because low
dissolved oxygen conditions can limit the distribution
or survival of most estuarine biota, especially if condi-
tions persist for extended time periods. Results indicate
that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Southeast Coast
are generally good, even though the NCA Program was
designed to sample during the summer index period,
when dissolved oxygen levels are at their lowest. The
dissolved oxygen measurements collected by states
approximate short-term, worst-case conditions that
may not necessarily occur for long time periods. State-
gathered data under the NCA indicate that only 2%
of the bottom waters in Southeast Coast estuaries have
dissolved oxygen levels below 2 mg/L.
       Water Clarity - Southeast (2000)
  Dissolved Oxygen - Southeast (2000)
        Site Criteria: Light penetration
        at I meter depth

        • Good =  > 20% in NC, FL
                 > IO%inSC,GA
        OFair =  10% to 20% in NC, FL
                 5% to 10% inSC, GA
        • Poor =  < 10% in NC, FL
                 < S% in SC, GA
        O Undetermined
                                       Undetermined
                                            <'*   Poor
                                                  12%
                                                     Fair
                Fair     Poof  ,
     Figure 4-9. Water clarity condition for Southeast Coast
     estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
   Site Criteria: Dissolved oxygen
   concentration
   • Good = > 5 mg/L
   OFair =2-5 mg/L
   • Poor = < 2 mg/L
Figure 4-10. Dissolved oxygen concentration data for Southeast
Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
116  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                  Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
       Sediment Quality Index
   The condition of Southeast Coast estuaries as
measured by the sediment quality index is fair to good.
Ninety-two percent of estuaries are rated good, and
only 8% are rated poor (Figure 4-11). The sediment
quality index is calculated using three indicators:
sediment toxicity sediment contaminants, and
sediment TOC.
  Sediment Quality - Southeast (2000)
Site Criteria: Number and
condition of component indicators

• Good =  None are poor and sediment
         contaminants is good
OFair

• Poor =  I or more are poor
None are poor and sediment
contaminants is fair
Figure 4-11. Sediment quality index data for Southeast Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                        Sediment Toxicity
                                                           The sediment toxicity indicator in Southeast Coast
                                                        estuaries is rated good. Figure 4-12 shows that 86% of
                                                        the sediment area of these estuaries supported survival
                                                        of the marine test organism Ampelisca abdita. Fourteen
                                                        percent of the estuaries' toxicity potential was unknown
                                                        because of missing data or a control failure of the
                                                        standard toxicity test. Toxicity testing is a valuable
                                                        tool in assessing the condition of sediments.  Sediments
                                                        received a poor rating if fewer than 80% of the organ-
                                                        isms used in the sediment toxicity evaluation survived.
                                                             Sediment Toxicity - Southeast (2000)
                                                               Site Criteria: Amphipod survival rate

                                                               • Good = >
                                                               • Poor = <
                                                               O Undetermined
                                                                                                   Undetermined
                                                                                                       14%
                                                                                                           Poor

                                                           Figure 4-12. Sediment toxicity data for Southeast Coast
                                                           estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                           A banded butterfly fish is a
                                                           common inhabitant of Atlantic
                                                           coral reefs (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                         National Coastal Condition Report II  1

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Sediment Contaminants
        The condition of Southeast Coast estuaries as
     measured by sediment contamination is good. For
     sediment chemical contamination, a poor rating was
     assigned  if concentrations were above ERM values for
     one or more contaminants, and a fair rating was
     assigned  if concentrations were above ERL values for
     five or more contaminants. None of the area of
     Southeast Coast estuarine sediments was rated poor
     (Figure 4-13). Sediments were analyzed for  as many
     as 28 different chemicals, metals, or chemical classes,
     and these values were compared with established
     ERM and ERL values (Long and Morgan, 1990;
     Longetal.,  1995).
       Sediment Contaminants - Southeast (2000)
        Site Criteria: ERL and ERM criteria
        exceedance

        • Good = Less than 5 ERLs exceeded,
                no ERMs exceeded
        OFair

        • Poor = Exceeds I or more ERM criteria
Exceeds 5 or more ERL criteria,
no ERMs exceeded
     Figure 4-13. Sediment contaminants data for Southeast Coast
     estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                Sediment Contaminant Criteria (Long et al., 1995)

                                                ERM (Effects Range Median)—Determined for each
                                                chemical as the 50th percentile  (median) in a database
                                                of ascending concentrations associated with adverse
                                                biological effects.
                                                ERL (Effects Range Low)—Determined values  for
                                                each chemical as the I Oth percentile in a database of
                                                ascending concentrations associated with adverse
                                                biological effects.
                                               Sediment Total Organic Carbon
                                                 The condition of Southeast Coast estuaries as
                                               measured by sediment TOC is good. Figure 4-14 shows
                                               that 65% of estuaries  in the Southeast Coast region are
                                               rated good for TOC,  and only 7% are rated poor.
                                                 Total Organic Carbon - Southeast (2000)
                                                               Figure 4-14. Sediment TOC data for Southeast Coast estuaries
                                                               (U.S. EPA/NCA).
118  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                       Chapter 4  Southeast Coastal Condition
                                                      Sampling Array
                                                      1999-2000
South  Carolina Estuarine and  Coastal Assessment  Program  (SCECAP)

   In 1999, the SCDNR and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
Control (SCDHEC) initiated a collaborative coastal monitoring program, the South Carolina
Estuarine and Coastal Assessment Program (SCECAP). This program involved several federal
partners, including EPA, NOAA's National Ocean Service, and the FWS. The goal of SCECAP is
to monitor the condition of South Carolina's estuarine habitats and associated biological resources
and to provide overview reports to both coastal
managers and the public. The program collects
multiple water and sediment quality measures
and annually monitors the biological condition
at approximately 60 probabilistically selected
sites  throughout the state's coastal zone. These
measures are integrated into an overall assess-
ment of habitat condition at each estuarine site
and collectively for the state's entire coastal
zone. The program also expands the focus of
historical monitoring activities beyond open
water habitats (e.g., bays, sounds, tidal rivers)
to include tidal creeks, which serve as important
nursery habitat for many valuable species. As
many of these tidal creeks are the first point of
entry for nonpoint source runoff from upland
areas, they can provide early indications of stress
related to coastal development, agriculture, and
industrial activities.
                                                                             Station Type
                                                                            O Open Water
                                                                            O Tidal Creek
                                               Distribution of open water and tidal creek stations
   The SCECAP Summary Report provides       sampled throughout South Carolina's coastal zone
major findings from the first two years of the      during 1999-2000 (SCDNER, 2002).
program. The more detailed SCECAP Technical Report provides additional data on the moni-
                          toring program that may be useful to coastal resource managers and
                          to those scientists conducting research in South Carolina's estuaries.
                          Study results highlight the value of evaluating tidal creek habitats
                          separately from larger open waterbodies. Significant differences were
                          observed for many of the measurements collected in each habitat.
                          Additionally, the study includes newly developed methods for
                          measuring habitat condition that have not been used previously.

                             Additional information on the SCECAP is available at
                          http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/marine/scecap/.
  •

                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report II  119

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                            ghlight
                Comparing and  Predicting PAH Concentrations  in Urban and
                non-Urban Sediments

                  Unmanaged human activity can threaten the environmental health and economic vitality of
                coastal estuaries. In response to these concerns, as well as to identify the need for spatial models
                and improved analytical techniques to support sustainable coastal development, a long-term study
                was initiated to define, measure, and model the impacts of urbanization on high-salinity coastal
                estuaries of the southeastern United States. The Urbanization and Southeastern Estuarine Systems
                (USES) Project was begun by the University of South Carolina and the NOAA Center for Coastal
                Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research. The complexity of estuarine problems
                currently associated with coastal population growth and commercial development have led many
                research and management agencies to explore new spatial analytical techniques. These new analyt-
                ical techniques can provide valid and timely information to assist with productive coastal zone
                management. This continuing advancement of new technologies enables scientists to design
                predictive models of how ecosystems and their components respond to natural and man-made
                pressures. New models and techniques are being developed that incorporate land-use patterns
                and practices, integrated toxicological and risk assessment modeling, and geographic information
                processing (GIF) approaches for applied coastal zone management.
                  Runoff of PAHs discharged from gas combustion engines in automobiles and boats are a major
                contaminant source in coastal urban watersheds. PAHs were measured in sediments of Murrells
                Inlet, South Carolina, and found to have distinct patterns showing that the highest PAH concen-
                trations occurred at estuarine sites adjoining urban residential developments, roadways, and
                marinas. PAH concentrations at estuarine sites in the middle and outer portions of Murrells Inlet
                distinctly decreased as distance from land-based PAH sources increased. In contrast, at pristine
                North Inlet,  South Carolina, there were no spatial differences in PAH sediment concentrations
                related to distance from land sources.
                                  o
                                 u
ouu
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
n
North Inlet





n=IO n=ll
1 1
1 1 	 1 1 	






n=6











n=!6 Murrells Inlet



















n=IO










n=4
1 1
                                          Inner
                                                  Mid
                                                        Outer    Inner
                                                           Location
                                                                       Mid
                                                                              Outer
                                    Comparison of PAH sediment concentrations at an urbanized
                                    site (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina) and a pristine site (North
                                    Inlet-Winyah  Bay, South Carolina) (Fortner et al., 1996).
120  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                            Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
   Analysis of land use in Murrells Inlet revealed that there were several metrics, such as distance
to roadways, distance to marinas, and distance to urban development, that helped develop multi-
variate land use models to accurately predict sediment PAH contaminant levels. These findings
clearly indicate that high levels of PAHs in sediment are related to land-based pollution sources,
and predictions of PAH sediment concentrations within estuarine systems can be accurately based
upon simple land use metrics.

   For additional information, visit http://www.chbr.noaa.gov/marineecotoxicology.html.
                        Measured and Predicted
                   Log Sum ERL in Murrells Inlet, SC


                                                                    Legend
                                                                  Predicted Log Sum ERL
                                                                  Measured Log Sum ERL
                                                                  Upland
                                                                  Reservoir
                                                                  Estuarine Water
                                                                  Ocean
                                                                  Wetland
                Source: Fortner et al., 1996
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  121

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
            Benthic Index
        The condition of Southeast Coast estuaries as
     measured by the benthic index is fair. Van Dolah et al.
     (1999) developed a benthic index based on several
     measures of benthic community condition. This index
     considers the total number of species and integrated
     measures of species dominance, species abundance, and
     abundance of pollution-sensitive taxa. The index shows
     that 11 % of the Southeast Coast estuarine area is rated
     poor (has degraded benthic resources),  10% is in fair
     condition, and 79% is in good condition (Figure 4-15).
     Areas rated poor included portions of North Carolina's
     Neuse and Pamlico rivers and Georgia's Savannah River.
     Of the 11% of estuaries with degraded benthic condi-
     tion, most (93%) were associated with  some measure
     of adverse water or sediment quality (Figure 4-16).
     Poor benthic condition co-occurred most often with
     degraded sediment quality (73% of sites with poor
     benthic condition).
Tybee Roads, Savannah River Entrance, Georgia (Marge Beaver;
Photography Plus).
       Benthic Index - Southeast (2000)
        Site Criteria: Benthic index score

        • Good = > 2.5
        OFair  = 2.0-2.5
        • Poor = < 2.0
                              .JP*
     Figure 4-15. Benthic index data for Southeast Coast estuaries
     (U.S. EPA/NCA).
  PoorWater/Sediment Quality Indicators that
  Co-Occur with Low Benthic Diversity -
  Southeast (2000)
   _L
           \
   OSediment Quality
   OWater Quality
   • Sediment and Water Quality
   ONone
                                                                                            Sediment
                                                                                              and
                                                                                             Water
                                                                                             Quality
                                                                                              46%
                                                                                                       Water Quality
                                                                                                           20%
                                            Sediment
                                            Quality
                                              27%
                       .JP*
Figure 4-16. Indicators of poor water and sediment quality that
co-occur with poor benthic condition in Southeast Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
122  National Coastal Condition Report I

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             Coastal Habitat Index
        The coastal habitat index for estuaries in the
      Southeast Coast region is rated fair. Wetlands in the
      region diminished from 1,107,370 acres in  1990 to
      1,105,170 acres in 2000, representing a loss of 2,200
      acres or 0.2% (Figure 4-17). The coastal habitat index
      score was calculated by averaging the mean long-term,
      decadal wetland loss rate for 1780-1990 with the loss
      rate for 1990-2000 and multiplying by 100 (for a score
      of 1.06).
         0.6
       o
       «  0.4
         0.2
         0.0
                                     0.53
                0.17
                              0.21
                       0.14
                                            0.04
                U.S.  Northeast  Gulf of  West   Alaska  Southeast
                              Mexico
      Figure 4-17. Wetland loss data. (Dahl, 2003)
                                                                                      Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
   The condition of Southeast Coast estuaries based on
concentrations of contaminants in fish tissues is rated
good. Figure 4-18 shows that 5% of all sites sampled
where fish were caught (6 of 119 sites) exceeded risk-
based criteria guidelines using whole-fish contaminant
concentrations. (Whole-fish contaminant concentra-
tions can be higher or lower than the concentrations
associated with fillets.  Only those contaminants that
have an affinity for muscle tissue, e.g., mercury, are
likely to have higher fillet concentrations. Fillet contam-
inant concentrations for most other contaminants will
be lower.) The only contaminants that had elevated
concentrations in fish  tissues in Southeast Coast
estuaries were total PAHs and total PCBs.
                                                                  Tissue Contaminants - Southeast (2000)
   Site Criteria: EPA Guidance concentration

   • Good = Below Guidance range
   OFair  = Falls within Guidance range
   • Poor = Exceeds Guidance range
                                                                Figure 4-18. Fish tissue contaminants data for Southeast Coast
                                                                estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
A diver explores a WWII wreck off North Carolina which is now home
to schools of juvenile fish and other organisms (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                             National Coastal Condition Report II  123

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                             ghlight
                Using  Ferries to  Monitor  Estuarine
                Water Quality

                  The Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System
                (APES) is the second largest estuary in the nation.
                It supports more than 75% of the commercial fisheries in the Southeast and is North Carolina's
                most important recreational, tourism, and fisheries resource. However, despite its enormous
                ecological and socioeconomic importance, the majority of the APES is not routinely monitored
                for water quality.
                  This estuarine system's resources are threatened by increased pollution from urban and
                agricultural development in its watersheds. To address the urgent need for rapid, cost-effective,
                management-oriented water quality assessment, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
                (UNC) and Duke University have partnered with the North Carolina Department of
                Environment and Natural Resources and the
                Department of Transportation to monitor the
                estuary's ecological health. The partnership,
                called FerryMon, outfitted three ferries that
                cross the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound and its
                tributaries as cost-free "ships of opportunity"
                with equipment to monitor the estuary's ecolog-
                ical indicators 18 hours a day, 365 days a year.
                These ferries collect real-time water quality data,
                including data related to temperature, salinity,
                dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, and chlorophyll.
                They also collect water samples for nutrient and
                diagnostic photopigment analyses. Data are
                transmitted via cell phone  to laboratories, water
                quality management agencies, schools, environ-
                mental and outreach groups, and commercial
                and recreational fishing communities.
                  FerryMon is administered by the Carolina
                Environmental Program. Principal  investigators
                are Hans W Paerl, Kenan Professor of Marine
                and Environmental Sciences at UNC's Institute of
                Marine Sciences in Morehead City, North Carolina, and Joseph S. Ramus, professor at the
                Duke University Nicholas  School of the Environment and Earth Sciences Marine Laboratory
                in Beaufort, North Carolina.
                  Additional information on this program is available at http://www.ferrymon.org.
Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) (map
courtesy of FerryMon, 2003)
124  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 4  Southeast Coastal Condition
Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries
   The Atlantic coast of the United States bordering
on the Southeast Shelf LME includes diverse habitats
ranging in salinity, flora, and fauna. It includes fresh-
water and estuarine habitats, nearshore and barrier
islands, and oceanic communities. Watersheds that
drain the lower Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont,
and Coastal Plains empty into the ecosystem along the
coastlines of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
and eastern  Florida. The flow of fresh water mixes along
the coast with prevailing oceanic waters to create diverse
wetlands, marsh, and mangrove habitats that transition
gradually from freshwater to brackish to saltwater areas.
From an ecosystem perspective, this thin fringe of
estuaries is dynamic, varying constantly with tidal
fluctuations and levels of runoff, and it serves as an
important habitat for waterfowl, reptiles, mammals,
fish, and invertebrates, as well as a diversity of plants.
It  also serves as a natural filter to remove pollutants and
sediments from upland regions. The estuaries in this
area support diverse aquatic organisms and  complex
food webs in an irreplaceable nursery system. This
system promotes the recruitment and development of
juvenile fish and invertebrate species that are important
to recreational, commercial, and ecological interests.

Reef Fish Resources
   In the Southeast Shelf LME, the fishery for reef
fishes has historically been conducted within waters
that are less  than 600 feet deep, or within the area that
approximates the outer edge of the continental slope.
Reef fishes are generally found on reef or reef-like, hard-
bottom habitats. Dominant reef fish species include red,
yellowtail, vermilion, and mutton snappers; red and gag
groupers; black sea bass; and greater amberjack. Reef
fish fisheries are extremely diverse, have many users
(commercial and recreational), and vary greatly by
location and species.
   Combined commercial  and recreational landings of
the reef fishes from the Southeast Shelf LME area have
fluctuated since 1976, showing a slightly decreasing
trend over time (Figure 4-19). Meanwhile, fishing
pressure has increased  significantly. NOAA's FMP
prohibits the use of fish traps  (except pots for black sea
bass) and trawl gear. Other regulations pertaining to the
management of reef fishes  include minimum size limits,
permitting systems for commercial fishermen, bag
limits, quotas, seasonal closures, Special Management
Zones, and the establishment of Marine Protected Areas
prohibiting the harvest of any species.
   Of the dominant reef fishes within the ecosystem of
the Southeast Shelf, the red, yellowtail, and vermilion
snappers, the red and gag groupers, and the black sea
bass stocks are currently overfished. The mutton
snapper and greater amberjack stocks are not considered
to be overfished. The regulatory measures and stock
rebuilding plans under way are designed to reduce
fishing mortality, to prevent over fishing, and to
continue or begin rebuilding of these stocks.
  1 Total Landings (x 1,000 mt)
  • Recreational Landings (x 1,000 mt)
 16
.14-
 12-
 ID-
 S'
1 6
 4-
 2-
                             1 Commercial Landings (x 1,000 mt)
                             ' Gag Grouper Abundance Index
                              (relative value of fish per
                              standardized trawl)

                                                 0.8
                                                 0.6  jj
                                                 0.4 |
                                                 O.' J
    1978
             1983
                       1988
                         Year
                                 1993
                                           1998
Figure 4-19. U.S.Atlantic coast reef fish landings, 1978-2000, in
metric tons (mt).The abundance index is a relative value showing
fish per standardize haul (NMFS, 2003).
The black sea bass (Centrophstis striata), also known as the blackfish,
has short, blue-black fins with white areas on the head.The last
dorsal spines may have a dark spot at the base. It is the most
common predator at Gray's Reef, South Carolina (Karen Roeder).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  125

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Sciaenids Fisheries
        Fishes of the family Sciaenidae include 22 species
     in the Southeast Shelf LME. Some of the more notable
     members of this family of fishes include red drum
     (Sciaenops ocellatus), black drum (Pogonias cromis),
     Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), weakfish
     (Cynoscion regalis), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion
     nebulosus), kingfish (Menticirrhus spp.), and spot
     (Leiostomus xanthurus).  Sciaenids have constituted an
     important  fishery resource along the Atlantic coast since
     the late 1800s. Currently, these fish species support
     substantial harvests for both commercial and recreational
     fisheries and  are captured in almost every type of gear
     used to fish the coastal waters of the Atlantic.
        Of those sciaenid species for which an FMP has
     been developed, red drum are currently classified
     as overfished in some states; weakfish have high levels
     of abundance; and information needed to adequately
     determine  stock status of the remaining species is
     lacking. Regulations for sciaenid fishes in the Atlantic
     range from no  restrictions in some states to complicated
     restrictions based on fish size and bag limits in
     other states. The populations of several species of
     sciaenids, most notably Atlantic croaker and spotted
     seatrout, appear to be closely linked to environmental
     conditions, which result in large annual fluctuations
     in population levels.
Menhaden  Fishery
   Landings and participation (23 factories and
more than 100 vessels on the Atlantic coast) in the
menhaden fishery increased rapidly after World War II
(Figure 4-20), reaching peak harvests between 1953 and
1962 (record landings of 712,100 mt in 1956). Sharp
declines in landings thereafter resulted in plant closings
and vessel reductions. The stock rebuilt  during the
1970s and 1980s, and menhaden landings climbed to
418,600 mt in 1983- In 1990, 5 reduction plants oper-
ated with about 37 vessels.  During the late 1980s and
1990s, the fishery consolidated, primarily because of
low product prices. In 2003, only two plants remained
on the Atlantic coast (Reedville, Virginia,  and Beaufort,
North Carolina),  with a total of 12 steamers. The
Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay is currently the
center of the modern menhaden fishery. Landings since
1998 have ranged between 167,200 and 245,900 mt
(landings in 2002 were 174,000 mt).
  800
                   CZI Atlantic Landings (x 1,000 mt)
Pond stocking of red drum fingerlings for Florida stock-enhancement
programs. Netting covering the ponds prevents bird predation on stock.
Port Manatee, Florida (Eileen McVey, NOAA Central Library).
                                                                  1950 1955 I960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985  1990 1995 2000
                                                                                        Year
                                                               Figure 4-20. Landings and spawning biomass of Atlantic
                                                               menhaden, 1950-2000, in metric tons (mt)  (NMFS, 2003).
   Declining fishing effort (hence fishing mortality) in
recent years has likely reduced the rate at which older
menhaden are removed from the population, allowing
time for fortuitous recruitment.  Relatively low survival
to the age of 1 year has been a major concern for the
Atlantic menhaden stock. The last dominant year-class
occurred in 1988, and subsequent year-classes have
generally been poor to mediocre. Recruitment appears
to be hindered largely by environmental conditions
(centered in the Chesapeake Bay area)  rather than by
a lack of spawning stock. If recruitment continues to
decline, erosion of the spawning stock may follow.
126  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
Mackerel  Fisheries
   Total catch of Southeast Shelf LME king mackerel
averaged 3,345 mt per fishing year from 1981 to 2001,
with a maximum of 4,365 mt (1985) and a minimum
of 2,570 mt (1999). In 2001, the total catch was
2,748 mt. On average, the landings are larger for the
recreational sector (66%) than for the commercial
sector (34%). Landings of king mackerel have been
below the total allowable catch limitations since 1986.
According to the 1998 and 2003  stock assessments,
this stock is not overfished, nor is overfishing occurring,
although it is near its estimated long-term potential
yield. Currently, there are restrictions for the commer-
cial sector, including annual total  allocated catch restric-
tions, minimum size restrictions, gear restrictions, and
catch trip limits. For the recreational sector, restrictions
include bag limits, minimum size limits, and annual
quota allocation. Current issues affecting the Atlantic
king mackerel stock concern the bycatch of juveniles in
the shrimp trawl fishery and the allocation of landings
within the mixing zone between Atlantic and Gulf stocks.
   The total catch of Southeast Shelf LME Spanish
mackerel averaged 2,307 mt per fishing year from 1984
to 2001, with a maximum of 3,188 mt (1991) and a
minimum of 1,406 mt (1995).  In 2001, the total catch
was 2,305 mt; in contrast to landings for king mackerel,
most of the landings for Spanish mackerel are from the
commercial sector (69%). For the Southeast Shelf LME
Spanish mackerel, landings have also been below the
total allowable catch limitations, at least since 1991.
The 1998 and 2003 stock assessments concluded that
the Atlantic Spanish mackerel stock was not overfished
and that overfishing was not occurring, although
current estimates indicate that the stock is exploited at
its near-optimum long-term yield. At present, manage-
ment restrictions for the commercial fishery of South-
east Shelf LME Spanish mackerel include minimum size
restrictions, gear restrictions, trip limits,  and quota
allocation. For the recreational fishery, there are mini-
mum size restrictions, bag limits,  and charter-vessel
permit requirements. Current issues affecting this stock
include bycatch from the shrimp trawl fishery and  the
allocation of landings within the mixing zone between
Atlantic and Gulf stocks.
      Catch statistics indicate that commercial shrimp species are
      being harvested at maximum levels.This photo shows three
      commercial shrimp boats (Ralph F. Kresge).
Shrimp Fisheries
   The trend in commercial landings of the major
shrimp species over the last 40 years has remained
stable, while fishing pressure has increased. The shrimp
stocks in the Southeast Shelf LME appear to be more
affected by environmental conditions than by fishing
pressure. Both pink and white shrimp populations are
affected by cold weather. The young of these species
overwinter in estuaries and can potentially "freeze out"
if water temperatures drop to lethal levels. The lower
temperatures do not affect brown and rock shrimp
because juveniles are not found in the estuaries during
cold seasons. Annual variations in white and pink
shrimp populations due to fluctuating environmental
conditions are a natural phenomenon that will likely
continue to occur despite management activities.
However, the recovery of the affected stocks can be
mediated by management practices.
   The current shrimp management plan uses the
mean total shrimp landings as a reasonable proxy for
maximum sustainable yield. The harvest of shrimp in
the Southeast Shelf LME has  fluctuated around stable
levels for several years. This trend in landings has
been maintained even though an increase in vessels
has been observed; therefore, it seems these stock
are fully exploited.
   The latest NMFS catch statistics indicate that
commercial shrimp species are being harvested at
maximum levels. An increase  in effort would most likely
not lead to an increase in catch. Although the take of
shrimp may affect future stocks in years experiencing
harsh environmental conditions, the greatest threat to
shrimp populations is  the loss or destruction of habitat.
Pollution or physical alteration of the salt marsh and
inshore  seagrass habitats results in changes to habitats
that are critical nursery areas for juvenile shrimp.
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  127

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                            ghlight
                Georgia Department  of Natural Resources' Red Drum Project

                  Conventional tagging and telemetry studies have demonstrated that the Altamaha River
                delta provides an important habitat for all life stages of red drum. These studies have shown
                that adult red drum exhibit spawning site fidelity. After spawning, adult red drum aggregate
                at shoal and sandbar areas near the mouths of estuaries, where they are targeted by anglers in
                a growing catch-and-release fishery. Adult red drum remain in these areas until mid-November,
                when they move out into the open Atlantic Ocean, returning to the estuaries  and nearshore
                waters the following spring.
                  Through a 2-year age-determination study (1989 to 1991), approximately 300 red drum were
                captured from the Altamaha River delta with hook-and-line and entanglement gear and then
                sacrificed for otolith (ear bone) removal and collection of biological data. Evaluation of otoliths
                revealed that the portion of the adult red drum spawning biomass that frequented the Altamaha
                River delta was comprised of individuals ranging from age 5 to 40. Young adults (ages 5 to 10)
                made up a much smaller portion of the sample than expected. As a result, researchers concluded
                that unregulated harvest of juveniles and sub-adults during the 1970s and 1980s had decreased
                survival to adulthood.
                  In the autumn of 2002, the Coastal
                Resources Division repeated this study,
                collecting adult red drum from four
                stations located in the Altamaha River
                delta using both conventional angling
                and multi-hook gear with circle hooks
                as terminal tackle. The goal of this
                repeat study was to determine and
                compare the current and historical age
                structures of the red drum with the
                previous 2-year study of 1989- If
                management guidelines implemented
                over the past decade have been
                successful, then young adult red drum
                should represent a larger portion of the
                spawning population.
                                                      Georgia, Red Drum sampling sites (map courtesy of Georgia
                                                      Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Division, 2002).
128  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                         Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
   In addition, 10 randomly selected individuals (>750 mm fork length) were taken from each
of the 4 sampling stations for tissue chemistry analysis. Comparison of the tissue concentrations
with sediment chemistry data collected from random sites in 2000 and 2001 in the Altamaha
estuarine system will provide unique insight about bioaccumulation of water and sediment-
borne substances.
   For more information about the Red Drum Project, contact Phillip Flournoy at
phillip_flournoy@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us.


         Photo courtesy of Georgia's Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Division, 2002.
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report II  129

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     Chapter 4  Southeast Coastal Condition
     Assessment and Advisory Data

     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
        The states on the Southeast Coast assessed 8,234
     (93%) of their 8,813 estuarine square miles for their
     2000 305(b) reports. Of the assessed estuarine square
     miles on the Southeast Coast, 81.5% fully support their
     designated uses, 1.5% are threatened for one or more
     uses, and the remaining 17% are impaired by some
     form of pollution or habitat degradation (Figure 4-21).
     Individual  use support for assessed estuaries is shown in
     Figure 4-22. The states on the Southeast Coast did not
     assess any of their 9,070 shoreline miles. Although
     Florida reports water quality information for coastal
     waters for Section 305 (b) compliance, it is not possible
     from that report to distinguish between Atlantic and
     Gulf Coast listings; therefore,  305 (b) assessment informa-
     tion for Florida is included in its entirety in this section.
        Table 4-1 shows individual use support reported by
     states for their assessed estuaries  and shoreline waters.
                                                    Impaired
                                                      17%
     Figure 4-2 I. Water quality in assessed estuaries of the
     Southeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2002).
Wind surfer takes advantage of the coastal wind and waves for an
exciting ride (Paul Goetz).
                                                                       Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
                                                                        Support  Consumption          Contact-    Contact
                                                                                                  Swimming
                                                                                       Designated Use
Figure 4-22. Individual use support for assessed estuaries of the
Southeast Coast (U.S. EPA, 2002).
                                                               Table 4-1. Individual Use Support for Assessed Coastal
                                                               Waters Reported by the Southeast Coast States under
                                                               Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act for 2000 (U.S. EPA,
                                                               2002).
                                                                                         Estuaries    Percentage of Total
                                                                                       Assessed as   Area Assessed for
  Portuguese Man-O-War frequently washup Florida's east coast during
  the spring to threaten beach goers and swimmers alike with their
  potent and sometimes lethal stinging tentacles (Pat Cunningham).
Individual Uses
Aquatic life support
Fish consumption
Shellfishing
Primary contact —
swimming
Secondary contact
Impaired (mi )
683
279
534
623
606
Individual Use
27%
76%
20%
25%
27%
130  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 4  Southeast Coastal Condition
Fish Consumption Advisories

   Ten fish consumption advisories were active in the
coastal waters of the Southeast Coast region in 2002
(Figure 4-23)- All four coastal states—North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida—had statewide
advisories covering all coastal waters and estuaries to
warn citizens against consuming large quantities of king
mackerel because of potential mercury contamination.
Florida and South Carolina also have statewide
advisories for other species of fish. Because of these
statewide advisories, 100% of the total coastline miles
of the Southeast Coast region were under advisory.
Most (90%) fish consumption advisories for the
Southeast Coast were issued at least in part because of
mercury contamination  (Figure 4-24), with separate
advisories issued for only two other pollutants, PCBs
and dioxins. All PCB advisories were in Georgia, and
the one dioxin advisory was in North Carolina's
Albemarle-Pamlico Sound.
                                  Number of
                                  advisories per
                                  USGS cataloging
                                  unit in 2002:
Figure 4-23.The number offish consumption advisories per
USGS cataloging unit in Southeast Coast waters (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
 o
 U
    Mercury
      PCBs
     Dioxin
                   20       40       60      80
                 Percent of Total Number of Advisories
                      Listing Each Contaminant
                                                   100
Figure 4-24. Pollutants responsible for fish consumption
advisories in Southeast Coast waters. An advisory can be issued
for more than one contaminant, so percentages may not add up
to 100 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
 These species were under advisory in 2002 for at
 least some part of the Southeast Coast:

 Almaco jack
 Atlantic croaker
 Black drum
 Blackfin tuna
 Blue crab
 Bluefish
 Carp
 Catfish
 Clams
 Cobia
 Crevalle jack
 Flounder
Greater amberjack
King mackerel
Ladyfish
Little tunny
Mussels
Oysters
Red drum
Shark
Silver perch
Snowy  grouper
Spotted seatrout
                                                                A blue crab fishing boat loaded with pots and ready
                                                                to go to work. Mann's Harbor; North Carolina
                                                                (William B. Folsom, NMFS).
                                                                                         National Coastal Condition Report II  131

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Beach Advisories and Closures

        Of the 151 coastal beaches in the Southeast Coast
     that reported information to EPA, only 15-6% (25
     beaches) were closed or under an advisory for any
     period of time in 2002. Table 4-2 presents the numbers
     of beaches, advisories, and closures for each state. Only
     South Carolina and Florida's east coast  had beaches with
     advisories or closures. Figure 4-25 presents advisory and
     closure percentages for each county within each state.
                             Most beach advisories and closures were imple-
                           mented at beaches along the Southeast Coast because
                           of elevated bacteria levels (Figure 4-26).  There were
                           multiple sources of water-borne bacteria that resulted
                           in advisories or closures. Stormwater runoff was most
                           frequently identified as a source (71%), and unknown
                           sources accounted for 9% of the responses (Figure 4-27).
Table 4-2. Number of Beaches and Advisories/Closures in 2002 for
Southeast Coast States (U.S. EPA, 2003a)
State
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida (East Coast)
TOTALS
No. of
Beaches
20
26
4
101
160
No. of
Advisories/
Closures
0
12
0
13
25
Percentage of
Beaches Affected
by Advisories/
Closures
0.0%
46.2%
0.0%
12.9%
15.6%
Percentage of beaches
reporting with at least
one advisory or closure
per county in 2002:
                                                                        Preemptive
                                                                         Closure
                                                                         (Rainfall)
                                                                           24%
                                                                                                  Elevated
                                                                                                  Bacteria
                                                                                                   Levels
                                                                                                   76%
                                                                Figure 4-26. Reasons for Southeast Coast beach advisories or
                                                                closures (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
     Figure 4-25. Percentage of Southeast Coast beaches with advi-
     sories or closures by county in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                              CSO
                                                                             Other 5%
                                                                      Unknown 9%
                                                                     Wildlife 4%
nF
                                                                       |2002|
                                                      SSO 1%
                                                       POTW 1%
                                                       Septic System I %
                                                        Sewer Line Problem 5%
                                                          Boats 2%
                                                          Stormwater
                                                            Runoff
                                                             71%
                                                                Figure 4-27. Sources of Southeast Coast beach contamination
                                                                (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
132  National Coastal Condition Report II

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                                                                    Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
                                                             GEORGIA
Georgia Beach  Monitoring Program
   The primary goal of the Georgia Beach Monitoring
Program is swimmer safety. The Georgia Department
of Natural Resources (DNR), Coastal Resources Division
(CRD), is developing an interagency team to address issues
that influence swimmer safety The team consists of the
CRD; the State Department of Human Resources, Division of
Public Health (DPH); and the DNR Environmental Protection
Division (EPD). The team has three primary responsibilities: (1) to monitor regular bacterial
water quality; (2) to notify the public of swimmer health risks; and (3) to investigate sources of
pollution.
   CRD used the analogy of a three-legged stool to explain the team's approach. Swimmer safety is
the seat of the stool, and the stool is supported by three legs. All three legs are required to keep the
stool upright, but no single agency in Georgia has the jurisdiction to provide the information
needed for all three legs. The CRD is the leg that monitors bacterial concentration in water.
When bacterial concentrations are high, CRD notifies  the DPH. The DPH is the leg that issues a
                                        public health advisory. The third leg, the EPD, inves-
                                        tigates the source of the bacterial contamination.
                                          The stool requires a stable platform for
                                        support and stability. That platform consists
                                        of local governments, beach management agencies,
                                        news agencies, and the general public. The CRD
                                        has worked to educate the groups that form this
                                        platform to provide the necessary support for the
                                        Georgia Beach Monitoring Program in order to
                                        increase the groups' awareness of swimmer safety
                                        issues and to explain how their support can help
                                        improve swimmer safety.
   For more information, contact Elizabeth Cheney at elizabeth_cheney@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us.

                                                                           National Coastal Condition Report II  133

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     Chapter 4   Southeast Coastal Condition
     Summary
   The overall condition of Southeast Coast estuaries is fair to good.
Monitoring by coastal states in 2000 showed that less than 5% of the
area of Southeast Coast estuaries and coastal areas is in poor condition,
based on bottom dissolved oxygen concentrations, sediment toxicity,
and sediment chemical contamination. Indices of concern include
the benthic index (11% rated poor), water quality index (50% rated
as fair or poor), and coastal habitat index (1.06 rated as fair). Although
only 3% and 12% of Southeast Coast resources were in poor condition
for chlorophyll a and phosphorus concentrations, respectively, large
percentages (80% and 24%) of resources were in fair condition for
these two indicators.
   Results indicate that most of the  estuarine area of the southeastern
United States is in fair to good ecological condition. Neither environ-
mental stressors  (e.g., dissolved oxygen, contaminants) nor conditions
for aquatic life showed signs of serious ecological impairment during the
monitoring period. However, increasing population growth in this region
of the United States could contribute to increased susceptibility for water
quality degradation. Although the overall condition of Southeast Coast
estuaries is  rated fair to good for 2000, a vigilant attitude should be
promoted and environmental education continued to protect and
preserve this resource.
     Lighthouse and palmetto trees (Richard B.
     Mieremet, Senior Advisor; NOAA OSDIA).
134  National Coastal Condition Report I

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 • t
•  Chapter 5
Gulf of Mexico
Coastal Condition


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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Gulf of Mexico  Coastal  Condition
       The overall condition of Gulf Coast estuaries is fair
     (Figure 5-1)- Thirty-five percent of the estuarine area
     shows indications of impaired aquatic life use, and 14%
     shows indications of impaired human use (Figure 5-2).
     Twenty percent of the assessed estuaries are in good
     ecological condition. In these areas of good condition,
     data were collected during the most stressful period of
     the year, and neither environmental stressors (e.g.,
     nutrients, contaminants) nor aquatic life communities
     showed any evidence of degradation. Thirty-nine
     percent of estuarine area along the Gulf of Mexico was
     assessed as threatened (in fair condition). The five Gulf
     states—Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and
     Texas—collected environmental stressor and response
     data from 191 locations from  Florida Bay, Florida, to
     Laguna Madre, Texas,  in 2000 (Figure 5-3).
          Gulf
         Overall  V  7
        Score (2.4) V
       Good  Fair   Poor
          Water Quality Index (3)
          Sediment Quality Index (3)
          Benthic Index (2)
          Coastal Habitat Index (I)
          Fish Tissue Index (3)
Figure 5-1. The overall
condition of Gulf Coast
estuaries is fain
              Threatened
                 39%
          Impaired Human and
            Aquatic Life Use
                                 Unimpaired
                                    20%
                                     Impaired Aquatic
                                        Life Use
                                          27%
     Figure 5-2. Gulf Coast estuarine condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
   Gulf Coast estuaries provide critical feeding,
spawning, and nursery habitats for a rich assemblage of
fish, wildlife, and plant species. Gulf Coast wetlands
provide essential habitat for shorebirds, colonial nesting
birds, and migratory waterfowl. The Gulf Coast is also
home to an incredible array of indigenous flora and
fauna, including endangered species  such as sea turtles,
the Gulf sturgeon, the Perdido Key beach mouse, the
manatee, the white-topped pitcher plant, and the
red-cockaded woodpecker. Gulf Coast estuaries support
SAV communities that stabilize shorelines from erosion,
reduce nonpoint source loadings, improve water clarity,
and provide wildlife habitat.
   Gulf Coast estuaries are among the most productive
natural systems, producing more food per acre than the
most productive midwestern farmland. The Gulf Coast
region is second only to Alaska for domestic landings
of commercial fish and shellfish, with 816,466 mt in
2000, worth more than $900 million (NMFS, personal
communication). Shrimp landings in the Gulf of
Mexico accounted for 80% of the total U.S. shrimp
landings in 2000 (127,006 mt).

                            Shrimp boats viewed over old, barnacle-encrusted pilings at Conn
                            Brown Harbor; Aransas Pass,Texas (Mr William B. Folsom, NOAA,
                            NMFS).
136  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                           Chapter 5  Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
                                                                              The part of Cayo del Oso Creek that
                                                                              empties into Corpus Christi Bay, Corpus
                                                                              Christi Bay Texas (Mr William B. Folsom,
                                                                              NOAA, NMFS).

Figure 5-3. Gulf Coast sampling stations for the 2000 NCA Program surveys (U.S. EPA/NCA).
   The population of coastal counties in the Gulf Coast
region increased more than 100% between I960  and
2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003; Figure 5-4). EMAP
focused its coastal monitoring efforts on Gulf Coast
estuaries from 1991 to 1999 (Macauley et al., 1999;
U.S. EPA, 1999). The Joint Gulf States Comprehensive
Monitoring Program  (GMP, 2000) began in 2000, in
conjunction with EPA's Coastal 2000 Program. This
partnership has continued as part of the NCA Program,
with coastal monitoring being conducted by the five
Gulf states through 2004. In addition, since the late
1980s, NOAA's NS&T Program  has collected contami-
nant bioavailability and sediment toxicity data from
several Gulf Coast locations (Long et al., 1996).
2000
                                                          Figure 5-4. Population of coastal counties in Gulf Coast states
                                                          from 1960 to 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  137

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Coastal Monitoring Data
        E Water Quality Index
       A water quality index was developed for Gulf Coast
     estuaries, using information from five indicators (DIN,
     DIP, chlorophyll a, water clarity, and dissolved oxygen).
     Based on the 2000 NCA survey results, the water
     quality index is rated fair for Gulf Coast estuaries.
     In NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey (NOAA,
     1999), the Gulf of Mexico was ranked poor for
     eutrophic condition, with an estimated 38% of the
     estuarine area having a high expression of eutrophica-
     tion. The NCA survey in 2000  showed few estuaries in
     the Gulf Coast with poor water quality (9%); however,
     most Gulf Coast estuaries exhibited fair to poor  water
     quality conditions (51%) (Figure 5-5). Estuaries with
     poor water quality conditions were found in all five
     states, but the  contributing factors differed among
     states. In Texas and Louisiana, poor water clarity and
     high concentrations of DIP contributed to poor water
     quality. In Florida and Mississippi, poor water clarity
     and high chlorophyll concentrations were the major
     contributors. Only the Houston Ship Channel in Texas
     and the Back Bay of Biloxi in Mississippi had high
     concentrations of both nitrogen and phosphorus. The
     Perdido River  in Alabama showed both hypoxia and
     high chlorophyll a concentrations.
Coral reef researchers Carl Beaver and Hector Guittierez secure
a rack of tiles to the exposed reef rock (Ed Enns).
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorous
   DIN concentrations in the surface waters of Gulf
Coast estuaries are rated good, but DIP concentrations
are rated fair. High concentrations of DIN (>  0.5 mg/L)
occurred in 2% of the estuarine area (Figure 5-6).
Florida Bay sites were rated poor if DIN exceeded 0.1
mg/L or if DIP exceeded 0.01  mg/L. This modification
was made to comply with lower expectations for nutri-
ents in tropical and subtropical waters. Only three sites
had DIN concentrations above 0.5 mg/L: Houston
Ship Channel, Texas; Calcasieu River, Louisiana; and
Back Bay of Biloxi, Mississippi.
                   Water Quality Index - Gulf Coast (2000)
                    Site Criteria: Number of component
                    indicators in poor or fair condition

                    • Good = No more than I is fair
                    OFair  = I is poor or 2 or more are fair
                    • Poor = 2 or more are poor
                              Good    Fair     Poor

                 Figure 5-5. Water quality index data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
138  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                               Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
The sampling conducted in the EPA NCA Program
has been designed to estimate the percent of estuarine
area (nationally or in a region or state) in varying condi-
tions and is displayed as  pie diagrams.  Many of the figures
in this report illustrate environmental  measurements
made at specific locations (colored dots on maps);
however, these  dots (color) represent  the value of the
indicator specifically at the time of sampling. Additional
sampling may be required to define variability and to
confirm impairment or the lack of impairment at
specific locations.
                                    Elevated DIN concentrations are not expected to
                                 occur during the summer in Gulf Coast waters because
                                 freshwater input is usually lower and dissolved nutrients
                                 are used more rapidly by phytoplankton during the
                                 summer.  Elevated DIP concentrations (> 0.05 mg/L)
                                 occurred  in 11% of Gulf Coast estuaries (Figure 5-7).
                                 Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, Florida, have natu-
                                 rally high DIP concentrations because of geological
                                 formations of phosphate rock in their watersheds, but
                                 they also  have significant anthropogenic sources of DIP
                                 in their watersheds.
Potential for
M i sinterpretati on
of Conditions for
States with Smaller
Coastlines

Alabama and Mississippi
resource agencies are
concerned that the
figures presented in
the  Coastal  Monitoring
Data section of this
chapter could potentially
represent their estuaries
unfairly. Both states
have at least fifty loca-
tions that were sampled
in the NCA Program's
2000 survey; however,
because of the high
density of these sites
and the small estuarine
resources of these
states, even  one or two
sites rated poor (red
circles) give  the appear-
ance of poor condition
dominating a large
portion of the entire
coast of these states.
Although showing the
entire Gulf Coast region
in a single graphic is
consistent with the
goals of this report,
these displays do not
provide a detailed view
of all data, particularly
for Alabama, Mississippi,
and eastern  Louisiana.
  Nitrogen - Gulf Coast (2000)
   Site Criteria: DIN concentration

   • Good = < O.I mg/L
   OFair  = O.I -0.5 mg/L
   • Poor  = > 0.5 mg/L
I
              Good     Fair     Poor
Figure 5-6. DIN concentration data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).

^^^^^^^H
 Phosphorus - Gulf Coast (2000)
   Site Criteria: DIP concentration

   • Good = < 0.01 mg/L
   OFair  = 0.01 - 0.05 mg/L
   • Poor = > 0.05 mg/L
                                                 Fair
                                                          Poor
                           Figure 5-7. DIP concentration data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                                                       139

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                            ghlight
                The Gulf of  Mexico Seagrass Status and Trends
                Summary Report

                  The Gulf of Mexico Program (GMP) is a network of citizens
                dedicated to promoting the economic health of the region by
                managing and protecting the resources of the Gulf of Mexico.
                Although administered by EPA, the GMP engages many organi-
                zations across the Gulf Coast region to implement and lead
                tangible projects that are environmentally and economically
                sound. The GMP includes representatives from state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations,
                the scientific community, business and industry, and an organized citizens group. These members
                are appointed by the five Gulf state governors. The GMP focuses on three ecological issues:
                (1) public health, (2) excess nutrient enrichment, and (3) habitat degradation and loss, including
                the introduction of nonindigenous species.
                  The GMP has long  recognized seagrasses, estuaries, and coastal wetlands as vital in providing
                food and shelter for plants and animals, improving water quality, sediment filtration, and flood
                and erosion control. In 1999, the GMP's Habitat Team set a goal to restore, enhance, or protect
                20,000 acres of important coastal habitats of the Gulf by 2009- The Habitat Team, recognizing
                that seagrass beds are some of the most productive habitats in nearshore waters, set a goal to
                produce a Gulf-wide Seagrass Status and Trends (S&T) Summary Report. The purpose of the
                Summary Report is to provide current baseline information on the status of seagrasses in the
                Gulf of Mexico.
                  To produce this report, the GMP's Habitat Team formed a Seagrass Subcommittee, consisting
                of over 30 Gulf Coast seagrass scientists and environmental managers. Committee members
                provided data on seagrass maps, seagrass S&T, causes of change  in seagrass acreage, monitoring
                activities, and restoration  efforts important to their area. The USGS National Wetlands Research
                Center also provided extensive support in the production of data, maps, and editing that will
                comprise this summary. This map depicts total seagrass change from 1953 until 1992 for
                St. Andrews Bay, Florida.
                  In 1992, the total seagrass coverage in waters of the Gulf was estimated at 2.52 million acres
                (Duke and Kruczynski, 1992). The updated summary will provide a baseline for the status of
                seagrasses in the  Gulf, as well as provide specific area and statewide seagrass information to
                scientists, managers, and decision makers.
140  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                        Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
   A Seagrass Outreach document, written in layman's terms and developed for the general public,
politicians, and Gulf of Mexico stakeholders, will accompany the Seagrass S&T Summary Report.
Additional information will be available on the USGS National Wetlands Research Center's Web
site at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov and the GMP Web site at http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/.
                                                                         Land
                                                                         Seagrass-Continuous
                                                                         Seagrass-Patchy
                                                                         Water
       Changes in seagrass coverage in St. Andrews Bay Systems, Florida, from 1953-1992 (produced by
       the USGS National Wetlands Research Center for the NCCRII).
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  141

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Chlorophyll a
        Chlorophyll a concentrations in Gulf Coast estuaries
     are rated good. Eight percent of the estuarine area in
     the Gulf Coast region had high concentrations of
     chlorophyll a (Figure 5-8). Concentrations above 20
     ug/L occurred in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida
     estuaries. Sites in Florida Bay were rated poor if concen-
     trations of chlorophyll a were greater than 5 ug/L. This
     modification was made to comply with lower expecta-
     tions for chlorophyll in tropical and subtropical waters.

     Water Clarity
        Water clarity in Gulf Coast estuaries is fair. The
     amount of ambient light that reaches certain depths
     underwater can be measured to provide an estimate of
     water clarity in coastal waters. Water clarity is affected
     by suspended sediments,  particulate matter, and phyto-
     plankton. A minimum level of water clarity is necessary
     to sustain SAV beds. Expectations for water clarity to
     sustain SAV vary across the Gulf of Mexico. In Florida
     Bay and Laguna Madre, for example, SAV beds flourish,
     and water clarity is usually high. In contrast, except for
     some widgeongrass, and duckweed, seagrass, and rooted
     SAV habitats rarely exist in estuaries in Louisiana
     because these waters are naturally turbid. Water clarity
     is  expected to be low in Louisiana, Alabama, and
     Mississippi estuaries, as well as other northern Gulf
     Coast estuaries.
   Water clarity was estimated from an index of
expected conditions by comparing Secchi depth with
a light-extinction coefficient. Gulf Coast estuaries were
classified based on regional expectations for light
penetration related to SAV distribution. Water clarity
was determined to be good, fair, or poor by comparing
a sample light-extinction coefficient calculated from
the measured Secchi depth to a range of reference light-
extinction coefficients. For approximately 29% of Gulf
Coast estuaries, the water clarity measured was less
than the reference standard (Figure 5-9). Lower than
expected water clarity occurred throughout Gulf Coast
estuaries, but was concentrated in the Coastal Bend
region of Texas, Mississippi, and south Florida.
  Although the current NCA approach used to assess water
  clarity is an improvement over the previous effort, it still
  may reach inappropriate conclusions regarding water clarity
  for parts  of the Gulf Coast. Many of the Gulf Coast regions
  have high natural  silt and suspended sediment loads. To
  modify the water clarity approach for this natural condition,
  researchers adjusted the approach by the "expected" water
  clarity levels to lower levels for much of the Gulf Coast.
  While this adjustment appears to have been successful for
  much of the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana
  coasts, further  adjustments may be necessary for Mississippi
  Sound and the  Texas coast.
                   Chlorophyll a - Gulf Coast (2000)
                    Site Criteria: Chlorophyll a concentration

                    • Good =  < 5 Mg/L (less than I Mg/L South Florida
                    OFair  =  5 - 20 Mg/L (1-5 Mg/L South Florida)
                    • Poor  =  > 20 Mg/L (greater than 5 Mg/L South Florida)
                                                                    Missing
                                                                      3%  Poor
                              jGood    Fair     Po

                 Figure 5-8. Chlorophyll a concentration data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
142  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
Dissolved Oxygen
   Dissolved oxygen conditions in Gulf Coast estuaries
are good. NCA estimates for Gulf Coast estuaries
show that less  than 1 % of the  bottom waters exhibit
hypoxia (< 2 mg/L dissolved oxygen) in late summer
(Figure 5-10).  These areas are  largely associated with
Mobile Bay, Alabama, which experiences  regular
hypoxic events during the summer that often culminate
in "jubilees." Occurrences of jubilees, when fish and
crabs try to escape hypoxia by migrating to the edges
of Mobile Bay, have been recorded since colonial
times (May, 1973) and are most likely natural events.
Hypoxia in Gulf Coast estuaries results from stratifica-
tion, eutrophication, or a combination of these two
conditions.
               Water Clarity - Gulf Coast (2000)
                Site Criteria: Light penetration at I  meter depth
                • Good = >IO%in LA,AL;>20%inTXMS,FL*;>25% inTB, FB, SLM**
                O Fair  = 5% to 10% in LA, AL; 10% to 20% in TX, MS, FL; 20% to 25% in TB, FB, SLM
                • Poor = < 5% in LA.AL; < 10% inTX, MS, FL; <20% to 25% inTB, FB, SLM
                O Undetermined
                                                                 Undetermined
                                                                      3%
                                                                I
                           Good
                                    Fair
                                             Poor
             Figure 5-9. Water clarity condition for Gulf Coast estuaries (*FL - Florida Gulf of Mexico estuaries
             except Tampa Bay [TB] and Florida Bay [FB]; **SLM = southern Laguna Madre) (U.S. EPA/NCA).
               Dissolved Oxygen - Gulf Coast (2000)
                Site Criteria: Dissolved oxygen concentration

                • Good = > 5 mg/L
                OFair  =2-5 mg/L
                • Poor = < 2 mg/L
                           Good     Fair      Poor

             Figure 5-10. Dissolved oxygen concentration data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                             National Coastal Condition Report II  143

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                            ghlight
                Florida's  Inshore Marine  Monitoring and Assessment Program (IMAP)

                  Inshore marine resources are one of Florida's most valuable assets. These unique and diverse
                waters range from major embayments and lagoons to smaller river-mouth estuaries, tidal marshes,
                and mangrove forests that merge directly with the sea. The Inshore Marine Monitoring and
                Assessment Program (IMAP) is a collaborative project between EPA and the Florida Marine
                Research Institute (FMRI) designed to assess the environmental condition of Florida's inshore
                waters using established environmental indicators. IMAP serves as the inshore marine component
                of an Integrated Water Resource Monitoring Network (IWRMN). Within this network, Florida's
                Department of Environmental Protection Ambient Monitoring Program samples freshwater
                lakes, streams, and groundwater, while IMAP samples estuaries. These sampling schedules
                are coordinated so that both programs measure the same regions during the same years. This
                integrated approach allows the state of Florida to  comprehensively assess the quality of all water
                resources within a region.
                  IMAP's coastal water survey design operates both regionally and statewide. The regions corre-
                spond to Florida's five water management districts. A probability-based survey design is used to
                select sample locations, applying latitude-longitude coordinates to identify randomly selected
                points within a network of hexagonal grids.
                                             * 2000
                                             • 2001
                                             • 2002
                                             & 2003
                                             * 2004
                           Florida IMAP sampling design, 2000-2004 (FMRI, 2003, unpublished data).
144  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                      Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
   IMAP's environmental data represent the quality of the state's inshore waters and are collected
from 180 sites every year (30 sites statewide, and 30 sites per one sampling unit in each water
management district). Sampling is conducted  during late summer when inshore resources are
under significant stress and conditions are relatively stable. Physical-chemical indicators include
water quality (e.g., dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, nutrients, and chlorophyll), sediment
chemistry, and fish tissue chemistry. IMAP's biological indicators integrate environmental condi-
tions over larger spatial and temporal scales. These indicators include fish and benthic invertebrate
community composition, individual fish health, seagrass diversity and  coverage, and the presence
of toxic algae.
   In 2000, IMAP sampled Florida's Apalachicola Bay, Lake Worth, Suwannee River, Tampa
Bay, and the Nassau, St. Marys, and St. Johns rivers, as well as 30 other sites statewide. Hypoxic
conditions, defined by dissolved oxygen levels <2 mg/L,  were not observed in Florida during the
summer of 2000. Sediment chemistry samples were collected only at the statewide sites, with
several metals measured at levels above the threshold effects level (MacDonald, 1994), indicating
the potential for adverse biological effects. These metals include mercury, arsenic, chromium,
lead, nickel, and copper, although high concentrations were observed at only five sites statewide.
Most organic compounds were not detected in Florida sediments. Biological samples included
fish, benthic macro invertebrates, seagrass, and toxic algae. A comprehensive assessment of the
ecological condition of Florida's coastal waters will be completed at the end of the 5-year
sampling  period.
               IMAP field crew using a seine to sample fish and invertebrates
               (photo courtesy of FMR.1,2003).
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report I

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
        Although hypoxia is a relatively local occurrence in
     Gulf Coast estuaries, accounting for less than 1% of the
     estuarine bottom waters, the occurrence of hypoxia in
     the Gulf's shelf waters is much more significant. The
     Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, which occurs in waters
     on the Louisiana shelf to the west of the Mississippi
     River delta, is the second-largest area of oxygen-depleted
     waters in the world (Rabalais et al., 2002). From 1985
     to 1992, the areal extent of bottom hypoxic waters in
     midsummer averaged 3,000 square miles; from 1993
     to 1997, the average  area doubled to 6,500 square miles
     (Rabalais et al., 1999). In the summer of 2000, the area
     of the hypoxic zone was reduced to 1,700 square miles,
     following severe drought conditions in the Mississippi
     River watershed (Figure 5-11). By 2002, the hypoxic
     zone had again increased in size to 8,500 square miles.
     Current hypotheses speculate that the hypoxic zone
   Hypoxic Zone - Gulf Coast (2000)
    30.0
    29.5'
    29.0-
    28.5-
                                                  July 1999
        94.0   93.5   93.0  92.5  92.0  91.5  91.0  90.5  90.0   89.5
    30.0
  £ 29.5'
  9
  T3,
  0)
  "S 29.0-
  J5
    28.5-
July 2000
        94.0   93.5   93.0  92.5  92.0  91.5  91.0  90.5  90.0   89.5
    30.0
    29.5'
    29.0-
    28.5-
                                                   July 2001
        94.0   93.5   93.0  92.5  92.0  91.5  91.0  90.5  90.0   89.5
                           Longitude (degrees)
 Figure 5-1 I. Spatial extent of the Gulf Coast hypoxic zone during July
 1999, 2000, and 2001 (U.S. EPA/NCA, based on data provided by Nancy
 Rabalais, 2003, personal communication).
             results from (1) water column stratification driven
             by weather and river flow and (2) decomposition of
             organic matter in bottom waters (Rabalais et al., 2002).
             Organic matter enters the Gulf of Mexico from the
             Mississippi River as  either river-borne organic matter or
             phytoplankton growth stimulated by riverine-delivered
             nutrients (CENR, 2000). Annual variability in the area
             of the hypoxic zone  is most likely related to rainfall in
             the Mississippi River watershed and its effect on river
             flow.  Sediment cores from the hypoxic zone show that
             shelf algal production was significantly lower in the first
             half of the twentieth century, suggesting that anthro-
             pogenic changes to the basin and its discharges have
             resulted in the increased hypoxia (CENR, 2000).
                Since 1980, the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River basins,
             which discharge to this portion of the Louisiana shelf,
             have averaged 1.6 million mt of total nitrogen load
             annually (Goolsby et al., 1999). Nitrate load, which
             constitutes the bulk  of total nitrogen load from the
             Mississippi River basin to the Gulf of Mexico, has
             increased 300% since 1970.  Nonpoint sources
             contribute most of the nitrogen load to the Gulf of
             Mexico, particularly agricultural areas north of the
             confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers (Goolsby
             et al., 1999). Gulf of Mexico ecosystems and fisheries
             are  affected by the widespread hypoxia. Mobile organ-
             isms leave the hypoxic zone for more oxygen-rich
             waters,  and frequently, those organisms that cannot
             leave  die.
                Estimates  of Gulf of Mexico shelf hypoxia have not
             been  included in the estimates  of Gulf Coast estuaries
             hypoxia; consequently, this good rating for dissolved
             oxygen in Gulf Coast estuaries should not be considered
             indicative of offshore conditions.
             White ibis feed in the mangrove areas that support a myriad of
             small crustaceans and fish on which they feed (Paul Goetz).
146  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                               Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
       Sediment Quality Index
   The condition of Gulf Coast estuarine sediment
is fair, with 12% of the area exceeding thresholds for
sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants, or sediment
TOG  (Figure 5-12).

Sediment Toxicity
   Sediment toxicity data from the NCA show that less
than 1%  of Gulf Coast sediments are toxic (i.e., cause
greater than 20% mortality in test organisms)
(Figure 5-13). A high proportion (38%) of the toxicity
data is missing because of various quality control issues.
With this high level of missing data (38%), the propor-
tion of sediments that are toxic could be greater than
1%. Previous bioeffects surveys by NOAA showed less
than 1 % toxicity in large estuaries in the Gulf (Long
etal., 1996).
               Sediment Quality Index - Gulf Coast (2000)
                Site Criteria: Number and condition of component indicators
                • Good = None are poor and sediment contaminants is good
                OFair  = None are poor and sediment contaminants is fair
                • Poor = I  or more are poor
                OMissing
                                                                  Missing
                                                                    5%  Poor
                                                                         12%
                                                                           Fair
                                                                           1%
                                                              I
                           Good
                                   Fair
                                           Poor
             Figure 5-12. Sediment quality index data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
               Sediment Toxicity - Gulf Coast (2000)
                Site Criteria: Amphipod survival rate

                OGood =  > 80%
                • Poor =  <
                OMissing
             Figure 5-13. Sediment toxicity data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II  147

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           - 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Sediment Contaminants
        Sediment contaminant concentrations greater than
     ERM guidelines (Long et al., 1995) were observed
     primarily in Texas estuaries (Figure 5-14).
     Concentrations of five or more sediment contaminants
     that were greater than ERL guidelines (Long et al.,
     1995) occurred only in Mobile Bay, Alabama. At least
     one metal exceeded ERL guidelines in 28% of the estu-
     arine area, whereas only 12% to 14 % of the area
exceeded guidelines for at least one pesticide or PCB.
PAHs rarely exceeded ERL guidelines in Gulf Coast
estuaries. No contaminant exceedances were observed
in Florida's Gulf Coast estuaries.

Sediment Total Organic  Carbon
   Only 2% of the estuarine area in the Gulf Coast
has high levels  of sediment TOC (TOC > 5%;
Figure 5-15).
       Sediment Contaminants - Gulf Coast (2000)
     Figure 5-14.  Gulf Coast estuary stations with at least one contaminant greater than ERM or at least five
     contaminants greater than ERL.The bar chart shows the percent area of Gulf Coast estuaries with at least
     one contaminant greater than  ERL for separate categories of contaminants (U.S. EPA/NCA).
       Total Organic Carbon - Gulf Coast (2000)
        Site Criteria: TOC concentration

        • Good = < 2%
        OFair  = 2% - 5%
        • Poor  = > 5%
        O Missing
                                                        Missing
                                                          6%  Poor
                                                               2%
                                                                 Fair
                                                                 14%
                                 Sediment Contaminant
                                 Criteria (Long et al., 1995)

                                 ERM (Effects Range
                                 Median)—Determined for
                                 each chemical as the 50th
                                 percentile (median)  in a
                                 database of ascending
                                 concentrations associated
                                 with adverse biological
                                 effects.

                                 ERL (Effects Range
                                 Low)—Determined values
                                 for each chemical as the
                                 I Oth percentile in a  database
                                 of ascending concentrations
                                 associated with adverse
                                 biological effects.
                   Good    Fair     Poor

     Figure S-1S. Sediment TOC concentration data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
148  National Coastal Condition Report II

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                                                                     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition

Sediment Toxicity in Galveston Bay

   As part of NOAA's NS&T Program, bioeffects surveys have been conducted in several
major estuarine systems. Results from 22 surveys were summarized in the first National Coastal
Condition Report; however, results from Galveston Bay were not available for publication
until now.
   Sediment contamination and toxicity were measured over the entire Galveston Bay area, from
San Jacinto Park in the north out into the Gulf of Mexico, Trinity Bay, East and West Bay, and
Clear Lake. In 1996, 75 stations were sampled using a stratified-randomized design within 21
different sediment layers. Bioassay tests of survival of amphipods exposed to whole sediment for
10 days showed no toxicity at any site. Fertilization tests of sea urchin eggs exposed to pore waters
and tests of bioluminescence by bacteria exposed to organic extracts of sediment did show toxic
responses. Over the 598.5 square  miles of
Galveston Bay, no whole sediment samples
were toxic to amphipods; pore water extracted
from 45% of the  sites affected sea urchin
fertilization; and organic extracts from 87%
affected bacterial  bioluminescence. All of these
tests require some sediment manipulation
prior to testing and do not precisely replicate
actual environmental exposures. Required
procedures for obtaining samples  used in
laboratory bioassay tests create conditions
unlike those of actual exposures; thus, toxicity
measured by these techniques does not neces-
sarily represent the level of actual  harm to
organisms in the field.
                                                                                Gulf of Mexico

                                              Sediment sampling sites in Galveston Bay study (Harmon et
                                              al.,2003).
   Conversely, the existing indigenous BMC
at a site does experience real exposures. Among the 75 stations, a generally increasing gradient
existed from north to south in the various ways of summarizing BMC structure, such as numbers
of species, density of individuals and species, and species diversity. The lowest values for the BMC
measures were found in Clear Lake. Using a criterion of benthic degradation as indicative of five
or fewer species per sediment sample, 8% of Galveston Bay sediment samples would be consid-
ered degraded.

   For more information, visit http://nsandt.noaa.gov/index_bioeffect.htm.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  149

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                            ghlight
                Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Study

                  For 17 years, routine measurements of dissolved oxygen and nitrogen concentrations, coupled
                with computer modeling, have resulted in forecasts of Midwestern nitrogen usage effect on the
                northern Gulf of Mexico. Each spring and summer, extensive hypoxic regions develop in the
                Gulf of Mexico with bottom dissolved oxygen levels below 2 mg/L. These regions have recently
                extended from the mouth of the Mississippi River 372 miles westward past the Texas border.
                These hypoxic regions averaged 3,205 square miles from 1985 to  1992  and increased to an
                average of 16,178 square miles from 1993 to 2001.
                  The effects of nutrient loading from  the Mississippi River basin on the areal extent of hypoxia
                were examined using a novel application of a river dissolved oxygen model. The model, driven
                by river nitrogen load and a simple parameterization of ocean dynamics, reproduced 17 years of
                observed hypoxia location and extent, sub-pycnocline oxygen consumption, and cross-pycnocline
                oxygen flux. The model results correlate to those of the observed hypoxic zone areal extents from
                1985 to 2002, with a few notable exceptions (see figure below). Hindcasts, using nitrogen loads
                between 1968 and 1984, suggest that before the mid-1970s, the nitrogen load was not sufficient
                to produce significant  areas of oxygen-depleted bottom waters. Hindcasts show hypoxic areas
                of 1,930 to 3,860 square miles from 1973 to 1975, minimal hypoxia in 1976 and 1977, and
                significant and persistent large-scale hypoxia regions between 1978 and 1985-

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-------
                                                                        Chapter 5   Northeast Coastal Condition
   The Federal-State-Tribal Action Plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling hypoxia in
the northern Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force,
2001)  agreed on a goal to reduce the 5-year running average of hypoxic area to less than  1,930
square miles by 2015- The plan suggested that a 30% reduction from the  1980 to 1996 average
nitrogen load would be needed to achieve that objective and that most of the reduction would
have to come from nonpoint sources as far as 620 miles north of the Gulf. The target reduction
was based on current scientific information available and is similar to nutrient-reduction  goals in
other coastal systems in the United States (Boesch, 2002). This new model, however, suggests that
a 30% reduction might not be sufficient to reach this goal in some years, and that it may take a
reduction of 40% to 45% to ensure the reduction is attained (see figure below). Data collection
and quantitative analyses should be continued if the success of the planned action to  reduce
nitrogen loading is to be  determined, thereby improving future action plans.
   For more information, visit http://www.nos.noaa.gov/products/pubs_hypox.html.

                                 20       30       40       SO
                                 Percent Nitrogen Load Reduction
                                                                 60
                       Effects of Reduced Nitrogen Load (Scavia et al., 2003).
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  151

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
            Benthic Index
        The condition of benthic communities in Gulf
     Coast estuaries is fair to poor. The composition of
     benthic invertebrate communities reflects long-term
     exposure to sediment condition in estuaries. Short-term
     changes in benthic communities occur in response
     to hypoxic events and disturbances. Indices of biotic
     integrity have been developed for aquatic systems  to
     describe the condition of biotic communities. Engle
     and Summers (1999) developed a benthic index of
condition for Gulf Coast estuaries. The benthic index
integrates measures of diversity and populations of
indicator species to distinguish between degraded and
reference benthic communities. Benthic index estimates
based on NCA 2000 surveys indicate that 17% of the
estuarine area has degraded benthic resources (Figure
5-16). Most estuarine regions in the Gulf Coast showed
some level of benthic degradation. Poor benthic condi-
tion co-occurred most often with poor water quality
and poor sediment quality (Figure 5-17).
                    Benthic Index - Gulf Coast (2000)
                     Site Criteria: Benthic index score

                     • Good = > 5.0
                     OFair  = 3.0- 5.0
                     • Poor = < 3.0
                     OMissing
                               Jjood     Fair     Poor

                  Figure 5-16. Benthic index data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                   Poor Water/Sediment Quality Indicators that Co-occur with Low Benthic Diversity
                   Gulf Coast (2000)
                     OSediment Quality
                     OWater Quality
                     • Sediment and Water Quality
                     ONone
                               Good
                                        Fair
                                                              Sediment and
                                                              Water Quality
                                                                  26%
                  Figure 5-17. Locations in Gulf Coast estuaries where poor benthic condition co-occurred with poor sedi-
                  ment condition, low dissolved oxygen concentrations, or poor water clarity (U.S. EPA/NCA).
1 52  National Coastal Condition Report I

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  Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition


Sampling locations in Tampa Bay (TBEP,
2003, unpublished data).
Using a Benthic  Condition Index to  Set
Sediment Quality Targets  in Tampa Bay, Florida

   Identification and remedial treatment of contaminated sediments
are among the major priorities of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program
(TBEP) (Long et al., 1994). Tampa Bay is a large,  urbanized estuary
in west-central Florida that is subject to the input of chemical
contaminants, including metals, organochlorine pesticides, and
the organic chemicals PCBs and PAHs (Zarboch et al., 1996).
However, the overall benthic condition of the bay is good, with low
dissolved oxygen conditions and elevated  contaminants typically
found in only a few areas.
   During the past 7 years, TBEP partners and a national advisory
group have worked together to implement a probabilistic benthic
monitoring program based on the EMAP design and to develop
narrative and numerical sediment quality targets for key indicators
of sediment quality. One specific goal was to develop a benthic condition index (BCI) specific to
Tampa Bay. This would allow TBEP to establish sediment quality guidelines based on the diversity
and abundance of the benthos, as opposed to using costly and time-consuming chemical analysis.
   The newly developed BCI will successfully classify sediments as healthy or degraded based on
the observed benthos and will serve as a guide from which appropriate management decisions can
be made. The BCI will be a refinement of an existing Tampa Bay Benthic Index (Grabe et al.,
2002) that incorporates adjustments for salinity based on the work of Engle and Summers (1999).
The Tampa Bay BCI was found to have a 90% dissolved oxygen success rate for classifying healthy
and degraded samples based on benthos and  dissolved oxygen concentration. It also classified 48%
of the benthic samples into an intermediate category between healthy and degraded. For each
intermediate sample, a numerical BCI value was calculated to quantify whether the sample was
closer to a healthy or a degraded condition.
   The TBEP is currently working on approaches to incorporate this  revised BCI into a sediment
quality target-setting process. One promising approach under consideration is to base sediment
quality targets on the estimated geographic extent of healthy and degraded habitats and to track
the magnitude and trends of these extents annually. The geographic extent, number of samples,
and benthic  condition of the intermediate samples (i.e., those between a healthy and degraded
condition) could similarly be tracked over time. Together, these  target-setting metrics can provide
the status of degraded habitats and an early warning system to detect  healthy habitats moving
towards a degraded condition before they become fully degraded.
   For more information,  visit http://www.tbep.org

             National Coastal Condition Report II  153

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
            Coastal Habitat Index
        The coastal wetlands indicator for the Gulf Coast
     is rated poor. Coastal wetlands, as defined here, include
     only estuarine and marine intertidal wetlands (e.g., salt
     and brackish marshes, mangroves and other shrub-scrub
     habitats, intertidal oyster reefs, and tidal flats, such as
     macroalgal flats, shoals, spits, and bars). This indicator
     does not include subtidal  SAV, coral reefs, subtidal
     oyster reefs, worm reefs, artificial reefs, or freshwater/
     palustrine wetlands.  From 1990 to 2000, the Gulf
     Coast region experienced  a loss of 7,750 acres of
     estuarine wetlands (Figure 5-18). The long-term,
     average decadal coastal wetlands loss rate is 2.5%.
     Averaging these  two  loss rates and multiplying by
     100 results in a coastal habitat index value of 1.30.
     Gulf Coast coastal wetlands constitute 66% of the total
     estuarine wetland acreage in the conterminous 48 states.
     Although the Gulf sustained the  largest net loss of
     estuarine wetlands in the last decade compared with
                     Atlantic
                       28%
                                       1990
                                                2000
     Figure 5-18. Estuarine intertidal wetland estimates for the Gulf
     Coast as acreage in 2000 and change in acreage from 1990 to
     2000 (Dahl, 2003).
other regions of the country, the Gulf Coast region also
has the greatest total acreage of estuarine wetlands
(3,769,370 acres). Coastal development, sea-level rise,
subsidence, and interference with normal erosional/
depositional processes contribute to wetland loss along
the Gulf of Mexico coast.
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
   Estuarine condition in Gulf Coast estuaries based on
concentrations of contaminants in fish tissues is rated
fair. Figure 5-19 shows that 14% of all sites sampled
where fish were caught exceeded the risk-based guide-
lines used in this assessment. (Whole-fish contaminant
concentrations can be higher or lower than  the concen-
trations associated with fillets only.  Only those contami-
nants that have an affinity for muscle tissue, e.g.,
mercury, are likely to have higher fillet concentrations.
Fillet contaminant concentrations for most  other conta-
minants will likely be lower.) However, for some popu-
lations that  consume whole fish, these risk calculations
are appropriate. Contaminant concentrations  exceeding
EPA guidance levels were observed  in Atlantic croaker,
some catfish, scianids, pigfish, pinfish, and shrimp.
In Gulf Coast estuaries, the observed contaminants
included total PCBs and DDT,  and occasionally
cadmium, dieldrin, and mercury.
                    Tissue Contaminants - Gulf Coast (2000)
                     Site Criteria: EPA guidance concentration

                     • Good = Below Guidance range
                     • Fair  = Falls within Guidance range
                     • Poor = Exceeds Guidance range
                                 od    Fair

                  Figure S-19. Fish tissue contaminants data for Gulf Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
154  National Coastal Condition Report I

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Large Marine Ecosystem  Fisheries
   The Gulf of Mexico LME bordering the United
States includes diverse habitats ranging in salinity, flora,
and fauna. It includes freshwater and estuarine habitats,
nearshore and barrier islands, and oceanic communities.
Watersheds contributing to the Gulf of Mexico LME
drain the vast interior of the continent, including the
piedmont and coastal plains as far north as the headwa-
ters of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Along the
coasts of western Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana,  and Texas, fresh water from upland regions
mixes with prevailing oceanic waters in the Gulf of
Mexico to create diverse wetland, marsh, and mangrove
habitats that transition from freshwater to brackish to
saltwater. This thin fringe  of estuaries is very dynamic,
with constant tidal fluctuations and varying levels of
runoff. It serves as an important habitat for waterfowl,
reptiles, mammals, fish, invertebrates,  and a diversity of
plants, and as a natural filter to remove pollutants and
sediments from upland regions. It also maintains diverse
aquatic communities and complex food webs in an irre-
placeable nursery system that supports the recruitment
and development of juvenile fish and invertebrate
species that are important to recreational, commercial,
and ecological interests.
   Estuarine and inshore regions are largely buffered
from the destructive effects of winds, waves, and
occasional hurricanes by a long, thin system of barrier
islands extending roughly  end-to-end from western
Florida to Texas. This natural system is composed
primarily of unconsolidated sand, shell, and gravel
deposited and redeposited through erosion and accumu-
lation by the dynamics of prevailing oceanic currents,
winds, and storms. A well-developed barrier island
can produce and support a variety of habitats, ranging
from coastal marine beach and maritime marsh on  the
seaward and inshore sides, to fresh or brackish marsh
in the low inland areas, to dunes, shrubs, and forests
in the upland areas.
                                                                          Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
   The Gulf of Mexico LME beyond the continental
shelf is a semi-enclosed oceanic basin connected to
the Caribbean Sea by the Yucatan Channel and to the
Atlantic Ocean by the Straits of Florida. Through the
narrow but deep Yucatan Channel, a warm current of
water flows northward, penetrating the Gulf of Mexico
LME and looping around or turning east before leaving
the Gulf through the Straits of Florida. This current of
tropical Caribbean water is known as the Loop Current,
and along its boundary, it produces numerous eddies,
meanders, and intrusions that affect much of the
hydrography and biology of the Gulf. A diversity of fish
eggs and larvae are transported in the Loop Current,
and the innumerable eddies, meanders, convergences,
and divergences along the current's boundary tend to
concentrate and transport early life stages of fish toward
estuarine nursery areas, where the young can reside,
feed, and develop to maturity.
                                                         Bearded fireworms can erect their venomous white bristles at
                                                         the approach of a diver or other predator (Pat Cunningham).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  155

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                             ghlight
                Florida Bay Mercury  Study

                   The EPA's GMP report, A Survey of Mercury in the Fishery Resources of the Gulf of Mexico,
                identified two regional concentrations for mercury accumulation in fish from the Gulf of Mexico.
                One of these locations, Lavaca Bay, Texas, was highlighted in the previous National Coastal
                Condition Report. The extensive mercury contamination in Lavaca Bay is derived from an
                inactive chlor-alkali production facility.
                   The second concentration, located in Florida Bay, Florida, lies entirely within Everglades
                National  Park. Surprisingly, there is no significant industrial source of mercury to Florida Bay.
                High mercury concentrations observed in fish from the Florida Bay are thought to be a result
                of natural conditions in Florida Bay and its Everglades watershed, which favors the methylation
                of inorganic mercury entering through nonpoint source runoff and atmospheric deposition.
                The area  is currently under a fish consumption advisory. Gamefish such as spotted sea trout and
                jack crevalle have shown the highest mercury levels, with red drum, snook, and gray snapper also
                accumulating mercury to levels of concern.
                   The NOAA's Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research, Beaufort, North Carolina,
                and the South Florida Water  Management District initiated a cooperative project to understand
                the sources of these high mercury concentrations. Studies have shown that the high mercury
                concentrations center in the region where fresh water from the Everglades enters the eastern
                        Mercury concentrations observed in spotted sea trout from Florida Bay. Two transects
                        through the mangrove transition zone at Little Madeira Bay and Joe Bay sampled possible
                        inputs of mercury from the Everglades (graphic provided by David W. Evans, NOAA).
156  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                    Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
portion of Florida Bay. Much of the freshwater habitat of the Everglades is also under
a fish consumption advisory because of high mercury concentrations. This finding initially
suggested that freshwater runoff was the dominant source of elevated mercury concentrations.
   Researchers conducted two surveys of this region to sample for mercury in water, sediments,
and fish and found that the watershed was not the only source of methylmercury contamination
in fish. The mangrove transition zone that separates the terrestrial Everglades from Florida Bay
produced the highest total mercury and  methylmercury concentrations in water and sediments.
The USGS measured the rate of mercury methylation in sediment samples and found significant
methylmercury production occurring in the watershed, mangrove transition zone, and the bay
itself.  Methylmercury in water mixes  among these three source areas, and the exposed fish that
move amidst these source areas accumulate methylmercury through feeding. Through this cycle,
fish from throughout eastern Florida Bay have bioaccumulated mercury in their tissues at levels
of concern.
   Such mercury concentrations in fish seem to have changed little over the past  decade. This
suggests that local reductions in atmospheric mercury emissions have not translated into mercury
reductions in fish. Interest remains toward determining the properties of Florida  Bay and the
environs that contribute to these surprisingly high natural concentrations of mercury in fish.
These concentrations may pose health risks for both human and wildlife consumers of fish
from  Florida Bay.
   For more information, contact  David Evans at david.w.evans@noaa.gov.
                   Gray snapper in the mangrove transition zone (Don Demaria).
                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report I

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Reef  Fish  Resources
        Combined commercial and recreational landings
     of the reef fishes from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico
     LME have fluctuated since 1976 and show a slightly
     increasing trend over time. Meanwhile, fishing pressure
     in this  region has increased significantly. The NOAA's
     Reef Fish FMP prohibits the use of fish traps, roller
     trawls,  and powerheads on spearguns within an inshore
     stressed area;  places a 15-inch total length minimum
     size limit on red snapper; and imposes data-reporting
     requirements. The  red snapper fishery has been under
     stringent management measures since the late 1990s.
     A stock rebuilding  plan proposed in 2001 provides
     (1) a 4,137-mt quota, and (2) bag limits, size limits, and
     commercial and recreational seasons. This plan, which
     will remain in effect until 2005, should provide stability
     and predictability in this important fishery for both
     industry and  consumers. A 20% spawning-potential
     ratio was established as a basis to measure overfishing.
     Other regulations pertaining to the management of reef
     fishes within  the U.S. Gulf of Mexico LME include
     minimum size limits, permitting systems for commer-
     cial fishermen, bag limits, quotas, seasonal closures,
     and the establishment of Marine Protected Areas that
     prohibit the harvest of any species.
        Of the dominant reef fishes within the U.S. waters
     of the Gulf of Mexico LME, the red snapper and red
     grouper stocks are currently overfished, and the gag
     and greater amberjack stocks are approaching an over-
     fished condition. The regulatory measures and stock
     rebuilding plans currently under way are designed to
     reduce  fishing mortality and to continue or begin
     rebuilding all these stocks.
        Reef species form a complex, diverse, multispecies
     system. The long-term harvesting effects  on reef fishes
     are not well understood  and require cautious manage-
     ment controls of targeted fisheries, as well as bycatch
     from other fisheries within the U.S. waters of the Gulf
     of Mexico LME.
Menhaden Fishery
   Landings records in the Gulf Coast menhaden
fishery date back to the late 1800s, although data
to World War II are incomplete.  During the 1950s
through the 1970s, the fishery grew in terms of
numbers of reduction plants and vessels, and landings
generally increased with considerable annual fluctuation
(Figure 5-20). Record landings of 982,800 mt occurred
in 1984. Landings subsequently declined to a 20-year
low of 421,400 mt in 1992. The decline in landings
was primarily due to low product prices, consolidation
within the menhaden industry, and a concurrent
decrease in fishing effort, vessels, and fish factories
in the northern Gulf of Mexico LME. Landings in
recent years (1998—2002) are less variable,  ranging
between 486,200 and 684,300 mt  (574,500 mt in
2002). Historically, Gulf Coast menhaden  fishing
ranged from the Florida Panhandle to eastern Texas.
Currently, the fishery ranges from western Alabama
to eastern Texas, with about 90% of the harvest
occurring in Louisiana waters.
                                                1,000
          U.S. Gulf of Mexico Landings (x 1,000 mt
          Gulf Spawning Biomass (x 1,000 mt)
                                                    £
                                                    o
                                                    ca
     1950  1955  I960 1965  1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
                         Year

Figure 5-20. Landings and spawning biomass of Gulf Coast
menhaden, 1950-2000, in metric tons (mt) (NMFS, 2003).
   The 1999 assessment indicates that the menhaden
stock is healthy and that catches are generally below
long-term maximum sustainable yield estimates of
717,000 mt to 753,000 mt. Comparison of recent
estimates of fishing mortality to biological reference
points does not suggest overfishing. In 2003, four
factories were processing Gulf Coast menhaden in the
northern Gulf of Mexico LME  (one in Mississippi and
three in Louisiana), with a total of about 40 steamers.
158  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                          Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
Mackerel  Fisheries
   Total catch of Gulf Coast king mackerel averaged
3,467 mt per fishing year from 1981 to 2000, with
a maximum of 5,599 mt (1982)  and a minimum of
1,368 mt (1987). In 2001, total  catch was 3,649 mt,
with the  recreational sector accounting on average for
62% of the total catch and the commercial sector for
38%. From  1986 to 1996, the landings were consis-
tently above the total allocated catch, and by 1997, the
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council increased
the total  allocated catch to 4,812 mt. Landings have
oscillated about 3-882 mt in the  last 4 years. The 2002
stock assessment indicated that the stock is currently
fished at  a rate near or at the maximum fishing
mortality threshold, and the stock spawning biomass
was slightly above the minimum stock-spawning
threshold. The Mackerel Stock Assessment Panel
concluded that the stock was not overfished or under-
going overfishing, although it recommended that
fishing mortality rates be decreased to avoid a high
risk of overfishing or overfished status in coming years.
At present, the commercial fishery for Gulf of Mexico
LME king mackerel has restrictions on minimum size,
regional quota allocations, and trip catch limits, as well
as gear restrictions. The recreational fishery is regulated
with restrictions  on minimum size and bag limits for
Gulf of Mexico LME king mackerel.
   Total catch of Gulf Coast Spanish mackerel averaged
2,081 mt per fishing year from 1984 to 2001, with a
maximum of 4,586 mt (1987) and a minimum of 995
mt (1996). Catches dropped substantially (about 50%)
in 1995—1996 because of the gill-net ban in Florida
waters, where  a major portion of the commercial catch
took place. In 2001, total catch was 1,737 mt, with on
average, a split of 54% from the recreational and 46%
from the commercial sectors. Since 1989, the landings
of Gulf Coast Spanish mackerel have been consistently
below the total allocated catch, and since  1995, total
landings  have  been about 50% of the total allocated
catch. The 2003 stock assessment indicated that the
stock is currently exploited at the optimum long-term
yield level. At  present, management restrictions  for the
commercial fishery of Gulf Coast Spanish mackerel
include minimum size restrictions and quota allocation,
plus gear restrictions in state waters. For the recreational
fishery, minimum size and daily  bag restrictions are in
place. Current issues affecting this stock involve mainly
the bycatch of juveniles in the shrimp trawl fishery.
Shrimp Fisheries
   A general fluctuating increase in catch per unit effort
(CPUE) was observed for white and brown shrimp
from the late 1980s to 2001 (Figure 5-21). Between
I960 and the late 1980s, stocks of brown, white, and
pink shrimp had generally shown a decline. A commer-
cial shrimp-harvesting permit system for federal waters
was initiated in 2001, with a proposed control date of
December 2003- The Gulf of Mexico Fisheries
Management Council is considering additional manage-
ment measures, including measures that would poten-
tially limit entry into the shrimp fishery. Current
research is assessing the integrity of the shrimp stocks, as
well as the overall economic well-being of the industry.
   The most current status  of Gulf of Mexico LME
shrimp populations in U.S. waters is indicated by the
2000 and 2001 landing statistics. Catch rates of both
brown and white shrimp populations were at high levels
for the 2001 harvesting season. The 2001 CPUE for
brown shrimp was near record levels, equaling 612
Ibs/day White shrimp CPUE for 2001 was also high
at 416 Ibs/day. Pink shrimp CPUE for 2000 was near
the levels seen in the early 1990s. The current CPUE
relative to historic levels, as well as the spawning
population size indices, reveal no evidence of over-
fishing occurring within these populations.
   All three of the commercial shrimp species are being
harvested at maximum levels. Maintenance  of shrimp
stocks above the overfishing index levels  should prevent
overfishing of these populations. Because it  has been
shown that environmental factors determine produc-
tion, negative effects on habitat  have the potential to
cause future reductions in shrimp catch. The loss of
habitat, such as the destruction  of wetland nurseries
and the expanding dead zone in Louisiana, may cause
declines in the shrimp harvest.
                      I
 CZl U.S. Gulf of Mexico Landings (x 1,000 mt)
 	 Brown Shrimp Index
  160-
White Shrimp Index
Pink Shrimp index
           12
    1980
                                            2000
Figure 5-2 I. Gulf of Mexico shrimp landings, 1980-2000, in metric
tons (mt) (NMFS, 2003).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  159

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                             ghlight
                Coastal Louisiana:  America's Vanishing Wetlands

                  The Louisiana coastline was formed by sediment the Mississippi River carried down from
                31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The Mississippi River Watershed covers 41% of the lower
                48 states; however, many factors have led to massive land losses to our nation's most productive
                coastlines, including actions taken upriver to improve public safety and the welfare of the
                heartland's economy, our nation's energy needs, global warming impacts, and land subsidence.
                According to the USAGE, dams, levees, and navigation projects built along the Mississippi River's
                mainstream and major tributaries have resulted in a 67% decrease in sediment delivered to these
                coastlines. Coincidently, following the flood of 1927, navigation projects upriver, which were
                started in 1928 and completed in 1963, correspond to the first observations of major coastal
                land loss.
                  USGS data, generated in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
                indicate that 878,000 acres of fresh marsh, 1.63 million  acres of nonfresh marsh, and 1.15 million
                acres of forested and scrub/shrub wetlands make up a total of 3-7 million acres of coastal wetlands.
                Within the lower 48 states, Louisiana accounts  for 30%  of all coastal marshes, 45% of intertidal
                coastal marshes, and 14% of coastal wetlands (marshes, mangroves, and forests).
                                                       New Orleans
                                                        SMell
                                                                       Louisiana
                                                                           Land Loss 1932-2000
                                                                           Predicted Land Loss 2000-2050
                                                                           Land Gain 1932-2000
                                                                           Predicted Land Gain 2000-2050
                                                                           Louisiana Land Change Study
                                                                           Boundary
                   100+ years of land change for southeastern coastal Louisiana (Barras et al., 2004)
160  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
   Within the last 70 years, Louisiana has lost more than 1.22 million acres of coastal wetlands. A
new USGS model predicts that another 448,000 acres will vanish into the Gulf of Mexico in the
next 50 years. The map of the Mississippi River delta shows the area where more than 70% of this
loss has occurred in coastal Louisiana over the last 120 years. This loss exceeds the combined land
area of the state of Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Baltimore, Maryland, metropol-
itan area. On a national scale, Louisiana experiences about 90% of the total coastal marsh loss in
the lower 48 states. These losses  foreshadow serious natural resource problems and a societal and
economic catastrophe,  not only for Louisiana, but also for the entire nation.
   Coastal Louisiana wetlands lie at the heart of an intricate ecosystem on the verge of collapse.
These wetlands support the largest commercial fishery in the lower 48 states. They provide
wintering habitat for millions of waterfowl and migratory birds, as well as a home for several
endangered  and threatened species. Coastal Louisiana maintains 20  national wildlife refuges and
2 national parks totaling more than 192,000 acres. Some of these areas are experiencing wetland
losses that affect their capacity to support fish and wildlife.
   A quarter of the nation relies  on Louisiana wetlands as natural protection from storms and
hurricanes for both people and property. The loss of these wetlands  as a buffer could  devastate
the nation's  energy security.  Coastal  Louisiana is the home of two U.S. Strategic Oil  Reserve
Sites (a necessity during national emergencies), encompassing thousands of miles of pipelines,
numerous refineries, and gas  production facilities. These resources provide heat and fuel to public
homes and automobiles.
   To address this enormous  wetland loss issue, the state of Louisiana and the USAGE, along
with other federal and  state partners, are conducting the Louisiana Coastal Area Comprehensive
Coastwide Ecosystem Restoration Study. The goal of this effort is to develop a coast-wide compre-
hensive plan intended to sustain the  coastal ecosystem. This ecosystem supports and protects the
environment, economy, and culture of southern Louisiana and contributes to the economy and
well-being of the nation. Final reports from this effort will be submitted to the U.S. Congress
in fiscal year 2004 for authorization of a $14 billion effort.
   For additional information and status of the study, please visit http://www.lacoast.gov.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  161

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                 Restoration  of the  Florida  Everglades

                   The NMFS is working with the state of Florida, separate federal agencies, and local Native
                 American tribes in an initiative to restore the Florida Everglades and its associated coastal
                 ecosystems, including Florida Bay and the  Florida Keys reef tract. The South Florida Ecosystem
                 Restoration Initiative affects many of Florida's natural resource treasures, including Everglades
                 National Park, Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Big Cypress National
                 Preserve, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Rookery Bay National Estuarine
                 Research Reserve, and Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
                   The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
                 Project (CERP) is the initiative's congressionally
                 mandated core program led by the USAGE and
                 the South Florida Water Management District.
                 CERP's major objective is to restore the vitality
                 and productivity of the remaining natural areas of
                 South Florida. This involves integrated projects to
                 redesign the Central and Southern Florida Flood
                 Control Project. Uncertainty exists about Florida's
                 original (pre^!870) hydrological framework, as
                 well as those characteristics most responsible for
                 maintaining former landscape patterns and the
                 diversity and abundance of native plants and
                 animals. CERP's goal is to reconstitute the natural
                 hydrologic regime to Florida's wetlands and to
                 replenish the quantity, quality, timing, and spatial distribution of freshwater flow to estuaries.
                 Adaptive management, a science-based strategy involving modeling and monitoring of perfor-
                 mance measures, is being applied to determine whether system responses are achieving these goals.
                                                               Performance measures are calculable indicator
                                                            characteristics that provide a quantitative sign of
                                                            change. Indicators and performance-measure
                                                            targets are being used to define goals and to deter-
                                                            mine whether CERP restoration efforts are being
                                                            achieved. Water resource management for estuaries
                                                            such as Florida Bay requires ecological performance
                                                            measures that are applied, through modeling, to
                                                            predict the effect of alternative design strategies
                                                            and, through monitoring, to assess the effects of
                                                            these projects once implemented. The NMFS is
                                                            developing these ecological performance measures
                 Pink shrimp can be substantially affected by the
                 range of the Florida Bay's salinity.
Florida Bay mangrove area.
162  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                    Chapter 5  Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
and predictive models to protect and restore essential fish habitats, a major NMFS mandate.
The NMFS focus has been on key fishery species, such as pink shrimp, spotted sea trout, and gray
snapper, which use estuaries such as Florida Bay as nursery grounds. Performance measures are
also being developed for protected  species, such as bottlenose dolphin, and a community of prey
species, such as dolphin, wading birds, and game fish, which help transfer energy from primary
producers to higher trophic-level species.
   Developing a performance measure goes beyond the mere formulation of a metric, requiring
an analytical understanding of ecological indicators so that any changes may be measured and
interpreted correctly. For example,  statistical analyses by NMFS researchers have suggested that
pink shrimp harvests in the Dry Tortugas are influenced by freshwater inputs to Florida Bay.
Adult pink shrimp spawn near the  Tortugas, where they support a multi-million dollar fishery,
but juvenile pink shrimp develop in Florida Bay and other southwest coastal estuaries. NMFS
researchers,  using a simulation model and laboratory tests, have determined that growth and
survival of juvenile pink shrimp can be substantially affected by the range of the bay's salinity
variation, thus identifying one possible
link between harvests and freshwater
inputs. NMFS and USGS researchers
are sampling pink shrimp postlarval
stages on both sides of Florida Bay to
identify pathways and processes
affecting immigration rates. Behavior
may also be a factor because shoreward
movement of juveniles on tidal currents
is facilitated by the juvenile shrimp
migrating vertically in the water column
(up on the flood tide and down on the
ebb tide). The salinity gradient is one
possible behavioral cue guiding this
vertical movement.
Adult pink shrimp spawning areas.
   EPA's focus has been on the development of performance measures relative to water quality
indicators. Phosphorus is an indicator of concern in freshwater wetlands, whereas nitrogen is the
important indicator in some South Florida estuaries. Contaminants may also be detrimental to the
CERP restoration effort. South Florida's hydrologic system has been physically altered to such  an
extent that correctly managing the water for estuaries may not automatically follow management
procedures for upstream wetlands. Special design features may be necessary to provide fresh water
in the right quantity and quality, at the right time,  and at the right location to protect and restore
estuaries. Performance measures will help make this possible.
   For more information, contact Nancy Thompson at nancy.thompson@noaa.gov.
                                                                               National Coastal Condition Report I

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                            ghlight
                A  Pilot Study Assessing  Beach  Conditions  in Northwest Florida

                   Gulf Coast beaches are a valuable local, regional, and national resource. Protection of this
                resource for recreation and other purposes is an important goal for resource managers. Using an
                approach similar to EPA's EMAP, EPA's Gulf Ecology Division conducted a pilot shoreline moni-
                toring survey along the Florida Panhandle during August and September, 1999- The study area
                covered a stretch of coastline from Perdido Key to Port St. Joe, Florida, and included public beach
                areas. Researchers collected hydrographic data and water chemistry samples at 30 sites selected
                using a probability-based survey design. Bacterial indicators, enterococci, and fecal coliforms were
                enumerated in beach water samples according to the EPA Beaches Environmental Assessment,
                Closure, and Health (BEACH) Program and Florida State guidelines.
                   EPA developed the BEACH Program to reduce the risk of human illness associated with
                pathogens found at the nation's beaches and recreational waters through improved recreational
                water protection programs, risk communication, and scientific approaches. BEACH grants
                support the development and implementation  of programs to inform the public about the risk
                of exposure to disease-causing microorganisms  in the waters of our nation's beaches. The pilot
                study also measured additional indicators that included the presence or absence of primary and
                secondary dunes, anthropogenic debris, and vegetation.
                                                          a a
                                                         Legend
                                                      Dissolved Inorganic
                                                      Nitrogen
                                                       A 0.1-0.5
                                                       A 0.5-2
                                                       A >2
                                                         No Data
                                                      Orthophosphate
                                                       • 0.03-0.1
                                                         SO. I-0.3
                                                         >0.3
                                                         No Data
                                                      Scale: 1:600,000
                                                        0     10
                       Concentrations of DIN and orthophosphate measured at northwest Florida beaches
                       (U.S. EPA/NCA).
164  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                       Chapter 5  Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
   Using EMAP evaluation guidelines and Florida state criteria for Class III swimmable waters,
the survey indicated that more than 90%  of the coastal beach area of northwest Florida met
criteria for designated uses. Bacterial indicators are the major criteria for the protection of human
health. Additional criteria  for the ecological  assessment of coastal beaches is lacking due to gaps
in data. Such baseline data can help to determine if coastal areas meet designated uses and provide
a comparative tool for evaluating future conditional trends from both a human health and an
ecological perspective. Even if designated uses are currently met, resource managers must continue
to monitor these waters to evaluate the potential for future problems, such as nutrient over-
enrichment and fecal contamination. These  problems can affect not only recreational beaches,
but all shorelines. This pilot study demonstrates that the application of a probabilistic sampling
design is a valuable procedure for assessing coastal shoreline condition.
       Beach monitoring of bacterial contamination protects public health (U.S. EPA, Gulf Breeze
       Florida Laboratory).
                                                                                  National Coastal Condition Report II  165

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     Chapter 5  Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
     Assessment and Advisory Data

     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
        Gulf Coast states assessed 11,219 (71%) of the
     15,857 square miles that make up the Gulf Coast
     estuaries for their 2000 305(b) reports. The 2000
     305(b) reports are generally based on data collected in
     the late 1990s. Although Florida reports water quality
     information for coastal waters, it is not possible from
     that report to distinguish between Atlantic and Gulf
     Coast listings; therefore, 305(b) assessment information
     for Florida is included in its entirety in this section.
     Forty-one percent of the assessed estuarine waters on
     the Gulf Coast fully support their designated uses, and
     2% are threatened for one or more uses (Figure 5-22).
     The remaining 57%  of assessed estuarine waters on the
     Gulf Coast are impaired by some form of pollution or
     habitat degradation. Individual use support for estuaries
     is shown in Figure 5-23 and Table 5-1.
        Mississippi is  the only Gulf Coast state that reported
     on its coastal shoreline. Mississippi assessed 94 miles,
     which  is 1 % of the Gulf Coast's 10,063 coastal shore-
     line miles. The other Gulf Coast states do monitor and
     assess their coastal waters, but they chose an alternate
     reporting method to meet their 305(b) requirements.
     Individual use support for assessed shoreline in
     Mississippi is shown in Figure 5-24.  Individual use
     support for assessed coastal waters reported by
     Mississippi is shown in Table 5-1.

5 000 •
4,000 •
3,000 •
2,000 •
1,000-
D Fully Supporting
__ CH Threatened






D Impaired


Jk



J


i







|2000|




,—




_,
         Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary  Secondary
          Support  Consumption           Contact-   Contact
                                   Swimming
                        Designated Use

Figure 5-23. Individual use support in assessed Gulf Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA, 2002).
 Table 5-1. Individual Use Support for Assessed Coastal
 Waters Reported by the States on the Gulf Coast
 under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act for 2000
 (U.S EPA, 2002).
Individual Uses
Aquatic life support
Fish consumption
Shellfishing
Primary contact -
swimming
Secondary contact
*Data from Mississippi
Assessed
Estuaries
Impaired (mi2)
4,994 (62%)
327(17%)
945 (18%)
1,256 (18%)
687(16%)
only
Assessed
Shoreline*
Impaired (mi)
0
0
89 (100%)
26 (18%)
26 (81%)

     Figure 5-22. Water quality in assessed Gulf Coast estuaries
     (U.S. EPA, 2002).
       Aquatic Life    Fish     Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
        Support  Consumption          Contact-    Contact
                                  Swimming
                       Designated Use

Figure 5-24. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
waters in Mississippi (U.S. EPA, 2002).
166  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                           Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
Fish Consumption Advisories
   In 2002, 13 fish consumption advisories were in
effect for the estuarine and marine waters of the Gulf
Coast.  Most of the advisories (12) were issued for
mercury, and each of the five Gulf Coast states had one
statewide coastal advisory in effect for mercury in king
mackerel (for fish longer than 39 inches). The statewide
king mackerel advisories covered all coastal and estu-
arine waters in Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama, but
covered only coastal shoreline waters in Texas and
Louisiana. As a result of the statewide advisories, 100%
of the coastal miles of the Gulf Coast and 23% of the
estuarine square miles were under advisory in 2002
(Figure 5-25).
             Number of
             advisories per
             USGS cataloging
             unit in 2002:
Figure 5-25.The number of Gulf Coast fish consumption advi-
sories active in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
 Summary offish and shellfish under human
 consumption advisories for at least some part of
 the Gulf Coast:

 Barracuda
 Blue crab
 Bluefish
 Catfish
 Crab
 Cobia
 Gafftopsail catfish
 Gag grouper
 Greater amberjack
 Crevalle jack
King mackerel
Ladyfish
Little tunny
Permit
Red drum
Shark
Snook
Spanish mackerel
Spotted seatrout
Wahoo
       ,. EPA, 2003c
                                Fish consumption advisories placed on specific water-
                              bodies included additional fish species (Figure 5-26).
                              Florida had eight mercury advisories in effect for a
                              variety of fish, in addition to the statewide coastal advi-
                              sory. In Texas, the Houston Ship Channel was under
                              advisory for catfish and blue crabs because of the risk
                              of contamination by dioxins.
c Mercury
c
£
(9 Dioxin





| 2002 1




0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent of Total Number of Advisories
Listing Each Contaminant
                              Figure 5-26. Percentage of estuarine and coastal marine advi-
                              sories issued for each contaminant on the Gulf Coast. An advi-
                              sory can be issued for more than one contaminant, so percent-
                              ages may not add up to  100 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

                              Beach Advisories and Closures
                                Of the 176 coastal beaches in the Gulf of Mexico
                              that reported information to EPA, 36.9% (65 beaches)
                              were closed or under an advisory for some period of
                              time in 2002. Table 5-2 presents the numbers of
                              beaches, advisories, and closures for each state. As
                              shown in the table, Florida's west coast had the most
                              beaches with advisories or closures, and Mississippi did
                              not participate in EPA's 2002 survey. Figure 5-27
                              presents advisory and closure percentages for each
                              county within each state.
                                                          Table 5-2. Number of Beaches and Advisories/Closures
                                                          in 2002 for Gulf Coast States (U.S. EPA, 2003a)
                                           Percentage
                                           of Beaches
                              No. of       Affected
                   No. of     Advisories/  by Advisories/
State              Beaches   Closures     Closures
                                                                                                                     I
Florida (Gulf Coast)
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas
TOTALS
134
II
N/A
1
30
176
52
4
N/A
1
8
65
38.8%
36.4%
N/A
100%
26.7%
36.9%
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  167

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     Chapter 5   Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
        Most beach advisories and closings were imple-
     mented at coastal beaches along the Gulf Coast because
     of elevated bacteria levels (Figure 5-28). There were
     multiple sources of water-borne bacteria that resulted in
     advisories or closings. Stormwater runoff, other sources,
     and wildlife were frequently identified as sources.
     Unknown sources accounted for 36 percent of the
     responses  (Figure 5-29).
        In Florida, 39% (52 of 134) of beaches responding
     to the EPA reported that they had issued an advisory
     or closing at least once during 2002. The primary
     reasons for public beach notifications were preemptive
     actions  due  to rainfall events or the detection of
     elevated bacteria levels due a variety of sources,
     including unknown sources, stormwater and other
     runoff, wildlife, boat discharges, septic systems, and
     POTW discharges.
        In Alabama, 11 coastal beaches responded to EPA's
     survey, and of these, 4 beaches (36%) reported advi-
     sories or closures  during 2002 from elevated bacterial
     levels due to stormwater runoff, unknown sources,
     wildlife, and sewerline blockage or pipe breakage. In
     Louisiana, one beach, on the south shore of Lake
     Pontchartrain, reported being affected by a year-long
     advisory or closure  during 2002 due to elevated bacte-
     rial levels  from POTWs, sewerline blockage or pipe
     breakage,  and stormwater runoff.
        In Texas, 30 beaches reported information to the
     EPA, and of these,  8 beaches (26%) reported advisories
     or closures during 2002 due to elevated bacteria levels
     from unknown sources, stormwater runoff, wildlife,
     septic systems, boat discharges, sanitary sewer overflows,
     and sewerline blockage or pipe breakage.
                Percentage of beaches
                reporting with at least
                one advisory or closure
                per county in 2002:
                   0
                   1-10
                   I I-SO
                   51-100
                   No Data Available
                O Beach Closure in 2002
Figure 5-27. Percentage of Gulf Coast beaches with advisories
or closures by county in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                      Other
         Preemptive     3%
           Closure
          (Rainfall)
            22%
                                  Elevated
                                  Bacteria
                                   Levels
                                   75%
Figure 5-28. Reasons for beach advisories or closures on the
Gulf Coast (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
     A lime-green lettuce sea slug crawls through a meadow of
     mermaid's wine glass algae (Pat Cunningham).
                                                                            Other
                                                                              19%
                                                                      Unknown
                                                                        36%
                       i— POTW 1%
                            Septic System 3%
                             Sewer Line Problem 1%
                               Boats 6%

                               Stormwater
                                 Runoff
                                  24%
                                                                                           Wildlife
                                                                                             10%
                                                                Figure 5-29. Sources of beach contamination on the Gulf Coast
                                                                (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
168  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 5  Gulf of Mexico Coastal Condition
Summary
   Based on the indicators used in this report, ecological conditions
in Gulf Coast estuaries are fair. The primary problem in Gulf Coast
estuaries  in 2000 was coastal wetland loss (rated poor). Fish tissue conta-
minants, benthic condition, and sediment quality were also of concern
(rated fair). Fish tissue contaminant concentrations exceeded risk-based
EPA Guidance levels in 14% of sites in Gulf Coast estuaries sampled for
fish. These sites were dominated by elevated tissue concentrations of total
PCBs and DDT, with some instances of dieldrin, mercury, cadmium,
and toxaphene. Benthic index values were lower than expected in 17%
of Gulf Coast estuarine sediments, and elevated sediment contaminant
concentrations were found in 11% of estuarine sediments. About 2.5%
of wetlands were lost per decade from  1780 to 1980, and about 0.25%
of wetlands were lost between 1990 and  2000. The water quality index
was rated fair (9% of estuarine area in  poor condition), with only
decreased water clarity and elevated DIP observed in more than 10%
of estuarine area (29% and 11%, respectively). Elevated levels of chloro-
phyll a were observed in 8% of estuaries. DIN and dissolved oxygen
concentrations rarely exceeded guidelines. Although conditions in Gulf
Coast estuaries were among the worst in the country in 1990, the overall
rating of 2.4 in this report is an increase  from the rating of 1.9 observed
in the early 1990s. Some of this improvement may be the result of
modification of the water quality index to include nitrogen, phospho-
rous, and chlorophyll. Increasing population pressures in this region of
the country will require additional monitoring programs and increasing
environmental awareness in order to correct existing problems and to
ensure that indicators that appear to be in fair condition do not worsen.
                                                                                         National Coastal Condition Report II   169

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                \
                •  Chapter 6
West Coastal
Condition
aag-Uoyd


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     Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
     West Coastal  Condition


        Ecological conditions in West Coast estuaries are fair
     to poor (Figure 6-1). Based on the 1999-2000 NCA
     surveys, 14% of the estuarine area in the West Coast
     region is unimpaired for aquatic life and human uses;
     17% is impaired for aquatic life  use; and 27% is
     impaired for human use (Figure 6-2). An additional
     59% is considered threatened for these uses (fair condi-
     tion) ; however, these survey results do not include
     benthic community data from San Francisco Bay, Puget
     Sound, or the Columbia River, and the  percentages
     might be revised after the inclusion of that information.
     The estuaries that were found to be threatened for
     aquatic life use had extensive areas with  elevated
     phosphorus concentrations and decreased water clarity.
West
Overall V1 L,
Score (2.0) \/
Good Fair Poor


Q| Water Quality Index (3)
L**jJ Sediment Quality Index (2)
4fc Benthic Index (3)

1 Coastal Habitat Index (1)
1 Fish Tissue Index (1)
                                 Figure 6-1. The overall
                                 condition ofWest Coast
                                 estuaries is fain (This rating
                                 does not include benthic
                                 index or fish tissue contami-
                                 nants information from the
                                 San Francisco Estuary,
                                 Columbia Riven or Puget
                                 Sound system.)
                            Unimpaired
                               14%
           Threatened
              59%
  Impaired Human and
    Aquatic Life Use
         17%
 Impaired
Human Use
   10%
     Figure 6-2. West Coast estuarine condition (U.S. EPA, NCA).
   The estuaries of the West Coast of the United States
represent a valuable resource that contributes to the
local economies of the area and enhances the quality
of life for those who work, live, and visit there. The
population of 47 coastal and estuarine counties on
the West Coast increased 13% between 1990 and 2000
to a total of 29.3 million (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001).
Some counties adjacent to estuaries in the region (e.g.,
San Juan County, Washington, on Puget Sound) grew
more than 40% over the  10-year period. Population
growth rates for the counties bordering the greater
Puget Sound  region between 2000 and 2020
are projected  to range between 16% and 54% (Puget
Sound Water Quality Action Team, 2002). These
growth rates suggest that human pressures on coastal
resources will increase substantially in many areas of
the West Coast.
    The western coastline comprises more than 410
estuaries, bays, and subestuary systems associated with
larger estuaries. Youngs Bay within the Columbia River
and South Slough within Coos Bay are examples of
subestuaries within larger estuarine systems. Such
subestuaries share a number of characteristics with
the larger estuarine system, such as climate and
biogeographic province; however, they may differ from
the larger estuarine system because of local hydrology,
geomorphology, or pollutant inputs. The total area of
the West Coast estuaries, bays, and subestuaries is 3,940
square miles,  61.5% of which is made up of the three
large systems—the San Francisco Estuary,  Columbia
River, and Puget Sound system (including the Strait of
Juan de Fuca). Subestuary systems associated with these
large systems  make up another 26.8% of the estuarine
area. All the other West Coast estuaries combined equal
only 11.7% of the total estuarine area. The range of
estuary types  on the West Coast is illustrated by the five
order-of-magnitude range in size of the systems sampled
by EMAP in  1999 and 2000—from 0.0237 square
miles Yachats River, Oregon) to 2551 square miles
(Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca).
172  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
   The EMAP West Coast study area consists of
two provinces, the Columbian and Californian
Provinces. The Columbian Province extends from
the Washington-Canada border to Point Conception,
California. Within the United States, the Californian
Province extends from Point Conception to the
Mexican border. Some investigators place the break
between the two provinces at Cape Mendocino,
California, but EMAP data suggest a stronger faunal
transition at Point Conception. There are also major
transitions in the distribution of the human population
along the West Coast. Major population centers occur
in the Seattle-Tacoma area of Puget Sound, around
the San Francisco Estuary, and generally around most
of the estuaries of southern California. In contrast,
the region of coastline north of the San Francisco
Estuary through northern Puget Sound has a much
lower population density.

Coastal Monitoring Data
   In 1999, the Washington Department of Ecology
(DOE), Oregon Department Environmental Quality,
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Francisco
Estuary Institute, and the Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project initiated a project to assess
the condition of the approximately 400 estuaries,
subestuaries, and tidal rivers  along the West Coast
(Washington, Oregon, and California). The assessment
used a probabilistic design and, in 1999, sampled 210
locations in small estuarine systems (Figure 6-3) for
dissolved oxygen, light penetration, sediment toxicity,
sediment contaminants, tissue residues, fish community
parameters, and benthic communities. In 2000, similar
data were collected from  171 locations in Puget Sound,
the San Francisco Estuary, and the lower Columbia
Pviver (Figure 6-3). In both Puget Sound and the
San Francisco Estuary, data collection involved
extensive collaboration between EPA's NCA and
NOAA's NS&T programs.
                      The Golden Gate Bridge as seen
                      from atop NOAA's Gulf of the
                      Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
                      Office at the Presidio, San Francisco,
                      San Francisco Bay, California (Rich
                      Bourgerie, Oceanographen CO-OPS,
                      NOS, NOAA).

Figure 6-3. West Coast sampling stations for the 1999-2000
NCA survey (U.S. EPA, NCA).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  173

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     Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
        Relatively few national programs have monitoring
     stations in West Coast estuaries. NOAA's National
     Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment (NOAA, 1998a)
     examined a number of eutrophication variables for West
     Coast estuaries through the use of a survey question-
     naire. NOAA's NS&T Program collects data for several
     western locations (Long et al., 2000), but these sites are
     not representative of all West Coast estuaries. In addi-
     tion, EMAP-like surveys have been completed in the
     Southern California Bight  (SCCWRP, 1998). In com-
     parison with these geographically focused studies, the
     Western EMAP sampled small western estuaries in 1999
     and 2001, large estuaries in 2000, the intertidal areas of
     small and large estuaries in 2002, and the continental
     shelf in 2003- The data reported in this chapter include
     surveys of small and large estuaries from  1999 to 2000.
            Water Quality Index
        Water quality for West Coast estuaries, as measured
     by five indicators—surface DIN and DIP, chlorophyll a,
     water clarity, and bottom dissolved oxygen—is fair.
     Most West Coast estuaries (69%)  received fair ratings
     for water quality, largely because of the levels of phos-
     phorus measured. Three percent of estuaries on the
     West Coast have poor water quality (Figure 6-4).
     Estuaries with poor water quality were found primarily
     in California, as well as in both San Francisco Bay
     and its subestuaries and in other estuaries along the
     California coast. The only site outside California with
     poor water quality was south Hood  Canal, Washington.
     Low ratings for the water quality index were driven
     primarily by poor conditions for phosphorus. The
     finding that 3% of the West Coast estuarine area has
     poor water quality should be considered preliminary
     because only DIP concentrations and water clarity
     were generally poor. However, most estuarine area in
     the West Coast has decreased water  quality  (72%  of
     this area received a poor or fair rating).

 The sampling conducted  in the EPA NCA Program has been
 designed to estimate the percent of estuarine area  (nationally or
 in a region or state)  in varying conditions and is displayed as pie
 diagrams. Many of the figures in this report illustrate environ-
 mental measurements made at specific locations (colored dots
 on maps); however, these dots (color) represent the value of the
 indicator specifically  at the time of sampling. Additional sampling
 may be required to define variability and  to confirm impairment
 or the lack of impairment at specific locations.
  Water Quality Index -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria:
   Number of component
   indicators in poor or fair
   condition

   • Good =  No more than
            I is fair
   OFair  =  I is poor or 2
            or more are
            fair
   • Poor =  2 or more are
            poor
   O Missing
     Good
      28%
Figure 6-4. Water quality index data for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
Looking south at the base of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach,
Oregon (Carol Baldwin, NOAA OMAO).
174  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                   Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorous
   DIN concentrations in West Coast estuaries are
rated good. High concentrations of DIN in surface
waters occurred in less than 1% of the estuarine area of
the West Coast. All sites with high nitrogen were found
along the central California coast (Figure 6-5). The
threshold for a West Coast site to be rated poor for
nitrogen was a concentration in excess of 1 mg/L, as
compared with a threshold used by the NCA of 0.5
mg/L for most other regions of the United States. The
level of 1 mg/L corresponds to the level used by the
NOAA/EPA Team on Near Coastal Waters to indicate
high nitrogen levels in its report on susceptibility of
West Coast estuaries to nutrient discharges (1991).
Along much of the West Coast, summer wind condi-
tions result in an upwelling of nutrient-rich deep water
that enters estuaries during flood tides (Landry et al.,
1989) and constitutes  a potentially important natural
nutrient  input for many of these West Coast estuaries.
   DIP concentrations in West Coast estuaries are rated
fair. Whereas high concentrations of DIN were not
prevalent in West Coast surface waters, high concentra-
tions of DIP occurred in 10% of surface waters of the
estuarine area of the West Coast (Figure 6-6). Only 4%
of sites received a rating of good for DIP, in contrast
with nearly 93% of sites for DIN. The threshold for a
West Coast site to be rated poor for phosphorus was a
concentration in excess of 0.1 mg/L, as compared with
a threshold used by the NCA of 0.05 mg/L for most
other regions of the United States. The level of 0.1
mg/L corresponds to  the level used  to  indicate high
phosphorus levels in the report on susceptibility of
West Coast estuaries to nutrient discharges conducted
by the NOAA/EPA Team on Near Coastal Waters
(1991). Sites with high phosphorus tended to be found
throughout California, and particularly in the San
Francisco Estuary. As with nitrogen, upwelling may
be an important contributing factor to the high DIP
concentrations on the West Coast during the summer.
  Nitrogen -West (1999-2000)
  Phosphorus -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria: DIN
   concentration

   • Good = < 0.5 mg/L
   OFair  = O.I -0.5 mg/L
   • Poor = > 1.0 mg/L
   O Missing
  Good
           Fair
Figure 6-5. DIN concentration data for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
   Site Criteria: DIP concen-
   tration

   • Good = < 0.01 mg/L
   OFair  = 0.01 -O.I mg/L
   • Poor = > O.I mg/L
   O Missing
                                                                   Good
                                                                         Poor
                                                                c,i^ ----- '
                                                                Fair
                                                                86%
  Good     Fair     Poor

Figure 6-6. DIP concentration data for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  175

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                             ghlight
                                                                        Marine Water Quality
                                                                          Level of Concern
                                                                              2000
                                                                          • Highest Concern
                                                                          O High Concern
                                                                          O Moderate Concern
                                                                          * Lower Concern
                                                                                20
                                                                                     *
                                                                              Port Angeles

                                                                                           ympia
Marine  Water Quality in Puget Sound

   Puget Sound's marine waters provide essential
habitat for organisms ranging from plankton to
marine fish (including salmon) to marine mammals.
Washington's DOE summarizes overall water quality
based on the strength and persistence of layers, or
stratification, in the water column; lack of nitrogen-
containing nutrients for several months; low amounts
of dissolved  oxygen in the water;  high ammonium
concentrations; and high fecal coliform bacteria counts.
These results are presented in terms of levels of overall
water quality concern.

Components of Marine Vf^ter Quality
   The following characteristics of marine waters are
measured to determine water quality:
     Fecal coliform bacteria—not agents of disease
     themselves, these bacteria indicate the presence
     of other disease-causing organisms from sewage,
     wildlife, or agricultural contamination.
     Dissolved oxygen—low dissolved oxygen levels can be harmful to some marine life,
     such as fish.
     DIN—some marine waters are susceptible to water quality
     problems when nutrients are added from wastewater or agricultural sources.
     Ammonium—high concentrations can indicate sewage or agricultural contamination.
     Stratification—when marine waters develop  stable layers, pollutants and nutrients cannot
     be mixed, and some layers may develop water quality problems.

Status
   Based on data from  1994 to 2000, the areas of greatest marine water quality concern in Puget
Sound are Budd Inlet, southern Hood Canal, and Penn Cove on Whidbey Island. Concern at
Budd Inlet is due  to high fecal coliform and ammonium concentrations, strong and persistent
stratification, depleted oxygen levels, and low nutrients. Nutrient input to Budd Inlet decreased
in the late 1990s as the regional wastewater treatment plant incorporated nitrogen removal.
Southern Hood Canal and Penn Cove concerns include very low dissolved oxygen concentrations
and sensitivity to additional nutrient loadings. The DOE generally classified sampling stations
near urban areas or in areas  with reduced levels of tidal flushing as areas of high concern.
For more information, visit  http://nsandt.noaa.gov/index_bioeffect.htm.
                                                                                    Washington Department of Ecology, 2002

                                                                     Marine water quality level of concern, 2000.
176  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                   Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
Chlorophyll a
   Chlorophyll a concentrations in West Coast
estuaries are rated good. Less than 1% of the estuarine
area on the West Coast is rated poor for chlorophyll a
(Figure 6-7)- Concentrations greater than 20 ug/L
occurred in only three locations, including two sites
in California and one site in Washington (south Hood
Canal). Although almost no areas within West Coast
estuaries showed high concentrations of water  column
chlorophyll a, this may not indicate low land-based
loading of nitrogen and phosphorus. Many West
Coast estuaries have large intertidal  areas, so nutrient
utilization by benthic algae may be of greater impor-
tance than nutrient uptake by phytoplankton.  Results
of 2002 surveys of these intertidal areas, using  benthic
algal coverage as an indicator of conversion of  nutrient
loadings to chlorophyll, are not yet available to address
this issue.
Water Clarity
   Water clarity in West Coast estuaries is rated poor.
Water clarity was rated poor at a sample site if light
penetration at 1 meter was less than 10% of surface
illumination. Approximately 36% of estuarine area
in the West Coast received less than 10% of surface
illumination at 1 meter (Figure 6-8). This finding
is consistent with that made by the NOAA
Eutrophication Survey (NOAA,  1998a), which
reported high turbidity in 20 of the 38 West Coast
estuaries surveyed. This number  represents water clarity
only in late summer and does not represent high-flow
wet season conditions in the winter. The  large tidal
amplitude found in many estuaries along the West
Coast may tend to contribute to higher levels of
turbidity in the water column. Stations with limited
water clarity were broadly distributed across  the West
Coast states (Figure 6-8).
  Chlorophyll a -West (1999-2000)
  Water Clarity -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria: Chlorophyll a
   concentration
   • Good = <
   OFair  =5-
   • Poor = > 20
   O Missing
   Site Criteria: Light
   penetration at I meter
   depth

   • Good = > 20%
   OFair  = 10% to
   • Poor = < 10%
   OMissing
I
                                                           Good
                                                            48%
Figure 6-7. Chlorophyll a concentration data for West Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Figure 6-8. Water clarity condition for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                        National Coastal Condition Report II  \~7~7

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                            ghlight
                                                       NOAA research vessel McArthur // (CDR Michele G.
                                                       Bullock/NOAA).
EMAP and NOAA Assess Condition of the Continental Shelf
of the  U.S. West Coast

  EPA's EMAP, in cooperation with
NOAA, conducted an assessment of soft
sediment habitat conditions on the conti-
nental shelf of the West Coast in 2003-
The assessment design included a survey
of bottom community conditions for the
five NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
(Olympic, Cordell Banks, Gulf of
Farallones, Monterey Bay, and Channel
Islands), as compared  to non-sanctuary
areas of the West Coast shelf.
  Principally funded  by the EPA, Office
of Research and Development, the project
involved the cooperation of numerous
organizations. NOAA was a major partner in the study, contributing ship time on the research
vessel McArthurllto the assessment effort. The Northwest Fisheries Science Center of NOAA
provided field support and analysis of fish disease conditions and cooperated with EPA to provide
fish for contaminant analysis from samples collected under the NOAA West Coast Slope Survey
Fisheries Assessment Program. State partners included the Washington DOE, Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality, and the Southern California Coastal Water Resources Project
(SCCWRP). Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, under contract to SCCWRP, provided field
crews for the collection of samples in California coastal waters .
  The 2003 West Coast shelf assessment included soft sediment benthic resources of the conti-
nental shelf from the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington to the Mexican border. A total of
150 stations were sampled at a depth range between 30 and 120 feet. Each state had a minimum
of 50 stations. In Washington, the 50 stations were split into two groups consisting of 30 stations
randomly selected within the Olympic NMS and 20 stations in the remainder of the  shelf waters.
Similarly, in California, 50 stations were split into two groups consisting of 30 stations randomly
selected within the Cordell Banks, Gulf of Farallones, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands
National Marine Sanctuaries, and 20 stations distributed on the shelf in the remainder of
California, north of Point Conception. The shelf region between Point Conception and the
Mexican border was sampled for most of the same condition indicators during summer 2003 as
part of the Bight 2003 study by a consortium of agencies led by SCCWRP The Bight 2003 data
will be  integrated with the EMAP data to provide an overall assessment of the condition of the
continental shelf for California and the West Coast.
178  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                     Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
Environmental condition indicators that were sampled in this study (Table 1)
included
   (1) general habitat condition indicators
   (2) water quality indicators
   (3) benthic condition indicators
   (4) exposure indicators.
 Table I. Environmental Indicators for the EMAP-West Coast Assessment
 of Shelf Benthic Condition in 2003 (U.S. EPA/NCA).
   Habitat Condition Indicators
   Salinity
   Water depth
   pH
   Water temperature
   Total suspended solids
   Transmittance
   Sediment grain size
   Percent TOC
      in sediments
   Sediment color/odor
   Presence of trash/marine debris
   Water Quality Indicators
   Chlorophyll a concentration
   Nutrient concentrations
      (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia,
      and phosphate)
Benthic Condition Indicators
Infaunal species composition
Infaunal abundance
Infaunal species richness and diversity
External diseases in fish
Presence of nonindigenous species

Exposure Indicators
Dissolved oxygen concentration
Sediment contaminants
Fish tissue contaminants
                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II   179

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     Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
     Dissolved Oxygen
        Dissolved oxygen conditions in West Coast estuaries
     are good. NCA estimates for West Coast estuaries show
     that less than 1% of the bottom waters exhibit hypoxia
     (<2 mg/L dissolved oxygen)  in late summer (Figure 6-9).
     Out of the total of 371 stations sampled, dissolved
     oxygen was measured below 2.0 mg/L at only two
     station locations. Both of these stations were located
     in subestuaries of Puget Sound (Dabob Bay and south
     Hood Canal), which are deeper, fjord-like systems and
     may often have low dissolved oxygen in bottom waters.
     In addition, 25% of estuarine bottom waters were
     found to be in fair condition, with dissolved oxygen
     concentrations between 2 and 5 mg/L. The Puget
     Sound Water Quality Action Team (2002) identified
     south Hood Canal as an AOC for water quality because
     it may be particularly sensitive to increased nutrient
     loadings. Although conditions in the West Coast region
     appear to be generally good  for dissolved oxygen,
     measured values reflect daytime conditions, and some
     areas may still experience hypoxic conditions at night.
       Sediment Quality Index
   The overall condition of West Coast estuarine
sediment is fair to poor, with 14% of the area exceeding
thresholds for sediment toxicity, sediment contami-
nants, or sediment TOC (Figure 6-10). This estimate
of fair sediment condition reflects to a large extent the
metal concentrations in the San Francisco Estuary and
the metal and organic concentrations in the harbors and
bays within the Puget Sound system (e.g., Duwamish
River,  Commencement Bay). Amphipod toxicity at
stations within  Puget Sound, the Columbia River, and
Willapa Bay was the second most important contributor
to the areal estimate of poor condition. Several other
areas had either elevated sediment concentrations of
contaminants or high sediment toxicity (e.g., Smith
River in northern  California, Los Angeles Harbor), but
these areas constituted a relatively small areal percentage
of the West Coast estuaries.
       Dissolved Oxygen -West (1999-2000)
  Sediment Quality Index -West (1999-2000)
        Site Criteria: Dissolved
        oxygen concentration

        • Good = > 5 mg/L
        OFair  = 2-5 mg/L
        • Poor = < 2 mg/L
        O Missing
   Site Criteria: Number
   and condition of component
   indicators

   • Good =  None are poor
           and sediment
           contaminants
           is good
   OFair  =  None are poor
           and sediment
           contaminants
           is fair
   • Poor
                                                                 O Missing
     Figure 6-9. Dissolved oxygen concentration data for West
     Coast estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Figure 6-10. Sediment quality index data for West Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
180  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                      • 6  West Coastal Condition
Sediment Toxicity
   Sediment toxicity for West Coast estuaries is rated
poor. Sediment toxicity was determined using a static
10-day acute toxicity test with the amphipods Ampelisca
abdita in marine or brackish waters or Hyalella azteca
in freshwater portions of the Columbia River. Sediment
was deemed toxic if the amphipods had less than an
80% control-corrected mean survival rate. Sediments in
17% of the estuarine area of the West Coast were toxic
to amphipods  (Figure 6-11). These toxic sediments were
located largely in northern and central Puget Sound in
Washington, in the Columbia River (Washington-
Oregon), and in Los Angeles Harbor and several small
river systems (e.g., Smith River, Klamath River, Little
River) in northern California. Toxic sediments in Puget
Sound were contaminated with DDT and metals and,
in some cases,  also exceeded ERLs for PAHs or PCBs.
Sediments found in several northern California small
river estuaries exceeded ERM or ERL levels for
chromium, and sediments in the lower Columbia River
(Grays Bay) exceeded ERLs for arsenic, copper, and
chromium. One highly contaminated station in Los
Angeles Harbor had 0% Ampelisca survival and
exceeded 17 ERLs and 7 ERMs for metals, PAHs, and
PCBs. Several  stations in the Columbia River, Siuslaw
River (Oregon), and Willapa Bay (Washington) were
uncontaminated with the measured  analytes, but had
Ampelisca or Hyalella survival rates below 80%. These
stations  had very lowTOC (0 to 0.1%) and percent
fines (0  to 1.0%), which may have inhibited tube
formation and survival in Ampelisca  (U.S. EPA, 1994).
For Hyalella, however, there is no known effect of grain
size orTOC on survival (ASTM, 1995).
  Sediment Toxicity -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria: Amphipod
   survival rate
Figure 6-11.  Sediment toxicity data for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).

                                                        The rugged California coast is dotted with an abundance of small
                                                        coves (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  181

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                            ghlight
                Sediment Quality and Extent of Sediment Contamination
                in Puget Sound

                  A cooperative effort to examine the spatial distributions of sediment toxicity in Puget Sound
                was recently completed by the Washington DOE and NOAA's National Centers for Coastal
                Ocean Science. Environmental contaminants associated with sediments represent a potential
                source of toxicity to organisms living in or on the sediments, and through the food chain, to
                higher trophic level species. These contaminants enter estuarine waters through runoff, freshwater
                inflow, industrial and municipal discharges,  and atmospheric deposition. Once  bound
                to particulate materials in the water column, such contaminants can settle out and become
                incorporated into surficial sediments.
                  The overall goal of the 3-year project was to  quantify the percentage of significantly degraded
                sediment quality in Puget Sound.  A total of 300 sediment samples were collected using a stratified
                random sampling design. A triad assessment of chemical contamination, toxicity, and benthic
                infauna structure was conducted to develop  a spatial characterization of the 912-square-mile
                Puget Sound study area. Sediments were analyzed for 158 contaminants (including trace metals,
                pesticides, and hydrocarbons) and sediment parameters, most of which are analyzed in NOAA's
                NS&T Program. Toxicity tests included amphipod survival in bulk sediments, sea urchin fertiliza-
                tion success in pore waters, and microbial bioluminescence activity (Microtox™) in organic
                extracts of sediment. Organisms inhabiting the  sediments were enumerated and identified to
                the species level.
                  Chemical concentrations above sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) were found in 1.3%
                (NOAA guidelines) to 34% (Washington State  standards) of the Puget Sound study area. Only
                1 in 300 samples resulted in acute toxicity in the amphipod survival test, representing  an area of
                less than 0.1 % of the total study area. In the other toxicity tests, significant results were recorded
                in 1 to 4% of the study area. In general, the spatial extent of toxicity found in Puget Sound was
                lower than results typically found  in other estuarine systems in the United States.
182  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                Chapter 6  \ West Coastal Condition
   Based on the triad of sediment quality, approximately 39 samples, or 1% of the area surveyed,
displayed chemical contamination above an SQG, significant toxicity in any one of the three
toxicity tests, and altered benthic infaunal communities. These samples were collected from Everett
Harbor, the lower Duwamish River, Sinclair Inlet, Commencement Bay waterways, Olympia
Harbor, and along Seattle's waterfront. In contrast, 81 sediment samples, or 42% of the study area,
had uncontaminated sediments that were nontoxic and contained diverse and abundant benthos.
These areas were typically in deep basins or shallow bays near undeveloped lands. Results  of the
study did show, however, that 180 samples, or approximately 57% of the study area in Puget
Sound, had results that were termed intermediate (i.e., one or two of the three triad parameters
were affected), indicating a need for continued monitoring of these areas to assess changes in
sediment quality over time.
                                         Areas of Contaminated Sediment
                                         Data from 1997-1999
                                              Based on three separate tests
                                              for contamination
                                               - chemistry test
                                               - toxicity test
                                               - test of sediment-dwelling organisms
                            No consistent evidence of degradation

                            Degradation only in chemistry test at all stations

                            Degradation in two tests at all stations

                            Degradation in three tests at all stations
Source: Washington State
Department of Ecology, 2002

                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report I

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     Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
     Sediment Contaminants
        To assess the degree of sediment contamination in
     West Coast estuaries, the sediment concentrations of
     contaminants were compared with both the ERM and
     ERL guidelines (Long et al., 1995) (Figure  6-12). Sites
     with values exceeding an ERM for any pollutant were
     classified as having poor condition. The analysis of
     the West Coast estuaries excluded nickel and a PAH,
     phenanthrene. Phenanthrene was excluded  because
     values were not available from all three states. Nickel
     was excluded because the ERM value has a  low relia-
     bility for West Coast conditions where high natural
     crustal concentrations of nickel exist (Long  et al.,
     1995). Because of its unreliability, nickel was also
     excluded from a recent evaluation of sediment quality in
     southern Puget Sound (Long et al., 2000). Additionally,
     a study of metal concentrations in cores on  the West
     Coast determined an historical background concentra-
     tion of nickel in the range of 35—70 ppm (Lauenstein
     et al., 2000), which brackets the value of the ERM
       Sediment Contaminants -West (1999-2000)
       Site Criteria: ERL and ERM
       criteria exceedance

       • Good =  Less than 5 ERLs
                exceeded, no
                ERMs exceeded
        OFair
                Exceeds 5 or
                more ERL
                criteria, no
                ERMs exceeded
        • Poor  =
     Figure 6-12. Sediment contaminants data for West Coast
     estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
  Sediment Contaminant Criteria (Long et al., 1995)

  ERM (Effects Range Median)—Determined for each
  chemical as the 50th percentile  (median) in a database
  of ascending concentrations associated with adverse
  biological effects.
  ERL (Effects Range Low)—Determined values for
  each chemical as the I Oth percentile in a database of
  ascending concentrations associated with adverse
  biological effects.
(51.6 ppm). Some researchers have also suggested that
West Coast crustal concentrations for mercury may be
naturally elevated; however, no conclusive evidence is
available to support this suggestion. Therefore, mercury
data were not excluded from  this assessment.
   Excluding nickel, sediment concentrations exceeded
their respective ERM values at 24 stations, representing
3% of the estuarine area. Twenty of these sites were
located in California, 4 in Washington, and  none in
Oregon.  In California, all the concentrations that
exceeded the ERMs north of San Luis Obispo Bay,
including the small northern  California rivers and the
San Francisco Estuary, were due  to chromium, mercury,
or copper. In Southern California, the exceedances were
due to DDT, with the exception of the Los Angeles
Harbor, which  had high concentrations of several
metals and PAHs. In Washington, three of the sediment
concentrations  that exceeded  the ERMs occurred in
harbors and bays within the Puget Sound system; one
was in the Columbia River. All of these exceedances
were due to either PAHs or PCBs.
   Any site that had five or more compounds that
exceeded their ERL values was classified as having fair
condition. As with the ERMs, nickel was excluded from
the analysis. To ensure that the analysis was not biased
by PAHs, only one exceedance was counted  if a site
exceeded the ERL for LMW  PAHs, HMW  PAHs, or
total PAHs. A total of 62 stations had five or more
pollutants exceeding the ERL value, of which 12 also
exceeded one or more ERMs. The 62 sites represent
21% (ERM exceedance = 3% and 5 ERL exceedances =
18%) of the area of the West  Coast estuaries. Most of
these sites (45)  occurred in California, 17 sites occurred
in Washington, and none occurred in Oregon. Of the
California sites, 37 were located in the San Francisco
Estuary. Six of the remaining California sites were in
184  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
harbors or bays in southern California, and the two
remaining sites were in northern California river-mouth
estuaries. In Washington, 18 of the 20 sites exceeding
these thresholds were located within the subestuaries
(e.g., Everett Harbor, Elliott Bay) within the Puget
Sound system.
   To evaluate the relative contributions of different
types of pollutants,  the number of individual ERL
exceedances was counted by pollutant class. Twenty-four
ERLs were evaluated at each site (8 metals, total PCBs,
4,4'-DDE, total DDT, 12 individual PAHs, and
total/LMW/HMW PAHs). Metals were the major
contributor to sediment contamination in the San
Francisco Estuary; about two-thirds of the individual
ERL exceedances  resulted from arsenic, chromium,
copper, mercury, and zinc. Organic contaminants were
relatively more important in the Puget Sound system.
Total DDT exceeded ERL values at every station in
Puget Sound, as well as at every station within the
harbors and bays within the Puget Sound system.
Combined, PAHs, DDTs, and PCBs contributed about
60% of the total ERL exceedances in the Puget Sound
system, versus about 40% for the metals. The metals
with the greatest number of exceedances (excluding
nickel) in the Puget Sound system were arsenic,
chromium, and copper.
Sediment Total Organic Carbon
   Another measure of sediment condition is the
percent TOC: values exceeding 5% ranked poor,
values between 2%  and 5% ranked fair, and values less
than 2% ranked good. Using these criteria, two sites
representing just 0.01% of the area of the West Coast
estuaries were ranked poor (Figure 6-13). One of these
sites, the Big Lagoon, borders the Redwood National
Forest in northern California. This lagoon is periodi-
cally closed to the ocean by the natural movement of
dune sands, so it is  likely that the high organic content
results from the natural trapping of terrestrial and
wetland plant debris rather than from anthropogenic
inputs. The other site that was ranked poor was in the
Los Angeles Harbor, and the high organic content at
this site may well  represent anthropogenic inputs.
Another 29 sites (7  sites in California, 6 in Oregon,
and  16  in Washington) were ranked fair. In total, these
sites represent 11 %  of the estuarine area of the West
Coast. At several of these sites, there are no obvious
anthropogenic inputs of organic matter (e.g., Raft River,
Washington), and the elevated TOC levels may reflect
natural conditions. In other cases (e.g., ports and
harbors), the elevated levels may be indicative of
anthropogenic inputs.
  Total Organic Carbon -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria: TOC
   concentration

   • Good = < 2%
   OFair  = 2% - 5%
   • Poor = > 5%
   O Missing
  Good
   89%

           Fair
Figure 6-1 3. Sediment TOC data for West Coast estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                         A diver from Cordell Bank Expeditions discovers a small sediment
                                                         pocket on the bank (Cordell Bank Expeditions).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  185

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     Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
            Benthic Index
        Sediment condition in West Coast estuaries as
     measured by the benthic index is fair. Although several
     efforts are under way and indices of benthic community
     condition have been developed for regions of the West
     Coast (e.g., Smith et al., 1998), there is currently no
     single benthic community index applicable for the
     entire West Coast. In lieu of a West Coast benthic
     index, the deviation of species richness from an estimate
     of expected species richness was used as an approximate
     indicator of the condition of the benthic community.
     The Iog10 transformed number of species per 0.1 m2
     grab sample was regressed on bottom salinity. The
     analysis was limited to the 1999 data because the 2000
     benthic community data have not received final quality
     assurance/quality control  checks. Therefore, areal
     estimates of affected benthic communities only apply
     to the small West Coast estuaries and not to the San
     Francisco Estuary, Puget Sound, or the main stem of
the Columbia River. The benthic condition of any
station with fewer species than 75% of the lower 95%
confidence limit of the mean from the regression was
ranked poor (Figure 6-14).
   This approach requires that species richness be
predicted from salinity. A significant linear regression
between log species richness and salinity was found,
although it was not strong (r  = 0.43, p < 0.01). Results
of the regression indicated  that 26 sites, representing
13% of the area of the West Coast estuaries, had a
species richness of less than 75% of the lower 95%
confidence limit. Sites with lower diversity were rela-
tively evenly distributed across the three states, with 9
sites in California, 12 in Oregon, and 5 in Washington.
   Results should be interpreted cautiously because
there was only moderate concordance between lower
species richness and indices of water quality or sediment
quality, the components  that comprise these indices, or
individual contaminant ERLs (Figure 6-15). Only 3 of
the 26 sites low in species richness occurred at stations
       Benthic Index -West (1999-2000)
        Site Criteria:
        Compared to expected
        diversity

        • Good = > 90%
        OFair  = 75% - 90%
        • Poor = < 75%
        OMissing
     Figure 6-14. Benthic index data for West Coast estuaries (the San
     Francisco Estuary, Columbia Riven and Puget Sound system were
     not included in the assessment) (U.S. EPA/NCA).
  PoorWater/Sediment Quality Indicators that
  Co-occur with Low Benthic Diversity -
  West (1999-2000)
                                                                          Sediment and
                                                                          Water Quality
Figure 6-15.  Indicators of poor water and sediment quality that
co-occur with poor benthic condition in West Coast estuaries (U.S.
EPA/NCA).
186  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                  Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
ranked poor for sediment contamination, high TOC
concentrations, or amphipod toxicity. There was higher
concordance of reduced diversity with indicators of
water quality; only 9 of the 26 sites with reduced
species richness occurred at a site ranked poor by
the water quality index or its individual components.
One site with low species richness also had poor ratings
for sediment contamination and water quality. Other
anthropogenic stressors, such as dredging, may have
contributed to the low diversity at some of the sites
comprising the 30% of low diversity sites not related
to sediment or water quality variables (e.g., Coos River,
Oregon). At some sites, "natural" stressors may be the
primary  cause for reduced species richness. For example,
intense bioturbation by the burrowing ghost shrimp,
Neotrypaea californiensis, may have limited species
richness  in the Salmon River, Oregon, an estuary that
receives very few  anthropogenic inputs. The large
salinity fluctuations that the small, Pacific Northwest
river-dominated estuaries can experience over a tidal
cycle or following heavy rains may also have contributed
to the low species richness at some sites.
       Coastal  Habitat Index
   The coastal habitat index for West Coast estuaries
is rated poor. From 1990 to 2000, the West Coast
experienced a loss  of 1,720 acres of estuarine wetlands
(0.54%)  (NWI, 2002). The long-term, average decadal
loss rate of West Coast wetlands is 3-4%. Averaging
these two loss rates results in a coastal habitat index
value of 1.90. This is equivalent to a rating of poor.
Although the absolute magnitude of the acreage lost for
the West Coast was less than that in other regions of the
country, the relative percentage of existing wetlands lost
was the highest nationally. Western coastal wetlands
constitute only 6% of the total estuarine wetland acreage
in the conterminous 48 states; thus, any loss will have a
proportionately greater impact on this regionally limited
resource. Another  factor affecting coastal resource con-
dition that is not captured in the wetland loss estimates
is the proportion of shoreline that has been altered. The
Shore Zone  Inventory completed in 2000 for the state
of Washington found that almost one-third of all salt-
water shorelines in the state had some type of shoreline
modification structure, such as  bulkhead or rip-rap, in
place (Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, 2002).
       Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
   Estuarine condition in West Coast estuaries as
measured by concentrations of contaminants in fish
tissues is rated poor. Figure 6-16 shows that 27% of
all sites sampled where fish were caught (72 of 266
sites) exceeded risk-based criteria guidelines using
whole-fish contaminant concentrations. (Whole-fish
contaminant concentrations can be higher or lower
than the concentrations associated with fillets only.
Only those contaminants that have an affinity for
muscle tissue, e.g., mercury, are likely to have higher
fillet concentrations. Fillet contaminant concentrations
for most other contaminants will be lower.) For popula-
tions that consume whole fish, these risk calculations
are appropriate. The contaminants found in fish tissues
in West Coast estuaries most often included total PCBs,
DDT, and occasionally mercury.
  Tissue Contaminants -West (1999-2000)
   Site Criteria: EPA
   Guidance concentration

   • Good =  Below Guidance
           range
   OFair =  Falls within
           Guidance range
   • Poor =  Exceeds
           Guidance range
I
Figure 6-16. Fish tissue contaminants data for West Coast
estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  187

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     Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
     Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries

     Salmon Fisheries
        California Current ecosystem salmon support
     important commercial and recreational fisheries in
     Washington, Oregon, and California. Salmon are part
     of the socio-cultural heritage of the region, having been
     harvested by Native Americans for millennia. California
     Current ecosystem salmon are anadromous. These fish
     spawn in fresh water and migrate to the ocean, where
     they may undergo extensive migrations. At maturity,
     they return to their home stream to spawn and
     complete their life cycle. Pacific salmon in the
     California Current ecosystem include five species:
     Chinook, coho, sockeye, pink,  and chum salmon.
     Chinook and coho salmon are  harvested recreationally
     and commercially in  the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound,
     and in freshwater rivers on their spawning migrations.
     All species are harvested by Native American tribes for
     subsistence and ceremonial purposes.
        During the years 1995 through 1997, the average
     annual commercial salmon catch was  13,100 mt,
     providing revenues averaging almost $22 million at
     dockside. The abundance of individual stocks of
     California Current ecosystem salmon  and the mixture
     of stocks contributing to fisheries fluctuate considerably.
     Consequently, the landings of these species fluctuate.
     For all species, there is excess fishing power and over-
     capitalization of the fishing fleets. Although harvest
     rates in recent years have been held near or below levels
     that would produce a long-term potential yield,
     environmental conditions have resulted in poor ocean
     survival of Chinook and coho salmon in general, as  well
     as some individual stocks of other species. Because of
     the depressed status of many populations of Chinook
     and coho salmon, these two species are considered over-
     exploited, whereas the other species are considered fully
     exploited. The management of this  resource is complex,
     involving many stocks originating from various  rivers
     and jurisdictions. Ocean fisheries for Chinook and
     coho salmon are managed under a Pacific Fishery
     Management Council (PFMC) FMP,  with cooperation
     from states and tribal fishery agencies. Within Puget
     Sound and the Columbia River, fisheries for these two
     species are managed by the states and tribes. The other
     three species (pink, chum, and  sockeye salmon)
     are managed primarily by the Pacific Salmon
Lighthouses are essential along the rocky California coast (Paul Goetz.)
Commission (PSC), the state of Washington, and
tribal fishery agencies.
   Fisheries are managed using a variety of regulations.
Ocean fisheries are managed primarily by gear restric-
tions, minimum size limits, and time and area closures,
although harvest quotas have been placed on individual
fisheries in recent years. The PSC has used harvest
quotas, updated on the basis of in-season abundance
forecasts. Cumulative impact quotas for weak stocks
have been used to regulate some Columbia River
commercial fisheries.
   Pacific salmon in the California Current ecosystem
depend on freshwater habitat for spawning and rearing
of juveniles. The quality of freshwater habitat is largely
a function of land management practices; therefore,
salmon production is heavily influenced by entities
not directly involved in the management of fisheries.
Salmon management involves the cooperation of the
USFS Bureau of Land Management,  FWS's Bureau
of Reclamation, the USAGE, EPA,  Bonneville Power
Administration, state resource agencies, Native Ameri-
can tribes, municipal utility districts,  agricultural water
districts,  private timber companies,  and landowners.
   Status reviews have been completed by the NMFS
for most  species of the California Current ecosystem
and have resulted in listings of coho salmon from
central California through coastal Oregon; Chinook
salmon in California's Central Valley and the upper
Columbia and Snake river basins; and sockeye salmon
in the Snake River  Basin. In March 1999, the NMFS
announced the most comprehensive listing decision yet,
with final listings of nine evolutionarily significant units
(ESUs) of salmon (Chinook, chum, and sockeye) and
steelhead trout ranging from the upper Columbia River
through Puget Sound. These listings include the
metropolitan areas  of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle,
Washington, that lie within the boundaries of the listed
ESUs. Additional information on the status of the five
species of Pacific salmon is available in Our Living
Oceans (NOAA,  1999c).
188  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
Pelagic Fisheries
   Several stocks of small pelagic fish species support
fisheries along the California Current ecosystem. The
major species are Pacific sardine, northern anchovy, jack
mackerel, chub (Pacific) mackerel, and Pacific herring.
Sardine, anchovy, and the two mackerels are primarily
concentrated and harvested off California and Baja
California. Pacific herring are harvested along the West
Coast from California to Washington. Sardine and
anchovy are the most prominent of the fisheries from
an historical perspective.  Population of these small
pelagic fish, like Peruvian anchovy and Japanese sardine,
tend to fluctuate widely in abundance. California
sardines supported the largest fishery in the western
hemisphere during the 1930s and early 1940s, when
total catches averaged 500,000 mt.  Sardine  abundance
and catches declined after World War II, and the stock
finally collapsed in the late 1950s. In the mid 1940s,
U.S. processors began canning anchovy as a substitute
for sardine; however, consumer demand for canned
anchovy was low. In recent years, low prices and market
problems continue to prevent a significant U.S. reduc-
tion in the fishery for anchovy. The other small pelagic
species also have a tendency to fluctuate widely in  abun-
dance. All these pelagic fishery resources are currently
under management.
   Northern anchovy landings in California have
fluctuated more in response to market conditions than
to stock abundance. Landings in the United States have
varied from less than 10,000 mt to nearly 140,000 mt.
The well being of ecologically related species in the
marine ecosystem is an important factor in  management
of the anchovy resource. The FMP has specified a
threshold for its optimum-yield determination to
prevent anchovy depletion and to provide adequate
forage for marine fishes, mammals, and birds. More
information on the status of pelagic fisheries in the
California Current ecosystem is available in Our Living
Oceans (NOAA, 1999c).

Nearshore Fisheries
   Nearshore fishery resources are those coastal and
estuarine species found in the 0—3 nautical mile zone
of coastal state waters and for which the NMFS has
no direct management role. Nearshore resources vary
widely in species diversity and abundance. Many are
highly-prized gamefish, while others are small fishes
used for bait, food, and industrial products. The
invertebrate species of greatest interest include crabs,
shrimps, abalones, clams, scallops, and oysters. Because
the composition of the nearshore fauna is very diverse
and management authority is shared among the coastal
states and other local bodies, a detailed treatment of
the status  of these species is difficult. In the California
Current ecosystem, California contributes the most
commercial landings of nearshore species at an
estimated  93,954 mt, followed by Oregon (22,198 mt)
and Washington (14,637 mt).

Groundfish Fisheries
   Accurate, long-term predictions of potential yield
will require a substantial increase in knowledge about
competitive and predatory interactions in the biological
system of the California Current ecosystem, as well as
knowledge about climate effects on this community.
The target exploitation rate for most groundfish species
is designed to achieve a large fraction of maximum
potential yield and reduce the abundance of spawners
by about two-thirds (assuming that this will not reduce
the mean  recruitment level). Only decades of moni-
toring the stock's performance will ascertain the long-
term feasibility of these targets, as well as the degree of
natural fluctuation that will occur while maintaining
these targets. Unfortunately, there is little historical data
on these fluctuations, and the current level of stock
assessment data is not adequate to precisely track changes
in abundance for more than a few species. In addition,
only a low level of effort is directed towards feeding
habits studies that may help predict how the interac-
tions among species may change as the abundance of
several major species is reduced below unfished levels.
   Models of long-term potential yield depend on
assumptions of constant average environmental condi-
tions or an ability to predict changing conditions. There
is evidence of a decline in zooplankton abundance
within the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries
Investigations' 40-year time series, as well as of an  ocean
warming during the late 1970s. Dover sole in southern
areas, bocaccio rockfish, and lingcod exhibit declines
in mean recruitment during this same period. Better
understanding of potential linkages between fish recruit-
ment and  long-term changes in the ocean climate  are
integral to improving the 5- to 10-year forecasts of
potential fishery yield.
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  189

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                             ghlight
                EMAP 2002 - West Coast  Intertidal  Wetlands Condition Assessment

                   Much of the West Coast of the United States is subject to large tidal fluctuations, resulting
                in extensive intertidal flats that are sometimes equal to 50% or more of the total estuarine area.
                Because such fluctuations are important to many West Coast estuaries, EMAP conducted a pilot
                assessment of the condition of estuarine tidelands from Puget Sound to the Mexican border in
                2002. In addition to this regional assessment, localized studies in San Francisco Bay and Southern
                California focused on development of a range of condition indicators for low salt marsh habitats.
                These assessments of intertidal wetlands (vegetated and unvegetated habitat between mean low
                water and mean high water) complement the previous EMAP subtidal assessments conducted
                between 1999 and 2000, resulting in a  more complete picture of estuarine condition on the
                West Coast.
                   The intertidal sample design included 61 sites in Washington, 67 sites in Oregon, and 90 sites
                in California. In California, 30 sites were randomly allocated along the coastline, with another
                30 sites randomly allocated within each of the two pilot-study regions. A series of indicators
                suitable for intertidal habitats, including a variety of plant community indicators (Table 1), were
                sampled at all sites in the three states. Additional indicators were measured at the two intensive
                studies in Southern California (Point Conception to the Mexican border) and San Francisco Bay
                (Table 2). This monitoring design provides both a statewide assessment of intertidal wetland
                conditions and independent assessments of Southern California and  San Francisco  Bay wetlands.
                       Table I. Environmental Condition Indicators Used for the 2002 Intertidal Wetlands
                       Assessment Study (U.S. EPA, NCA).
                        Tidal water temperature, depth, salinity
                        Sediment pore water salinity
                        Sediment bulk density
                        Sediment percent TOC
                        Sediment grain size
                        Sediment inorganic contaminants
                        Sediment organic contaminants
                        Sediment percent nitrogen
                        Sediment percent phosphorus
                        Infaunal species composition
• Infaunal abundance
• Infaunal species richness and diversity
• Emergent macrophyte species richness
• Emergent macrophyte species diversity
• Emergent macrophyte species maximum
  stem or shoot length
• Percent of macrophyte species as
  nonindigenous species
• Submerged aquatic vegetation or
  macroalgal percent cover
• Submerged aquatic vegetation maximum
  shoot length
190  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
   The pilot studies in Southern California and San Francisco Bay provided the opportunity
to broaden the focus of the International Wetlands Asssessment Study beyond an emphasis on
sediment contamination and water quality to include issues specific to intertidal wetland habitats,
such as habitat fragmentation, threatened and endangered native species, the spread of nonindige-
nous species, the modification of tidal flushing, and the impacts of land use alteration on wetlands
(Table 2). Inclusion of these landscape and ecosystem-scale indicators should generate a more
complete and accurate assessment of the effects of stressors on West Coast estuaries.
 Table 2. Environmental Condition Indicators Used in the San Francisco Bay and Southern
 California 2002 Intertidal Wetlands Assessment Study (U.S. EPA, NCA).
   Plant community composition and percent
   cover for drainage system
   Wrack line trash composition for drainage
   system
   Nonindigenous species plants for habitat patch
   Management objectives for habitat patch
   Number of recreational facilities and annual visi-
   tors for habitat patch
   Presence of man-made water control structures
   and levees
   Total annual POTW, industrial, and power plant
   discharges to wetland watersheds
   Human population density for watershed
Human population age structure for watershed
Habitat connectivity of tidal marsh patches
Percent attenuation of spring tide range
Intertidal channel density for habitat patch
Total acreage for habitat patch
Total perimeter for habitat patch
Shoreline development index for habitat patch
Shape index for habitat patch
Adjacent land cover for habitat patch
Size class distribution for all habitat patches

                                                                                  National Coastal Condition Report II   191

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                             ghlight
                City and  County  of San Francisco Offshore Monitoring Program

                   The city and county of San Francisco conduct a regional monitoring program offshore of
                the mouth of San Francisco Bay. San Francisco's combined sewer system collects all sanitary
                and industrial wastes and stormwater runoff for treatment to primary or secondary standards
                prior to being discharged to the ocean. Activities from the highly urbanized Bay Area and
                agricultural Central Valley affect the environmental quality of San Francisco Bay waters, which
                pass through the study area with each tidal cycle. The program includes bacterial monitoring
                at beaches to provide public health data and to determine impacts from shoreline discharges.
                Additionally, offshore monitoring is conducted to evaluate the impacts of treated wastewater
                discharges on sediments and marine life.
                   Total coliform bacteria concentrations, an indicator for water-borne pathogens that could
                cause illness to those involved in beach recreation, are generally low year round, with increases
                correlating to rainfall and shoreline discharges. Surveys documented beach recreation as low
                during or following shoreline discharges, which typically occur during severe storm events in
                midwinter.  Beach warnings are posted whenever a shoreline discharge occurs or when bacteria
                counts are elevated. Beach water quality information and the 5-year summary report (1997—2001)
                of offshore monitoring data are available on the city's Web site (http://www.sfwater.org). Water
                quality information is also available on a toll free hotline  (1-877-SF BEACH) and at EPA's
                national Web site (http://www.earth911.org).
                   Bottom fish and sediment-dwelling benthic invertebrates present in the study area represent
                species common in central California's nearshore, sand-bottom environments. Sediment grain
                size is the primary factor influencing the composition of species that live in the sediments.
                Some outfall stations showed an increase in abundance of these species compared to some
                reference stations, suggestive of enrichment; however, a comparison of abundance of species
                living in the sediment at outfalls and reference sites spanning the periods before and after
                wastewater discharge demonstrated no significant difference. Mean grain sizes at the outfalls
                have not changed significantly since predischarge and preconstruction periods, suggesting that
                the wastewater discharge has not affected sediment grain size distribution.
192  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 6 \  West Coastal Condition
                       350
                       Spiophanes bombyx
                       Spiophanes berkeleyorum
                       Hesionura coineaui difficHis

             Sediment grain size and species composition of benthic invertebrates near
             oceanside discharge outfall.
   Bioaccumulation of pollutants measured in the tissues of English sole and Dungeness crab
are not significantly different between reference and outfall  regions. Pollutant levels are higher
in fatty tissues (fish liver and crab hepatopancreas) than in muscle tissue. Pollutant levels measured
in sediments did not appear to affect pollutant tissue levels in organisms from the study area.
   Additional information can be obtained by contacting Michael Kellogg at (415) 242-2218
or mkellogg@sfwater.org.
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II   193

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     Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
     Assessment and Advisory Data

     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
        The West Coast states assessed 4,990 (95%) of
     their 5,249 estuarine square miles for their 2000
     305 (b) reports (total area of estuaries presented in the
     states' 305(b) reports differs significantly from that
     determined from the NCA survey). Of the assessed
     estuarine square miles on the West Coast, 13%
     fully support their designated uses, less than 1 %
     are threatened for one or more uses, and almost 87%
     are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
     degradation (Figure 6-17 and Table 6-1). Individual
     use support  for the West Coast estuaries is shown in
     Figure 6-18.
     Figure 6-17. Water quality in assessed West Coast estuaries
     (U.S. EPA, 2002).

              Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
               Support  Consumption          Contact-   Contact
                                         Swimming
                             Designated Use

     Figure 6-18. Individual use support in assessed West Coast
     estuaries (U.S. EPA, 2002).
   The West Coast states assessed 997 (47%) of their
2,134 shoreline miles. Seventy-eight percent of the
assessed shoreline miles  fully support their designated
uses, no shoreline miles are reported as being threat-
ened, and 22% of the assessed shoreline is impaired
by some form of pollution or habitat degradation
(Figure 6-19). Individual use support for West Coast
shoreline miles is shown in Figure 6-20.
                                                               Figure 6-19. Water quality in assessed shoreline waters in the
                                                               West Coast region (U.S. EPA, 2002).
800-
700'
600-
500-
| 400-
300-
200-
100-
o-













D Fully Supporting
III Threatened
• Impaired





i — i























-
,—















—













|2000|





Aquatic Life Fish Shellfishing Primary Secondary
Support Consumption Contact- Contact
                                                                                                 Swimming
                                                                                      Designated Use

                                                               Figure 6-20. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
                                                               waters in the West Coast region (U.S. EPA, 2002).
194  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                      Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
Table 6-1. Individual Use Support for Assessed Coastal
Waters Reported by the States on theWest Coast under
Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act. (Percent impaired is
based on the total area assessed for each individual use.)
(U.S. EPA, 2002).
Individual Uses
   Assessed
   Estuaries
Impaired (mi2)
  Assessed
  Shoreline
Impaired (mi)
Aquatic life support
  3,976(81%)
   21 (3%)
Fish consumption
  1,974(97%)
   77(13%)
Shellfishing
  2,395 (64%)
   66 (9%)
Primary contact —
swimming
  1,740(35%)
  218(24%)
Secondary contact
  1,501 (30%)
   127(14%)
    Fish Consumption Advisories
       In 2002, 24 fish consumption advisories were in
    effect for the  estuarine and coastal waters of the West
    Coast (Figure 6-21). A total of 21% of the estuarine
    square miles of the West Coast were under advisory
    in 2002, and all of the estuarine area under advisory
    was located within the San Francisco Bay/Delta region
    or within Puget Sound. Only 11%  of the coastal miles
    were under advisory; more than one-half of these miles
    were located in Southern California, and the rest were
    located on  coastal  shoreline in Washington's Puget
    Sound. None of the West Coast states  (California,
    Oregon, or Washington) had statewide coastal advi-
    sories in effect in 2002. Although Oregon did not  list
    any fish consumption advisories for estuarine or coastal
    waters in 2002, there is a fish consumption advisory
    for the lower Columbia River (which forms  the
    border between Washington and Oregon) issued
    by Washington State for all species for  PCBs, dioxins/
    furans, and DDT.
       Seventeen different contaminants or groups of conta-
    minants were responsible for West Coast fish advisories
    in 2002, and 14 of those contaminants were listed only
    in the waters  of Puget Sound and bays emptying into
    the sound (arsenic, chlorinated pesticides, creosote,
    dioxin, industrial and municipal discharge, metals,
    multiple contaminants, PAHs, PCBs, pentachloro-
    phenol, pesticides, tetrachloroethylene, vinyl chloride,
    and volatile organic compounds [VOCs]). In California
    and Washington, PCBs were partly responsible for 67%
    of advisories (Figure 6-22). DDT was partly responsible
    for 12 advisories issued in California. Although there
    were only two advisories issued for mercury on the West
    Coast, the  entire San Francisco Estuary was covered by
    one of these advisories.
Number of
advisories per
USGS cataloging
unit in 2002:
                                       Figure 6-2 I. The number offish consumption advisories per
                                       USGS cataloging unit for the West Coast (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
                                        <3
                                            Other
                                            PCBs
                                            DDT
                                           Metals         |


                                                       Per
                                                                                 I
                                         20        40         60
                                     Percent of Total Number of Advisories
                                          Listing Each Contaminant
                                       Figure 6-22. Contaminants responsible for fish consumption
                                       advisories in the waters of the West Coast in 2002. An advisory
                                       can be issued for more than one contaminant, so percentages
                                       may not add up to 100 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
                                        The following fish and shellfish species were
                                        advisory in at least some part of the coastal
                                        of the West Coast in 2002:
                                        Black croaker
                                        Bivalves
                                        Bullhead
                                        Clams
                                        Corbina
                                        Crab
                                        Gobies
                                        Kelp bass
                                                 Queenfish
                                                 Rockfish
                                                 Sculpin
                                                 Shark
                                                 Shellfish
                                                 Striped bass
                                                 Surfperch
                                                 White croaker
                                                                ;under
                                                                I waters
                                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II  195

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     Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
     Beach Advisories and  Closures
        Of the 274 coastal beaches in the West Coast region
     that reported information to EPA, 65% (178 beaches)
     were closed or under an advisory for some period
     of time in 2002. Table 6-2 presents the numbers
     of beaches, advisories, and closures for each state.
     California had the most beaches responding to the EPA
     survey (269), as well as the most advisories and closures.
     It should be noted, however, that the total number of
     beach advisories and closures may not be indicative of
     increased health risks to swimmers, but is generally
     indicative of more intensive bacterial sampling efforts
     conducted at the surveyed beaches. In 2002, only five
     beaches in Washington provided a survey response,
     and no beaches in Oregon completed the EPA BEACH
     survey. Figure 6-23 presents advisory and closure
     percentages for each county within each state.
        Most beaches had multiple sources of water-borne
     bacteria that resulted in advisories or closures.
     Unknown sources accounted for 74 percent of the
     responses from West Coast beaches (Figure 6-24).

                            Percentage of beaches
                            reporting with at least
                            one advisory or closure
                            per county in 2002:

                            H  1-10
                            •  I 1-50
                            • 51-100
                            fj No Data Available
                             O Beach Closure in 2002
Figure 6-23.  Percentage ofWest Coast beaches with advisories
or closures by county in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
  Table 6-2. Number of Beaches and Coastal
  Advisories/Closures in 2002 for the West Coast.
                                        Percentage of
                          No. of        Beaches Affected
                No. of    Advisories/   by Advisories/
State
California
Beaches
269
Closures
178
Closures
66.2%
Oregon - -
Washington
TOTALS
5
274
0
178
0.0%
65.0%
 Source U.S. EPA, 2003a
                                                                                Other
                                                                     Unknown
                                                                       74%
                            Sewer Line Problem 6%
                               Stormwater Runoff 9%
                                Wildlife 3%
Figure 6-24. Sources of beach contamination in the West Coast
region (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                              Clamming season opens on the Oregon
                                                              coast west of Astoria (Commander
                                                              GradyTuell, NOAA Corps).
196  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                  • 6  West Coastal Condition

Southern California's Beach Water Quality

   Southern California beaches are a valuable recreational resource, receiving more than
300 million visitors and contributing 9 billion dollars to the local economy annually. Southern
California beaches are also the most  extensively monitored in the country, with most supervision
focused on known problem areas. To better assess overall shoreline water quality, 22 organizations
that monitor bacteriological levels along the Southern California shoreline coordinated their
efforts to conduct three integrated coastline surveys. Two of the surveys were conducted during
dry periods, and one was conducted following a rainfall event.
   Multiple bacterial indicators (e.g., total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococci) were
collected from nearly 300 beach sites, randomly selected using a stratified sampling design. Water
quality along coastal beaches was consistently good during dry weather, with almost 95% of the
shoreline sites meeting bacterial standards. The few open coastline samples that exceeded bacterial
standards were barely above guidelines and surpassed standards for only one of the three bacterial
indicators measured. In contrast, nearly 60% of the beaches near  urban runoff outlets (storm
drains) failed water quality standards, with most of the samples failing for multiple bacterial
indicators.  Effects of land-based runoff were more exaggerated during wet weather, when 58%
of the open coastline and  87%  of the beaches near storm drains failed water quality standards.
The levels of these water quality standard failures were also much higher in wet weather.
   Results of this study have served to reassure visitors that beach water quality monitoring
programs currently being  conducted at Southern California's beaches are highly effective.
Management efforts are focused on improving urban runoff quality, with warnings not
to swim near runoff outlets  currently issued for three days following storm events.

                  £ o
                  c rt
                  (IjcQ
1 \J\J
90 -
80 -
70 -
60 -
SO -
40 -
30 -
20 -
10 -
0 -
















1 — 1
























Near Storm Open Near Storm Open
Drain Outlet Beaches Drain Outlet Beaches
                                 Dry Weather
 Wet Weather

Source: Noble et. al., 2003
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  197

-------
     Chapter 6 \ West Coastal Condition
     Summary
         i.

   The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from
   atop NOAA's Gulf of the Farallones National
   Marine Sanctuary Office at the Presidio, San
   Francisco, California (Rich Bourgerie,
   Oceanographen CO-OPS, NOS, NOAA).
   Based on the indices used in this report, ecological conditions in
West Coast estuaries are considered fair. These results are largely driven
by results from Puget Sound and the San Francisco Estuary; most smaller
systems along the coast are estimated to be in better condition. The
NCA 1999-2000 data confirm the conclusion of the NCCRI that the
primary problems in West Coast estuaries are degraded sediment quality.
The NCA data show that 21% of estuarine sediments exceed ERL/ERM
guidelines for sediment contaminants. For most of the West Coast estu-
arine area, sediment contamination was due to exceedance of ERLs for
multiple compounds rather than for a single  compound exceeding the
ERM value. There was little indication of elevated levels of organic
matter in the sediments, and although there was evidence of sediment
toxicity from amphipod bioassays,  in some cases toxicity was not
explained by measured contaminants at a site. Dissolved oxygen,
chlorophyll a concentrations,  and levels of nitrogen are considered good
for West Coast estuaries,  except in  some isolated regions of Puget Sound.
Based on the water clarity indicator, considerable areas of West Coast
estuaries have poor light penetration, but the high tidal amplitude in
much of the region may require a revaluation of the threshold levels
used for this indicator in the West. Increasing population pressures
(particularly in the Seattle-Tacoma region, the San Francisco Estuary,  and
Southern California) require continued environmental awareness and
programs to correct existing problems and to ensure that environmental
indicators currently in fair condition do not worsen  and become poor.
198  National Coastal Condition Report I

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Chapter 7
Great Lakes
Coastal Condition



-------
     Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
      Great Lakes  Coastal  Condition
        The overall condition of the Great Lakes is fair to
     poor, based on the Great Lakes Index (Figure 7-1).
     The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
     has been monitoring the open waters of the Great Lakes
     (approximately 94,250 square miles) annually since
     1983- It has collected water and biota biannually from
     specified water depths from a limited number of
     locations in each of the five Great Lakes. This moni-
     toring effort was designed to provide data to (1)  assess
     the state of water quality in open lake basins (more than
     100 feet in depth or more than 3 miles  from shore); (2)
     detect and evaluate trends and changes in chloride,
State of the Lakes
Ecosystems Indicators
1. Water Clarity
2. Dissolved Oxygen
3. Coastal Wetlands
4. Water Quality Index*
S. Eutrophic Condition
6. Sediment Contamination
7. Benthic Health
8. Fish Tissue Contaminants
9. Phosphorus Concentrations
Beach Closures
Drinking Water Quality
Air Toxics Deposition
Numerical
Rating
•



1





_2_



-





_3_











J_











5_









     Figure 7-1. The overall condition of the Great Lakes based on
     these indicators is fair to poor (The numbered indicators are
     similar to those used in the NCA Program, with poor referenced
     as  I or red, and good referenced as 5 or dark green.The Water
     Quality Index [#4] is not part of the SOLEC indicators and was
     constructed for a more direct comparison to the water quality
     indices used in this report. It is a combination of SOLEC indica-
     tions—Water Clarity [# I], Dissolved Oxygen [#2], Eutrophic
     Condition [#5], and Phosphorus Concentrations [#9].)
nitrate nitrogen, silica, phytoplankton, total phos-
phorus, chlorophyll a, and Secchi disk depth; (3) verify
or modify water quality models; and (4) estimate the
trophic index for each lake. The GLNPO also sampled
sediments from select shallow and deepwater locations
to characterize benthic communities. Other special-
purpose sampling programs focused on known or
suspected problem areas, such as the Great Lakes AOCs
and rivers and harbors, to determine, for example,
whether contamination was increasing or decreasing in
sediments and whether remediation efforts were feasible
and effective.
                                                             Chicago Harbor Light, Chicago Illinois (Richard B. Mieremet,
                                                             Senior Advisor, NOAA OSDIA).
200  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
                                                                                         Lake Michigan waterfront
                                                                                         Chicago, Illinois (Richard B,
                                                                                         Mieremet, Senior Advisor;
                                                                                         NOAA OSDIA).
Houghton County Lake Superior; Michigan (Richard B. Mieremet, Senior
Advisor, NOAA OSDIA).
                                                              Coastal Monitoring Data
                                                                Although the Great Lakes have an extensive
                                                              monitoring network, Great Lakes monitoring is not
                                                              directly comparable with monitoring done under the
                                                              NCA Program. The Great Lakes Program uses best
                                                              scientific judgment to select monitoring sites that
                                                              represent overall condition of the Great Lakes, whereas
                                                              the NCA Program uses a probabilistic survey design to
                                                              represent overall ecosystem condition in order to attain
                                                              a known level of uncertainty. Because the two programs
                                                              use different methods, spatial estimates of coastal
                                                              condition cannot be calculated for the Great Lakes that
                                                              are consistent with those calculated for the Northeast
                                                              Coast, Southeast Coast, West Coast, and Gulf
                                                              Coast regions, nor can estimates for the Great Lakes be
                                                              compared with those for other regions with a known
                                                              level of confidence. The comparability of these estimates,
                                                              however, was recently improved by efforts of the
                                                              GLNPO and  Great Lakes scientists to assess the overall
                                                              status of eight ecosystem components of the Great
                                                              Lakes, some similar to NCA indicators. The results of
                                                              these efforts, along with relevant technical information
                                                              from the SOLEC  (http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/solec/)
                                                              and GLNPO  (http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/), are used
                                                              to quantify and categorize NCA condition indicators
                                                              for the Great Lakes. The condition values are based
                                                              primarily on expert opinion, and they are integrated
                                                              with other regional condition data to evaluate the
                                                              overall condition of the nation's coastal environment.

                                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II 201

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     Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition
            Water Quality Index
        In order to more readily compare the SOLEC
     findings for the ecological condition of the Great Lakes
     with the NCA findings for U.S. estuaries, several
     SOLEC indicators (eutrophic condition, water clarity,
     dissolved oxygen, and phosphorus concentrations)
     were combined into a water quality index. Of these
     indicators, one is fair to poor (eutrophic condition), two
     are fair (water clarity and phosphorus concentrations),
     and one is good (dissolved oxygen). The same general
     approach  used for NCA data to calculate water quality
     index ratings was used to calculate the water quality
     index rating for the Great Lakes, and water quality
     is rated fair.
     Eutrophic Condition
        Eutrophic condition in the Great Lakes is rated
     fair to poor. The GLNPO used a surface water quality
     index developed by Chapra and Dobson (1981), based
     on an assumed direct relationship between phosphorus
     concentrations, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depth
     (clarity), to describe the water quality condition
     of offshore waters.
        Data collected during the  1990s indicate that the
     trophic condition of Lake Superior, the deepest and
     coldest of the Great Lakes, is good (oligotrophic—low
     in nutrients, high in water clarity, and low in produc-
     tivity), and trends do not suggest future problems. For
     the remaining Great Lakes, data to calculate trophic-
     state indices date back to the 1980s and provide  a long-
     term trend. The waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron,
     the second and third largest of the Great Lakes,
     respectively, were determined to be good (oligotrophic),
     with indications that conditions are improving. Lake
     Ontario, the fourth largest lake, is oligomesotrophic
     (having both oligotrophic and mesotrophic characteris-
     tics over time), with indications that conditions are
     improving. Lake Erie, the smallest of the Great Lakes,
     has three distinct basins. The Eastern Basin, the  deepest
     of the three basins, is oligotrophic (good). The Central
     Basin has  characteristics of both oligotrophy and
     mesotrophy (moderately low in nutrients, moderate
     in water clarity, and of moderate productivity) and
     experiences oxygen depletion at deeper depths during
     the summer months. The Western Basin, the shallowest
     basin, is classified as mesotrophic, with large annual
     fluctuations in the index obscuring any trends.
Nutrients: Phosphorus
   The condition of the Great Lakes as measured by
nutrient concentrations is fair. Average phosphorus
concentrations in the open waters of Lakes Superior,
Michigan, Huron, and Ontario are at or below guide-
line levels established by the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement (Figure 7-2). Offshore waters of Lakes
Ontario  and Huron meet the guidelines, but some
nearshore areas exceed the guidelines, potentially
promoting growth of nuisance algae. Phosphorus
concentrations in all three basins  of Lake Erie exceed
the guidelines. Four of six lake basins have total
phosphorus concentrations at or below guideline
levels; consequently, Great Lakes scientists rank
phosphorus concentrations as fair. This indicator,
however, is measured in the open waters  of the  Great
Lakes. If phosphorus were measured in nearshore
coastal areas  (the subject of this report) rather than
in open water, the indicator would likely rank lower
in condition.
    20
    18
    16 -
    14 -
_,   12-
"§>  10-
    4 •
    2-
• Erie-Central    Huron
A Michigan    D Ontario
O Superior
         1984 1986  1988 1990 1992  1994 1996  1998 2000 2002
                            Year

Figure 7-2. Total phosphorus concentrations in the open waters
of the Great Lakes (GLNPO, 2003).
Water Clarity
   Water clarity, measured by Secchi disk, is good
to fair in the Great Lakes. It has increased in all lakes
over the last decade, except for Lake Erie. Secchi disk
measurements of light penetration in Lake Ontario,
for example,  increased nearly 100% during the 1990s.
Increased water clarity, although visually pleasing, may
not be a good indicator of improving conditions in the
Great Lakes because increased water clarity is also an
indicator of reductions in algal populations, which are
the food base for the aquatic food chain.
202  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                             Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
   Turbidity data are often collected in nearshore
waters in order to measure water clarity and drinking
water quality. Based on data from 98 reporting stations
in the Great Lakes Basin collected between 1999 and
2001, the most turbid waters were from the Great
Lakes, connecting rivers, and inland rivers; inland
lakes  and ground waters were less turbid. The trend
in turbidity declined during this period, with Lakes
Ontario, Superior, and Huron having the least turbid
waters during this 3-year period.
Dissolved Oxygen
   Dissolved oxygen conditions in the Great Lakes
are generally good; however, dissolved oxygen in the
central basin of Lake Erie continues to be a persistent
problem. Anoxic conditions (< 0.5 mg/L) often occur
in late August and continue until turnover occurs in
the fall. The frequency and extent of oxygen depletions
decreased considerably from the 1970s, leveled off in
the late 1990s,  and may now be increasing again. This
may be due to the invasion of non-native species that
have modified Lake Erie's ecosystem function and
affected dissolved oxygen concentrations.
                                                       Sediment Quality Index
                                                   The condition of sediments in Great Lakes
                                                harbors and tributaries is poor. Contaminated
                                                sediments currently affect beneficial uses at all 31
                                                of the AOCs in the U.S. Great Lakes (Figure 7-3).
                                                Sediment contamination contributes to 11 of 14
                                                beneficial use impairments, including a wide range
                                                of recreational, habitat, economic, and environmental
                                                impairments. Contaminated sediments in the AOCs
                                                are the leading cause of fish consumption advisories.
                                                Contaminated sediments in the AOCs requiring
                                                remediation are roughly estimated to be between
                                                10  and 30 million cubic yards. Sediment contaminants
                                                in the AOCs also serve as a source of contaminants
                                                to the open waters  as  a result of sediment resuspension
                                                activities, such as storm events. Great Lakes scientists
                                                rank sediment  contamination by examining the
                                                percentage of contaminated sediment volume that
                                                has been remediated.  Sediment contamination in
                                                the AOCs  is  rated poor because less than 10% of the
                                                contaminated sediment volume has been remediated.
                                                This poor rating only applies to the most problematic
     Canada
      USA
                                                                                            St. Lawrence River
                                                                                            at Massen
          St. Louis River

                    Merominee River
                                         Muskegon
                                         White Lake
                                           Clinton River
                                           Rouge River
                                      Kalailnazoo River
                                                                                                            I
Lower Green Bay and Fox River
           Sheboygan River

                Milwaukee

           Waukegan Harbor
                                                                                  Eighteen Mile Creek
                                                                               Rochester
       Buffalo River

   Presque Isle Bay
Ashtabula River
                                                                Cuyahoga River
                                                             Black River
                        Grand Calumet River
                                                                         •  United States AOCs
                                                                         •  Canadian AOCs
                                                                         O  BinationalAOCs
Figure 7-3. Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) (GLNPO, 2004).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  203

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     Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition
     Great Lakes areas and is not intended as an overall
     assessment of the sediments of the Great Lakes.
        The GLNPO assesses the levels of contaminants
     in rivers and harbors of the Great Lakes to support
     sediment-based mass balance modeling activities, to
     promote remediation of sediment contaminants,
     and to assist in developing sediment policies for the
     Great Lakes. The results of sediment assessments
     conducted in 1999 showed that approximately 60%
     of the sediments sampled in Great Lakes rivers and
     harbors were considered "probably toxic" because of
     PCBs, 20% were considered not toxic, and 20% were
     considered to have uncertain toxicity (Figure 7-3).
            Benthic Index
        Sediment condition in the Great Lakes as measured
     by benthic condition is fair to poor. The benthic inver-
     tebrates Diporiea and Hexagenia have historically been
     sampled because of their importance at the base of the
     food web. Diporiea is an indicator in cold, deepwater
     habitats, and Hexagenia is an indicator of a healthy
     mesotrophic environment. Nine monitored areas—
the deepwater environment of each lake plus four
mesotrophic habitats (western Lake Erie, the Bay
of Quinte, Saginaw Bay, and Green Bay)—provide
the basis for evaluating benthic health. Only two to
four of the monitored areas have healthy, sustainable
populations of Diporiea or Hexagenia; consequently,
SOLEC scientists rank benthic health for the Great
Lakes as poor  (Figure 7-4).
   The GLNPO initiated a benthic invertebrate
biomonitoring program in 1997 to complement its
ongoing surveillance sampling (Figure 7-5). All five
lakes were sampled for macroinvertebrates and sediment
chemistry at a minimum of 45 sampling stations;
nearshore (< 165 ft depth) and offshore  (> 165 ft
depth) stations were sampled to evaluate both large,
basin-wide changes (offshore) and more local changes
(nearshore). The results demonstrated that, overall,
most sites were taxa poor, with a maximum of 7 to 10
taxa per site and a minimum of 1 to 5 taxa per site.
Greater numbers of taxa were found in the lower lakes,
with the greatest number in Lake Erie, most likely
because Lake Erie has a greater number  of shallow
sampling sites.
                                                                     • Better than SOLEC Criteria
                                                                     O Meets SOLEC Criteria
                                                                     • Worse than SOLEC Criteria
                     SOLEC Criteria
                     Depth <328 ft: 220-320 organisms/m2
                     Depth >328 ft: 30-160 organisms/m2
                Figure 7-4. Diporiea abundance in relation to SOLEC criteria (GLNPO, 1998).
204  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                              Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
         Figure 7-5. Location of benthic sampling sites, summer 1997 (GLNPO, 1998).
       Coastal Habitat Index
   More than one-half of the Great Lakes coastal
wetlands were lost between 1780 to  1980, with the
largest losses in Ohio (90%) and the smallest in
Minnesota (42%) (Figure 7-6). Today, Great Lakes
scientists rate the condition of Great Lakes coastal
wetlands by examining amphibian abundance and
diversity, wetland-dependent diversity and abundance,
coastal wetland area by type,  and the effects of water
level fluctuations. Based on these measures, the
condition of Great Lakes coastal wetlands is rated
fair to poor. A binational Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
Consortium of scientists and managers is developing
a long-term monitoring program to assess trends
in the rate and  extent of loss  of the Great Lakes
coastal wetlands.

Figure 7-6. Percent coastal wetland habitat loss from  1780 to
1980 by state and for the Great Lakes overall (Turner and
Boesch, !988;Dahl, 1990).
Raspberry Island Lighthouse, Apostle Islands, Wisconsin (Richard
B. Mieremet, Senior Advisor, NOAA OSDIA).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  205

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     Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition
            Fish Tissue Contaminants Index
        The condition of the Great Lakes as measured
     by fish tissue contaminants is fair. Fish consumption
     programs are well established in the Great Lakes
     and offer advice to residents regarding the amount,
     frequency, and species of fish that are safe to eat. Such
     advice is based primarily on concentrations of PCBs,
     mercury, chlordane, dioxin, and toxaphene in fish
     tissues. These contaminants are generally declining
     in fish tissues, but are still at levels that trigger fish
     advisories in all five Great Lakes. Great Lakes scientists
     rank fish tissue contamination as fair, based on
     the application of a uniform fish protocol to PCB
     concentrations in coho salmon from the Great Lakes
     (contaminants in fish tissue range between 0.2 and 2.0
     ppm). Each lake is ranked individually based on PCB
     concentrations and the corresponding fish advisory
     category; the final overall ranking is an average of all
     five individual rankings.
        Fish contaminant data can also be used to determine
     whether fish-dependent wildlife are threatened by
     toxic chemicals in the environment. Fish-dependent
     wildlife consume fish as a large part of their diet, and
     consequently, are susceptible to toxic chemicals  in the
     aquatic environment. The EPA established 0.16 ppm
     as the wildlife protection value for fish-dependent
     wildlife, the concentration below which fish-dependent
     wildlife are reasonably protected. This value is exceeded
     by a factor of 5 to 10, depending on the specific lake,
     with highest concentrations in predatory fish from Lake
     Michigan (Figure 7-7).

0.2.

 °
Wil

1.4-
1 2-


0.6-
0.4-
m-
n.






















































                                                        I
             Superior   Michigan    Huron
         Wildlife Protection Value (0.16 ppm)
                                          Erie
                                                 Ontario
     Figure 7-7. PCBs concentrations in Great Lakes top predator
     whole fish (walleye in Lake Erie, lake trout elsewhere) in 2000
     (GLNPO, 2003).
Drinking Water Quality
   Drinking water quality in the Great Lakes is fair
to good. This indicator is based on the following
chemical, biological, physical, and aesthetic parameters:
(1) atrazine, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations in raw
water; (2) total counts of coliform, Escherischia coli,
Giardia, and Cryptosporidium in  treated water;
(3) turbidity, TOC, and dissolved organic carbon
in raw water; and (4) taste and odor of treated water.
The desired objective is that all drinking water be
safe for  human consumption. In other words, densities
of disease-causing organisms or concentrations of
hazardous or toxic chemicals should not exceed
objectives, standards, or guidelines for protecting
human  health.
   The  risk to human health from chemical contami-
nants in Great Lakes drinking water sources is minimal,
based on analysis of treated water for atrazine at 104
public water systems and nitrite at 56 public water
systems. Data from 98 systems suggested that nearly
36% of public water systems needed to treat water for
TOC and dissolved organic carbon (which  have the
potential to form harmful by-products during water
treatment), and treatment was effective in reducing
these compounds to safe levels. Three-year data from 48
water treatment plants show higher coliform counts in
Great Lakes surface waters and rivers. Water treatment
plants reported no to very low occurrences of Giardia
and Cryptosporidium in raw water and no occurrences of
these organisms in treated drinking water; consequently,
Great Lakes scientists ranked drinking water quality as
fairly good.

Air Toxics Deposition
   The  condition of the Great Lakes as measured by
air toxics deposition is fair. Trends in concentrations of
PCBs over space and time are used to infer  the potential
for impacts of chemicals from atmospheric  deposition
and effectiveness and progress toward eliminating toxics
from the Great Lakes. The major pathways  for PCBs
into the Great Lakes are atmospheric deposition (80%
to 95%, based on data from Lake Superior  and Lake
Michigan), sediment contamination, and tributary
loadings. SOLEC scientists rank air toxics deposition as
fair based on a  rating guideline that measured air toxics
concentrations  ranging between 55 and 100 pg/m3.
206  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                     Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition


State  of the  Lakes  Ecosystem  Conference  (SOLEC)
   The SOLEC events are co-hosted biennially
by EPA and Environment Canada, as required
by the binational Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement (GLWQA) of 1978, as revised in
1987- The purpose of the agreement is to
restore and maintain the chemical, physical,
and biological integrity of the waters of the
Great Lakes basin ecosystem. These conferences
report on the state of the Great Lakes ecosystem
and major factors affecting it, as well as provide
a forum to inform Great Lakes decision makers
of the effectiveness of protection and restoration
programs for the ecosystem.
   Scientists, environmental managers, and other
interested stakeholders from the United States and Canada participate in these conferences,
which are often focused on specific, but slightly different issues. SOLEC 1994 focused on
aquatic community health, human health, aquatic habitat, toxic contaminants in the water, and
the Great Lakes economy. The  second conference, SOLEC 1996, focused on the nearshore lands
and ecosystem water, where there is high biological productivity and diversity and where human
impacts are the greatest. Nearshore waters, coastal wetlands, land adjacent to the Great Lakes,
impacts of changing land use, and information availability and management were topics stressed
at this conference. Following SOLEC 1996, participants identified the need to develop
comprehensive, basin-wide indicators to determine and report on progress in a compatible
format;  therefore, the objective of SOLEC 1998 was to develop a suite of indicators that fairly
represent the condition of the Great Lakes ecosystem components.
   SOLEC 1998 initiated a systematic program to assess the state of the Great Lakes using
science-based indicators. The challenge of SOLEC 2000 was to determine how many of the
80 recommended indicators from the 1998  conference could be quantified. SOLEC 2002
continued the update and assessment of the state of the Great Lakes using the suite of indicators
and emphasized biological integrity. A comprehensive assessment of the state of the Great Lakes
basin was reported at the 2002 conference.
   The results of SOLEC 2002 conference provide much of the information reported in
the Great Lakes Coastal Condition chapter.  Summaries of the indicator findings and the
ecological condition of each of the Great Lakes and their connecting channels are presented
in the document State of the Great Lakes 2003- The full indicator report, plus references and
data sources, are presented in Implementing Indicators — A Technical Report. Both are available
online at http://www.binational.net. Additional information about SOLEC is also  available
at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/solec/.
                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  207

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     Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
     Assessments and Advisories
     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
        The Great Lakes states assessed 5,066 miles (92%)
     of their 5,521  miles of Great Lakes shoreline for the
     2000 305 (b) reports. None of the assessed shoreline
     waters fully support their designated uses; 22% are
     threatened for one or more uses, and the remaining
     78% are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
     degradation (Figure 7-8). Individual use support for
     Great Lakes shoreline is shown in Figure 7-9- The states
     reported that priority toxic organic chemicals, nutrients,
     pathogens, sedimentation, oxygen-depleting substances,
     foul taste and odor, and PCBs were the leading causes
     of impairment to Great Lakes shoreline waters.
        Table 7-1 shows how states rated individual use
     support for their assessed Great Lakes shoreline waters.
      Not
    Assessed
     Figure 7-8. Water quality for assessed Great Lakes shoreline
     waters (U.S. EPA, 2002).

6,000 •
5,000 •
I
• Fully Supporting
D Threatened
• Impaired
|2000|
   4,000 •

   3,000 •

   2,000 •

   1,000-
         _LL
        Aquatic Life Fish Con- Primary  Secondary  Drinking Agriculture
         Support  sumption Contact-   Contact  Water
                       Swimming
                        Designated Use
Figure 7-9. Individual use support for assessed Great Lakes
shoreline waters (U.S. EPA, 2002).
                                                               Table 7-1. Individual Use Support for Assessed Shoreline
                                                               Waters Reported by States on the Great Lakes under
                                                               Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act for 2000
                                                               (U.S. EPA, 2002).

                         Shoreline        Percentage
                        Assessed as        of Total
Individual Uses
Aquatic life support
Fish consumption
Primary contact —
swimming
Secondary contact
Drinking water
Agriculture
Impaired (mi)
245
4,976
101
6
80
0
Area Assessed
18%
100%
3%
0%
2%
0%
                                                                                                Park Point area, Lake
                                                                                                Superior; Minnesota
                                                                                                (Richard B. Mieremet,
                                                                                                Senior Advisor; NOAA
                                                                                                OSDIA).
208  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                             Chapter 7  Great Lakes Coastal Condition
Fish Consumption Advisories
   Fishing in the Great Lakes region is a way of life and
a valued recreational and commercial activity for many
people. To protect citizens from the risks of eating
contaminated fish, the eight states bordering the Great
Lakes had a total of 30 fish consumption advisories in
effect in 2002 for the waters and connecting waters of
the Great Lakes. During 2002, every Great Lake had at
least one advisory,  and advisories covered 100% of the
Great Lakes shoreline (Figure 7-10). Michigan, which
borders four of the five Great Lakes and encompasses
four of the six connecting waterbodies, issued the largest
number of advisories (13).
   Great Lakes fish consumption advisories were issued
for six pollutants: mercury, mirex,  chlordane, dioxins,
PCBs, and DDT. All of the advisories listed PCBs, and
almost one-half (47%) also listed dioxins (Figure 7-11).
Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron were
under advisory for at least four pollutants each in 2002
(Table 7-2); however, some of the advisories were of
                 Number of consumption
                 advisories per USGS
                 cataloging unit in 2002:
Figure 7-10. Fish consumption advisories were in effect for
100% of U.S. Great Lakes shoreline waters in 2002 (U.S. EPA,
2003 c).
locations applied primarily to larger, older, indivi
fish high in the food chain.
Species under fish consumption advisory
in 2002 in at least one of the Great Lakes
or connecting waters:
American eel Largemouth bass
Black crappie Longnose sucker
Bloater Northern hogsucker
Blue catfish Northern pike
Bluegill sunfish Pink salmon
Bowfin Quillback carpsucker
Brook trout Rainbow trout
Brown bullhead Rock bass
Brown trout Round goby
Burbot Silver redhorse
Channel catfish Siscowet trout
Chinook salmon Smallmouth bass
Chub Smelt
Coho salmon Splake trout
Common carp Steel head trout
Freshwater drum Walleye
Gizzard shad White bass
Lake herring White perch
Lake sturgeon White sucker
Lake trout Yellow perch
Lake whitefish Source: u.s. EPA, 2003c,
, ,
1
PCBs 1


rt
•= Mercury 1
£ '
2
% Chlordane 1
U
Mirex 1 | 	 1
2002
DDTB ^

I I I I
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percentage of Total Number of Advisories
Listing Each Contaminant
Figure 7-11. Great Lakes advisories were issued for five contami-
nants. An advisory can be issued for more than one contaminant
so percentages may not add up to 1 00 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).
1 Table 7-2. Fish Advisories Issued for Contaminants in Each
of the Great Lakes (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

Great Lakes PCBs Dioxins Mercury Chlordane DDT Mirex
Lake Superior • • • •
Lake Michigan • • • • •
Lake Huron • • • •
Lake Erie • • •




Lake Ontario • • •
                                                                                                                     I
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  209

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     Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition
     Beach Advisories and Closures
        Of the 386 coastal beaches along the Great Lakes
     that reported information to EPA, only 28.5%
     (110 beaches) were closed or under an advisory for
     some period of time in 2002. Table 7-2 presents the
     numbers of beaches, advisories, and closures for each
     state. Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois had the greatest
     percentages of advisories or closures. Figure 7-12
     presents advisory and closure percentages for each
     county within each state.
        Most beach advisories and closures were implemented
     at coastal beaches along the Great Lakes because of
     elevated bacteria levels (Figure 7-13). Most beaches
     had multiple sources  of water-borne bacteria that
     resulted in advisories  or closures. Stormwater runoff
     (23%) and wildlife (22%) were frequently identified
     as sources, and unknown sources accounted for 25%
     of the responses (Figure 7-14).
        The highest percentage of beaches closed or under
     advisory occurred in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois,
     with almost 71%, 53%, and 51% of beaches, respec-
     tively, reporting at least one public beach notification
     in 2002 (Table 7-3). Pennsylvania and Minnesota both
     reported that 0% of their beaches were closed or under
     advisories in 2002.
Table 7-3. Number of Beaches and Advisories/Closures
in 2002 for Great Lakes Coastal States (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
State
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
No. of
Beaches
4
53
43
17
174
52
13
30
No. of
Advisories/
Closures
0
28
22
12
26
12
0
10
Percentage
of Beaches
Affected by
Advisories/
Closures
0.0%
52.8%
51.2%
70.6 %
14.9%
23.1 %
0.0%
33.3%
   TOTALS
386
110
28.5%

                                                              Percentage of beaches
                                                              reporting with at least
                                                              one advisory or
                                                              closure per county
                                                              in 2002:

                                                              n  1-10
                                                              •  I 1-50
                                                              • 51-100
                                                               "1 No  Data Available
                                             Figure 7-12. Percentage of Great Lakes beaches responding to
                                             the survey with at least one advisory or closure (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                        Preemptive  Qther
                                                         Closure  ,    7o/
                                                         if     \\    ''°
                                                         (Sewage)
                                                           5%
                                                                       Preemptive
                                                                        Closure  —
                                                                        (Rainfall)
                                                                          15%
                                                                                Elevated
                                                                                Bacteria
                                                                                 Levels
                                                                                  73%
                                                                Figure 7-1 3. Reasons for beach advisories or closures in the
                                                                Great Lakes (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                              Other
                                                                               11%
                                                                    Unknown
                                                                      25%
                                                                          4%             r—-i
                                                                         sso 3%           ra
                                                                          POTW5%
                                                                           Septic System 1%
                                                                            Sewer Line Problem 1%
                                                                            Boats 5%
Stormwater
  Runoff
   23%
                                                                               Wildlife
                                                                                 22%
                                                                Figure 7-14. Sources of beach contamination in the Great
                                                                Lakes (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
210  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                       Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition

Great Lakes  Strategy 2002:
A Plan  for the  New Millennium

   The Great Lakes Strategy 2002 was created by the
United States Policy Committee (USPC), a forum of senior
representatives from federal, state, and tribal governmental
agencies that share the responsibility for environmental protection and management of the
natural resources  of the Great Lakes Basin. The strategy's purpose is to advance the restoration
and protection of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem, as related to fulfilling the goals of the
GLWQA  of 1972, as amended in 1987- It is intended to coordinate and focus USPC efforts
by establishing a common set of goals for multi-lake and basin-wide environmental issues.
The strategy supports multi-stakeholder efforts to restore and protect the Great Lakes, such as
Lakewide  Management Plans and Remedial Action Plans for AOCs. International issues will be
discussed  between the USPC and Canadian counterparts at the Binational Executive Committee
meetings that typically occur twice a year.
   The long-term vision of the Great Lakes Strategy is to eliminate the need to issue health
advisories  for fish consumption, beaches, or drinking water; to create a balanced, self-sustaining
fishery; to restore and protect native species, natural communities, and ecological systems; to make
land use and water quality decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem;
and to maintain environmental and economic prosperity in a sustainable balance.
   The strategic priorities are expressed within four major long-term goals:
   1.  Chemical Integrity. Reduce toxic substances in the Great Lakes ecosystem to maintain a
      balance of nutrients to ensure a healthy aquatic ecosystem and protection of all organisms.
   2.  Physical Integrity. Restore and protect the physical integrity of the Great Lakes,
      supporting habitats of healthy and  diverse aquatic communities and wildlife in the
      Great Lakes Basin.
   3-  Biological Integrity. Restore and maintain stable, diverse, and self-sustaining populations
      of native fish and aquatic life, wildlife, and plants in the Great Lakes Basin.
   4.  Cooperative Management. Work together to restore and protect the Great Lakes Basin
      by establishing effective programs, coordinating  authorities and resources, reporting on
      progress, and holding forums for information exchange and collective decision making
      to achieve the objectives of the GLWQA.
   For each goal,  the strategy identifies major environmental challenges,  describes the challenge,
lists major governmental programs to address the issue, establishes ambitious objectives, including
a scheduled deadline with a measurable environmental result, and identifies key actions to
accomplish the objectives. Additional information on the Great Lakes Strategy 2002 is available
at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/gls.

                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  211

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                            ghlight
                                                                        Velunt«r Monitoring Program
                                                                                         Sradnml
Volunteer Monitoring Program for Aquatic
Nuisance Species

  The Lake Erie Aquatic Exotics Squad Volunteer
Monitoring Program is a collaborative project between the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's
(DEP's) Coastal Zone Management Program, Lakes
Management Program, Citizen Volunteer Monitoring
Program, and Pennsylvania Sea Grant. The pilot phase of this program was conducted in 2003
and trained citizens, watershed organizations, and students in the coastal Lake Erie watershed
to identify and monitor aquatic nuisance species (ANSs). The monitoring data collected by
volunteers were used to enhance the DEP's database on established invaders. The data will  also
be used to create an early detection network and to assist in future management  and education
initiatives to minimize the spread and harmful impacts of ANSs.
                                 The pilot program focused on zebra mussels and  six  aquatic
                               plants: curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, Hydrilla,
                               Phragmites, purple loosestrife, and water chestnut. Several of
                               these species were already present in the watershed, but  others,
                               such as water chestnut, were potential invaders. Twenty-two
                               volunteers participated in a 1-day workshop to gain  hands-on
                               training in ANS identification and monitoring protocols. The
                               participants received a training manual containing fact sheets,
                               protocols, and data-reporting forms; a field guide to ANSs  in
                               the region; and a set of stream or lake monitoring equipment.
                               Following the workshop, volunteers selected one to two sites to
                               monitor twice a month from June to August  2003- They then
                               submitted their data monthly to DEP for analysis. At the end
                               of the summer, DEP compiled a final report  containing data
                               from all the sampling sites.
                                 For more information, contact Kirstin Wakefield at
                               c-kwakefie@state.pa.us.
                Purple loosestrife stand along the
                shore of Lake Erie.
212  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                 Chapter 7   Great Lakes Coastal Condition
Summary
   Although the Great Lakes has an extensive monitoring network with
respect to objectives, design, or approaches, Great Lakes monitoring is
not directly comparable with monitoring done by the NCA Program.
For example, the GLNPO monitors indicators at locations selected
according to best scientific judgment to represent the overall condition
of the Great Lakes, whereas the NCA Program monitors indicators at
sites selected using a probabilistic sampling design in order to yield
direct, representative estimates of overall condition with known levels
of uncertainty. Consequently, spatial estimates of coastal condition that
are consistent with those calculated for the East Coast, West Coast, and
Gulf Coast regions cannot be calculated for the Great Lakes nor can
calculations for the Great Lakes be concisely compared with calculations
from other regions.  Best professional judgment of knowledgeable
scientists, however, was recently used to assess the overall status of
eight ecosystem components in relation to established endpoints
or ecosystem objectives, when available. The Great Lakes were rated
fair using available assessment information. The purpose of this exercise
was to establish a baseline for the overall health of the Great Lakes to
determine if conditions improve  in the future as a result of management
and control strategies. The results of these assessments will be used as  a
basis to  compare and integrate overall condition of the Great Lakes with
other coastal resources in this report.

                                                                                                                   213

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Chapter 8
Coastal Condition
for Alaska, Hawaii,
and Island
Territories

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     Chapter 8  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Coastal Condition for Alaska)  Hawaii)
     and Island Territories
       There is currently very little monitoring of coastal
     resources in Alaska, Hawaii, and the island territories.
     EPA Regions 2 (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands),
     9 (Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and
     American Samoa), and 10 (Alaska) and the attendant
     state resources agencies conduct some water quality
     monitoring, but it is often irregular and focused on
     specific locations. There are no consistent monitoring
     programs that cover all the coastal resources in these
     states, territories, and commonwealths. Efforts
     conducted through EPA's NCA Program are starting to
     fill this void for Alaska (ongoing), Hawaii, and Puerto
     Rico, and the NCA plans to conduct coastal ecological
     condition surveys in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam,
     and American Samoa in coming years. No plans are
     currently in place, however, to survey conditions
     associated with the Northern Mariana Islands.  In 2002,
     the NCA conducted surveys of Alaska (south-central
     region) and Hawaii, and information from these surveys
     will be available for future reports.
       This chapter briefly describes the surveys and
     presents some preliminary findings. Both Alaska
     (southeastern region) and Hawaii will be surveyed
     in 2004. In 2000, the NCA surveyed Puerto Rico,
     and the results  of that survey are also provided in
     this chapter. Plans to resurvey Puerto Rico were also
     scheduled for 2004.
During a dedication ceremony at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback
Whale National Marine Sanctuary, the entire community was
invited to participate in a Native Hawaiian fish-gathering activity
known as a "hukilau.'The sanctuary office sits in front of one of
the last remaining Native Hawaiian fishponds in South Maui. Prior
to the sanctuary's official approval, many people from the fishing
community feared the  imposition of additional sanctuary regula-
tions. On the contrary fishing is not regulated in the sanctuary
but rather encouraged and welcomed throughout its waters
(Jeff Alexander).
216  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                        ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Alaska
 Coastal Monitoring Data

   Alaska has approximately 45,000 miles of coastal
 marine shoreline, which constitute more than 50% of
 the total U.S. coastline. The surface area of coastal bays
 and estuaries in Alaska is 33,211 square miles, almost
 three times the estuarine area of the contiguous 48
 states. Historically, coastal assessments have focused on
 areas of known or suspected impairment to examine the
 impacts of natural resource extraction activities, such as
 mining or oil exploration and production. One large-
 scale assessment  occurring before resource development
 was the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Environmental
 Assessment Program (OCSEAP), conducted byNOAA
 in the 1970s. A large amount of physical, chemical, and
 biological data was collected through this program, but
 much of it remains difficult to locate, though a
 summary may be found in Hood et al. (1986).
 Numerous assessments have also been conducted along
 the coastline affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in
 1989, and this area continues to be monitored.
   A few programs have provided an assessment of
 contaminants in Alaska as part of larger national
 assessments. For example, NOAA's NS&T Program
 analyzed contaminants in sediments and bottom fish
 at several sites along Alaska's coast as part of its Benthic
 Surveillance Program, as well as measured contaminants
 in intertidal mussels and sediments as part of its
 Mussel Watch Program. However, despite Alaska's
 long coastline, its extensive bays and estuaries, and
 the reliance  of many coastal Alaskan communities on
 healthy populations of biological resources, no region-
 wide monitoring program has been established to
 document contaminant concentrations and spatial
 distributions, or to provide a baseline to assess trends
 in the future survey of data.
Promontory on Sutwik Island in Shelikof Strait, Southwest Alaska
(Commander GradyTuell, NOAA Corps).

   Because of Alaska's low population relative to its
size and the distance of most of its coastline from major
urban or industrial areas, Alaska's coastal resources
are generally in pristine condition. Concentrations of
contaminants have been measured at levels significantly
lower than those in the rest of the coastal United States.
For most data collected in coastal Alaska to date,
contaminant levels are consistently below EPA's level
of concern; however, Alaska does have localized areas
where specific contaminants can be quite high. For
example, one of the highest concentrations of PAHs
ever measured in a mussel tissue sample in the United
States was collected from a boat harbor in a small
Alaskan community  (Mearns et al., 1999).
   There has been increasing concern that contaminants
from local sources and from long-distance transport
have the potential to accumulate in Alaska's coastal
resources. Long-range atmospheric and oceanic
transport have been identified as major mechanisms
for potential delivery of persistent organic contaminants

                                                                                    National Coastal Condition Report II  217

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     to Alaska, and studies suggest that the Eastern Aleutian
     Islands may be receiving increased levels of PCBs
     relative to southeast Alaska (AMAP, 2004). Alaska's
     1998 Section 303 (d) list included 20 Tier  I or Tier II
     coastal bays,  estuaries, or harbors. Some of these water-
     bodies are affected by a specific industry, and others are
     affected by nonpoint source pollution. Although these
     impaired waterbodies amount to less  than  1 % of the
     total coastal bays, estuaries, and harbors in Alaska,
     there is concern that impairment due to pollution is
     increasing in the state. As a result, Alaska's  Department
     of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is imple-
     menting several strategies to assess and control potential
     environmental degradation. In a recent report (Chary,
     2000), persistent organic pollutants were identified as a
     particular concern in Alaska, in part because of the sub-
     sistence lifestyle of many Native Alaskan communities.
        In 2001, the NCA developed a sampling design
     in conjunction with ADEC and EPA Region 10 to
     assess all of the estuarine resources in Alaska by moni-
     toring 250 sites spread throughout the state. Because
     of the huge expanse of Alaska, the reduced sampling
     window in Arctic regions, and the unique  fiscal and
     logistical challenges of sampling coastal resources in
     the state, it is not feasible to survey the entire state
     at a single point in time. The NCA, EPA Region 10,
     ADEC, and other state resource agencies determined
     that the sampling design for Alaska would  be executed
     in five parts—southeastern Alaska, south-central
     Alaska, the Aleutian Islands,  the Bering Sea,  and
     the Arctic region. Each  part would survey  one of these
     areas, and the target schedule for completion would
     be 5 to 10 years (Figure 8-1). Before  this collaboration
     between Alaska's resource agencies and EPA, ADEC
     routinely assessed only about 1 % of its coastal resources,
     focusing its efforts on waterbodies known  or suspected
     to be impaired.
        A sampling survey of the ecological condition
     of Alaska's estuarine resources in the south-central
     region of the state (Alaskan Province) was completed
     in 2002. The survey assessed 50 cores sites and 25
     alternate sites (Figure 8-2). The south-central region of
     the state was selected for the first survey because of the
     importance of the major estuarine resources in the
     region (Prince William  Sound and Cook Inlet) to the
     local and state economy, as well as to aquatic living
resources. The indicators collected during the survey
(55 stations successfully sampled) correspond to those
collected in the surveys in other regions.
   Because of the long distances between sites (even
in this reduced area), the surveys were conducted using
a large ocean-going research vessel (Figure 8-3). Many
of the samples collected during the 2002 survey are still
being analyzed. These data will be available in 2004;
however, some of the preliminary data are reported in
this chapter. Because the data are preliminary, they will
not be presented in the same format as previously used
in this report (e.g., maps of poor condition locations
and pie charts of conditions).
                     Arctic
                                                  Columbia
Figure 8-1. Five Alaskan provinces used in the NCA sampling design
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
Figure 8-2. Sampling design for the south-central region (Alaskan Province)
of Alaska in 2002 (U.S. EPA/NCA).
218  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                              ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
         The survey collected data at a total of 55 sites,
       with depths ranging from 1 to  108 feet. Many
       of the shallowest stations occurred in nearshore
       areas of Cook Inlet, areas known for wide intertidal,
       depositional zones. The deepest stations occurred
       in Prince William Sound, which is characterized by
       deep canyons and fjords that cross the continental
       shelf. The next survey (in  2004) will cover Alaska's
       southeastern region (Juneau and the island passage
       area), which includes 50 sites (Figure 8-4).
Figure 8-3. Research sampling vessel required for coastal surveys in
Alaska (Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation).
Figure 8-4. Sampling design for southeastern region (Columbian Province)
of Alaska in 2004 (U.S. EPA/NCA).
Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries

Gulf of Alaska  and  East Bering Sea
Ecosystems
   Native Alaskan peoples and their heritage have a
long, rich tradition of relying on salmon from the Gulf
of Alaska and East Bering Sea ecosystems for economic,
cultural,  and subsistence purposes. Today,  residents and
nonresidents depend heavily on this resource for recre-
ation, food, industry, and commercial fisheries, along
with a rapidly growing salmon and groundfish sport
fishery that provides the state of Alaska with its largest
private-sector employment.

Oceanographic and Climate  Forcing
in  the  East Bering  Sea  Ecosystem
   Recruitment responses of many Bering Sea fish
and crabs are linked to decadal scale patterns of climate
variability. Decadal changes in recruitment of some
flatfish species in the eastern Bering Sea appear to be
related to patterns seen in atmospheric forcing. The
Arctic Oscillation, which tracks  the variability in
atmospheric pressure at the polar region and mid-
latitudes, tends to vary between negative and positive
phases on a decadal  scale. The negative phase brings
higher-than-normal pressure over the polar region,
and the positive phase does the opposite, steering ocean
storms farther north. These patterns in atmospheric
forcing in winter may influence surface wind patterns
that transport fish larvae on or off the shelf. Some
species, such as Bering Sea herring, walleye pollock, and
Pacific cod, show interannual variability in recruitment
that appears more related to  climate variability. Years
of strong onshore transport,  typical of warm years
in the Bering Sea, correspond with strong recruitment
of walleye pollock, possibly due to separation of young
fish from cannibalistic adults. Alaskan salmon also
exhibit decadal scale patterns of production, which are
inversely related to salmon production  patterns on the
west coast. Environmental variables such as sea surface
temperature and air temperature significantly improved
the results of productivity models of Bristol Bay sockeye
salmon compared to models  containing only density-
dependent effects.

                                                                                           National Coastal Condition Report II  219

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                            ghlight
                                                                             RCAC
Alaska's  Cook  Inlet Advisory Council

   In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince
William Sound, Congress crafted the Oil  Pollution Act of 1990
(OPA90) to insure that the complacent attitude that led to the
spill would  not be repeated in the future.  Under OPA90, two
Regional Citizen Advisory Councils (RCACs) were created—
one for Prince William Sound and one for Cook Inlet. Congress
envisioned these councils as a mechanism to foster long-term
partnerships between industry, government, and the coastal communities of Alaska.
   The Cook Inlet RCAC has numerous mandates under OPA90, one of which is to conduct
environmental-monitoring programs to assess potential impacts of oil industry operations in the
Cook Inlet  area. Studies have been developed to assess hydrocarbon concentrations in subtidal and
intertidal sediments and in the tissues of bivalves that live in the Cook Inlet sediments, including
an emphasis on building a database of hydrocarbon "fingerprints" of potential man-made and
natural sources.
   To better interpret the results of their studies, the Cook Inlet RCAC sought opportunities
to obtain data from the larger coastal areas surrounding Cook Inlet. This regionwide data provides
a context by which to interpret the smaller, more focused Cook Inlet studies. The coastal EMAP
is ideal because scientists use a core set of parameters, resulting in consistent and comparable data
at the local, state, regional, and national level.
                                Granite Point platform in Cook Inlet. (Photo courtesy of Unocal).
220  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                  ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
   In 2001, the Cook Inlet RCAC formed a unique partnership with ADEC and several other
organizations to conduct the first portion of Alaska's coastal EMAP Cook Inlet RCAC provided
the scientific lead for planning and implementing the program as an in-kind match to the
federal funds provided to ADEC. Through this partnership, the Cook Inlet RCAC and ADEC
maximized the expertise and financial resources available for this coastal assessment.
   In 2002, scientists from the Cook Inlet RCAC, the NMFS, the International Pacific Halibut
Commission, the University of Washington, Washington DOE, and EPA completed a 50-day
voyage to collect the necessary water, sediment, and bottom trawl samples for Alaska's coastal
EMAP in south-central Alaska.
   Additionally, the Cook Inlet RCAC is actively sponsoring research with the University of Alaska
on the physical oceanography of Cook Inlet, developing numerical models to understand surface
oil spill and dispersed plume trajectories. Cook Inlet is an extremely dynamic environment,
possessing the world's second-highest tidal range. Cook Inlet RCAC has piloted a coastal habitat
mapping project that provides coastal geomorphology and wetland, intertidal, and shallow
subtidal biota data in south-central Alaska. This project provides the additional information
needed to  understand potential impacts to the different coastal habitats. A recent recommendation
by agency partners in the Cook Inlet study suggested that the  program should be expanded to
coastlines statewide.
   Through these partnerships, as well as the one developed for Alaska's coastal EMAP, the Cook
Inlet RCAC is able to conduct and sponsor research that is of the highest scientific merit while
fulfilling the mandates in OPA90.
                                 .-vivW  *
                          ^;M klf   *.&

                  Sorting bottom trawl samples (Alaska Department of
                  Environmental Conservation).
                                                                              National Coastal Condition Report II  221

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     ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
        In contrast, periods of strong Aleutian Lows are
     associated with weak recruitment for some Bering
     Sea crab species and are unrelated to recruitment of
     others, depending on species-specific life history traits.
     Winds from the northeast favor retention of crab
     larvae in offshore mud habitats that serve as suitable
     nursery areas for young Tanner crabs to burrow in
     sediment for protection. Winds from the opposite
     direction promote inshore transport of crab larvae to
     coarse, shallow water habitats in inner Bristol Bay that
     serve as nursery areas for red king crabs to find refuge
     among biogenic structures (Tyler and Kruse 1998).
     Timing and composition of the plankton blooms may
     also be important, because red king crab larvae prefer
     to consume Thalassiosira diatoms, whereas Tanner crab
     larvae prefer copepod nauplii.

     Salmon  Fisheries
        Alaska salmon harvests in the state's two ecosystems
     have increased over the last three decades and may have
     peaked in 1995- After dropping to record low catches
     in the 1970s, most populations have rebounded, and
     the fisheries are now at or near all-time peak levels in
     many regions of the state. A number of factors have
     contributed to the high abundance of Pacific salmon
     currently in the state of Alaska. These factors include
     (1) pristine habitats with minimal impacts from
     extensive development, (2) favorable ocean conditions
     that promote high survival rates of juveniles,
     (3) improved management of the fisheries by state
     and federal agencies, (4) elimination of high-seas drift
     net fisheries by foreign nations,  (5) hatchery produc-
     tion, and (6) reduction of bycatch in fisheries for other
     finfish species. Quality spawning and nursery habitat,
     favorable oceanic conditions, and sufficient numbers
     of spawning fish are most likely the paramount factors
     affecting current abundance. Alaska salmon manage-
     ment continues to focus on maintaining pristine
     habitats and ensuring adequate escapements; however,
     ocean conditions that favored high marine survival  rates
     in recent years can fluctuate due to interdecadal climate
     oscillations. There is recent evidence that a change in
     ocean conditions in the north Pacific Ocean and Gulf
     of Alaska ecosystem may be underway, possibly
     reflecting the downturn in abundance of Alaska
     salmon runs observed in 1996 and 1997-
Pelagic Fisheries
   Pacific herring is the major pelagic species harvested
in the Gulf of Alaska and East Bering Sea ecosystems.
These fisheries occur in specific inshore spawning areas.
In the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, spawning fish concen-
trate mainly off southeast Alaska in Prince William
Sound and around the Kodiak Island-Cook Inlet area.
In the East Bering Sea ecosystem, the centers of abun-
dance are in northern Bristol Bay and Norton Sound.
This fishery occurs within state waters (3-mile limit)
and is monitored and managed by the Alaska Depart-
ment of Fish and Game (ADFG) within 20 separate
fishery areas. From catch records, it is evident that
herring biomass fluctuates widely due to influences
of strong and weak year-classes.  Currently, the herring
populations in both ecosystems remain at moderate
levels and are in relatively stable condition, with
the exception of Prince William Sound. Herring
abundance levels typically increase abruptly following
major recruitment events and then decline slowly over
a number of years because of natural and fishing
mortality. Prince William Sound herring continue
to be depressed from a disease outbreak in 1993,
but have recovered to  above threshold levels. In more
recent years, herring harvests in both ecosystems have
averaged about 45,000 mt, with a value averaging
around $30 million.

Groundfish  Fisheries
   The groundfish complex is the most abundant
of all fisheries' resources  off the Gulf of Alaska and
the East Bering Sea ecosystems,  totaling more than
21,000,000 mt of exploitable biomass  and contributing
more than  2,000,000  mt of catch each year. Another
1,000,000  mt of underutilized sustainable potential
yield is available. The  Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act extended federal
fisheries management jurisdiction to 200 nautical miles
and stimulated the growth of a domestic Alaskan
groundfish fishery that rapidly replaced the  foreign
fisheries. Much of the groundfish catches are exported,
particularly to Asia, and such trade contributes promi-
nently as a major source of revenue for U.S. fishermen.
The  total catch in 1997  of the East Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands groundfish was 1,740,000 mt, valued
at $405 million (ex-vessel). The dominant species
222  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                         ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
harvested were walleye pollock, Pacific cod, and
yellowfin sole. Groundfish populations have been
maintained at high levels since implementation of The
Magnuson-Stevens Act. The walleye pollock produce
the largest catch of any single species inhabiting the
U.S. EEZ. Until 1992, another large fishery targeted
the portion of the Aleutian Basin stock residing outside
of the U.S. and Russian EEZs in the "Donut Hole"
of the central Bering Sea. Historical catches from this
stock were apparently too high (well over 1,000,000 mt
throughout the late 1980s) and not sustainable.
Consequently, the  abundance of the Aleutian Basin
stock was greatly diminished, and all fishing ceased
in 1993- Groundfish abundance in the Gulf of Alaska
ecosystem peaked at 5,300,000 mt in 1982. Abundance
since then has remained relatively stable, fluctuating
between 4,500,000 and 5,300,000 mt.
   The groundfish catches are dominated by pollock,
followed by Pacific cod, flatfish,  and rockfish. The
recent average yield of the complex is  211,922 mt.
Pollock abundance has been increasing in recent years.
The western-central Gulf of Alaska ecosystem's total
allowable catch for pollock is further apportioned
among three areas  and three seasons. This  temporal
and spatial apportionment of the pollock quota was
implemented to accommodate Steller sea lion concerns;
pollock are a major prey item of Steller sea lions in the
Gulf of Alaska ecosystem. Pollock are considered fully
utilized, and Pacific cod are abundant and fully utilized.
Flatfish are, in general very abundant, primarily due to
large increases in arrowtooth flounder biomass, and are
underutilized due to halibut bycatch considerations.
Rockfish (slope rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, thorny-
head rockfish, and demersal shelf rockfish) are conserva-
tively managed due their long life spans and consequent
sensitivity to overexploitation. See Our Living Oceans
(NOAA, 1999) for more information on transboundary
issues and multispecies interactions.

Shellfish  Fisheries
   Major shellfish fisheries developed in the  1960s in
the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, subsequently expanded
to the East Bering Sea ecosystem. Shellfish landings
in 1997 generated an ex-vessel value of $151 million.
The most important of these fisheries are the king and
snow crab fisheries. King and Tanner crab fisheries are
managed primarily by the state of Alaska, with advice
from a federal FMP for the East Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands stocks.
   Alaska crab resources are fully utilized. Catches are
restricted by quotas, seasons, and size and sex limits,
with landings limited to large male crabs. Fishing
seasons are set at times of the year that avoid molting,
mating, and soft-shell periods. Japanese and  Russian

                                                                                           Sea lions often haul them-
                                                                                           selves onto floating docks
                                                                                           to sunbathe (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  223

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     fisheries were phased out of the Bering Sea in 1974;
     however, catches there have remained low. Gulf of
     Alaska ecosystem catches peaked in 1965, then varied at
     a relatively low level for a decade before dropping lower
     still in 1983- Almost all Gulf of Alaska ecosystem king
     crab fisheries have been closed since 1983-
        Three king crab species (red, blue, and golden or
     brown) and two Tanner crab species (Tanner crab and
     snow crab) have traditionally been harvested commer-
     cially off the two  major ecosystems of Alaska. The
     recent average yields for king crabs (7,170 mt) and
     Tanner crabs (2,857 mt) are below their respective,
     long-term potential of 36,481 and 21,751 mt, respec-
     tively By contrast, the recent average yield of 39,053 mt
     for snow crab  is above its long-term potential yield of
     37,202 mt.
        Shrimp  are also managed by the state of Alaska.
     The domestic  shrimp fishery in the waters of the East
     Bering Sea ecosystem is currently at a low level. Shrimp
     abundance is also too low in the Bering Sea to support
     a commercial fishery. The western Gulf of Alaska
     ecosystem has  been the main area of operation for the
     shrimp fishery, with shrimp landings indicating that
     catches in the  western Gulf rose steadily to about
58,000 mt in 1976 and then declined precipitously. As
with crabs, the potential yields of shrimp stocks in both
Alaskan marine ecosystems are not well understood.

Nearshore Fisheries
   Nearshore fishery resources are those coastal and
estuarine species found in the 0—3 nautical mile zone
of coastal state waters and for which the NMFS has
no direct management role. Nearshore resources vary
widely in species diversity and abundance. Management
authority is shared among the coastal states and other
local bodies. Nearshore resources provide important
subsistence and recreational fishing opportunities  for
Alaskans of the Gulf of Alaska and East Bering Sea.
Most nearshore fisheries take place in the Gulf of Alaska
ecosystem near population centers, although subsistence
fishing is distributed all along the Alaska coastline into
the Bering Sea and Beaufort Sea ecosystems.
   The nearshore resources and fisheries are managed
by the ADFG. Dungeness crabs are harvested near
shore by small-boat commercial fleets and recreational
fisheries, primarily in the Yakutat and Kodiak areas of
the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem. Management of these
crab fisheries suffers in the absence of stock assessment
                     Viewed at low tide, Pacific tidepool rocks are covered with kelp and other macro algae that support a
                     healthy community offish and invertebrates (Paul Goetz).
224  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                       ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
research. The traditional fishery for red king crab in the
Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, however, is optimistic. The
fishery reopened in 1993 following 8 years of closure
and is now managed under a conservative harvest
regime supported by an annual stock assessment survey.
   The scallop fishery is regulated by the state of
Alaska, which limits the number of vessels and sets
catch quotas. Sea cucumbers and sea urchins are recent
fisheries resources, harvested by divers and exported
primarily to Asian markets. These fisheries are managed
conservatively according to their recent historical perfor-
mance. The ADFG surveys the resource periodically
at selected sites to monitor major changes in relative
abundance of the stocks. The amount of nearshore
resources harvested by the subsistence and recreational
fisheries off the three Alaska ecosystems (Gulf of Alaska,
East Bering Sea,  and Beaufort Sea ecosystems) has
been difficult to  compile because of the state's wide
geographical expanse and remoteness of such fishing
activities. The most important component of these
resources are the invertebrates.

Alaska Assessment
and Advisory  Data

Clean Water Act  Section  305(b)
Assessments
   Before monitoring efforts were conducted in
coordination with the NCA Program, Alaska's water
quality assessments focused on areas with known or
suspected impairments. For its 2000 305(b) report,
Alaska assessed 28 (0.1%) of its 33,204 estuarine square
miles. Alaska reported on overall use support only, with
25 square miles (89% of assessed waters) of the state's
estuaries impaired for overall use support (Figure 8-5).
   The state also assessed 25 (0.1%) of its 36,000 miles
of coastal shoreline.  Sixty-four percent of the assessed
shoreline miles fully support overall use, and the
remaining 36% of assessed miles are impaired by some
form of pollution or habitat degradation (Figure 8-6).
Fish Consumption Advisories
   No consumption advisories were in effect for chem-
ical contaminants in fish and shellfish species harvested
in Alaskan waters in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

Beach Advisories and  Closures
   Alaska did not report beach monitoring and advisory
or closings data to the EPA in 2002 (U.S. EPA,  2003a).
                                           Fully
                                         Supporting
                                           I 1%
Figure 8-5. Water quality in assessed Alaskan estuaries
(U.S. EPA, 2002).
Figure 8-6. Water quality for assessed shoreline waters in
Alaska (U.S. ERA, 2002).
I
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  225

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Hawaii
     Coastal Monitoring Data
        Hawaii does not have a comprehensive coastal
     monitoring program. Some monitoring occurs in Oahu
     and is planned for adjacent coral reef ecosystems. Most
     monitoring of coastal resources, however, is targeted to
     address specific bays and issues such as nonpoint source
     runoff and offshore discharges. For example, Mamala
     Bay has been sampled intensively to examine public
     wastewater outfalls from Oahu into the bay. This
     sampling showed that the discharge areas were not
     statistically different from reference areas; however, no
     comprehensive spatial examination was conducted of
     Mamala Bay to interpret these findings in a statewide
     or regional context. In 2002, the NCA, in conjunction
     with state agencies, Region 9, and the University of
     Hawaii, conducted the first comprehensive survey of the
     condition of estuarine resources in Hawaii (Figure 8-7).
               Kauai
    Niihau
                      Oahu
                             Molokai
                                         Maui
                                    Hawaii
  Figure 8-7. Sampling design for Hawaii in 2002 (U.S. EPA/NCA).
The dazzling peaks off the island of Kahoolawe are just one the many types
of coastlines seen throughout Hawaii. Shorelines range from white sandy
beaches on Oahu to the tallest sea cliffs in the world on Molokai. Each island
offers its own unique habitat for marine life (Marc Hodges) .

The survey sampled 79 stations on islands of the
Hawaiian chain and included all of the indicators of
the NCA surveys. The Hawaiian survey, however, did
not produce estimates of sediment toxicity because
of insufficient soft sediments, and rather than assessing
contaminant  levels in fish, it assessed the body burdens
of sea cucumbers  (Figure 8-8).  Information from this
survey will be available in the next edition of this
report (2006).
                                                             Figure 8-8. An example of sea cucumbers used for assessment
                                                             of tissue contaminants in Hawaii (Dr Richard  Brock, University of
                                                             Hawaii at Manoa, 2003).
226  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                       ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries
   The Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem supports a
variety of fisheries in both the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands (NWHI) and the Main Hawaiian Islands
(MHI). In the NWHI, the lobster fishery is  the major
commercial marine invertebrate fishery in the western
Pacific. A very small-scale, primarily recreational fishery
for lobster also exists in the MHI within the Insular
Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem, as well as outside the
ecosystem in American Samoa, Guam, and the
Northern Mariana Islands. A deepwater shrimp resource
is found throughout the Pacific islands; however, this
stock is relatively unexploited.
   A resource of deepwater precious coral (gold,
bamboo, and pink corals) also exists in the Insular
Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem and possibly in other
western Pacific areas. Precious corals occurring in the
U.S. EEZ are managed under an FMP implemented
in 1983 by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery
Management Council. Very limited quotas are allowed
under regular permits, and experimental permits are
required for unassessed coral beds. A short-lived
(1974-1979) domestic fishery operated  off Makapu'u
Point on Oahu, but there has  been no significant
precious coral harvest for 20 years. Interest in the
fishery has recently resurfaced, however, and one
federal permit was issued in 1997-

Invertebrate  Fisheries
   The NWHI lobster fishery, which began in 1977,
harvests spiny and slipper lobsters and is governed
by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management
Council under an FMP The MHI lobster fishery is
managed by the state of Hawaii, although a few
offshore banks are included in the Fishery Management
Plan for the Crustacean Fishery of the Western  Pacific
Region. This FMP was implemented in 1983 and has
since been amended nine times. Many of the earlier
amendments were in response to requirements to
eliminate lobster trap interactions with the endangered
Hawaiian monk seal (Amendments 2 and 4), to protect
spiny and slipper lobster reproductive potentials
(Amendments 3 and 5), and to specify overfishing
definitions (Amendment 6). The most significant
change to the FMP occurred in 1992, when it was
amended in response to continuing declines  in
commercial lobster CPUE (Amendment 7). This
amendment set forth an annual 6-month closed season
(January—June) for lobster harvesting, limited entry into
the fishery, and established an annual catch quota. The
FMP was amended again in 1996 (Amendment 9) to
implement a quota system based on a constant harvest
rate that allows only a 10% risk of overfishing in any
given year, as well as the retention of all lobsters caught.
   Populations of spiny and slipper lobster declined
dramatically from the mid-1980s through the mid-
1990s. Much of this decline has been attributed to the
combined effect of a shift in oceanographic conditions
affecting  recruitment and fishing mortality in the
mid-1980s. The spawning potential ratio (SPR), which
is used to measure the status of the stocks, has ranged
between 74% and 88% over the past three seasons
(1995-1997).

Coral Fisheries
   Because there has been no fishery on precious corals
during the past 20 years, little solid evidence is available
on recovery of the population from the low levels that
existed when the Magnuson-Stevens  Act was first passed
in 1976;  however, recent video analysis suggests that the
previously harvested beds have recovered much of their
potential and that new coral beds have been identified.
Nonetheless, it also appears that illegal foreign fishing
in some remote areas during the 1980s had a significant
impact on some coral beds.

A colorful starfish creeps across the ocean bottom looking for food
(Pat Cunningham).
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  227

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
        In 1997, a company obtained a permit to harvest
     precious coral at Makapu'u, Oahu, under a 2-year
     permit quota for 4,409 pounds of pink coral and 1,322
     pounds each for bamboo and gold coral. Harvesting of
     these species began in early 1998.

     Bottomfish  Fisheries
        The western Pacific bottomfish fishery geographically
     encompasses the Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem
     (which includes the MHI and the NWHI), Guam, the
     Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. In
     contrast, the pelagic armorhead is harvested from the
     summits and upper slopes  of a series of submerged
     seamounts along the southern Emperor-Northern
     Hawaiian Ridge. This chain of seamounts is located just
     west of the International Dateline and extends to the
     northernmost portion of the NWHI.
        In the MHI, as in Guam, the Mariana Islands, and
     American Samoa, these fisheries employ relatively small
     vessels on 1-day trips close to port. As a result, much
     of the catch is harvested by either part-time commercial
     or sport fishermen. In contrast, the NWHI species are
     fished by full-time, commercial fishermen on relatively
     large vessels that range far from port on trips of up to
     10 days in duration. Fishermen use the handlining
     technique in which a single weighted line with several
     baited hooks is raised and lowered with a powered reel.
     The bottomfish fisheries are managed jointly by the
     Western Pacific Fishery Management Council and
     territorial, commonwealth, or state authorities.
        In the Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem, the
     harvested bottomfish species include several snappers
     (ehu, onaga, opakapaka), jacks (ulua, butaguchi), and a
     grouper (hapu'upu'u), whereas the more tropical waters
     of Guam, the Mariana Islands, and American Samoa
     include a more diverse assortment of species within the
     same families, as well as several species of emperors.
     These fish are found on rock and coral bottoms  at
     depths of 170—1300 ft. Catch weight, size, and fishing
     effort data are collected for each species in the five areas;
     however, the sampling programs among these areas vary
     in scope and design. About 90% of the total catch is
     taken in the Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem, with
     the majority of the catch harvested in the MHI as
     compared to the NWHI.
   Stock assessments, though somewhat limited, indi-
cate that the spawning stocks of several important MHI
species (e.g., ehu, hapu'upu'u, onaga, opakapaka, and
uku) are at only 5—30% of their original levels, with
onaga and ehu presently appearing as the most stressed
among MHI bottomfish species. Because overutilization
is a concern and the fishery and bottomfish habitat are
predominantly within Hawaiian waters, the Western
Pacific Fishery Management Council has recommended
that Hawaii take action to prevent overfishing. During
the past two years,  the state of Hawaii conducted a
series of meetings with fishery managers, scientists, and
fishermen to develop an FMP for the Hawaii's bottom-
fish fishery. In 1998, the state established a new admin-
istrative rule that governs bottomfishing in state waters
and includes restrictions on fishing gear and fishing  areas.

Armorhead Fisheries
   The seamount groundfish fishery has targeted just
one species: the armorhead. Since 1976, this bottom
trawl fishery has been almost exclusively conducted by
Japanese trawlers fishing the seamounts in international
waters beyond the  Hancock Seamounts. The fishing
grounds comprising the Hancock Seamounts represent
The Kona Coast of Hawaii has many tidepools filled with a myriad of small
fish, mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans (Paul Goetz).
228  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                         ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
less than 5% of the total fishing grounds. The long-
term potential yield is 2,123 mt, but recovery to these
former levels has not occurred.
   Standardized stock assessments were conducted
during 1985—1993- Research cruises were focused
on Southeast Hancock Seamount, and the armorhead
stock was sampled with bottom longlines and calibrated
against Japanese trawling effort. Although catch rates
vary, they have not shown the increases expected after
the fishing moratorium was imposed. Furthermore, the
increase in the 1992 seamount-wide CPUE caused by
high recruitment was apparently short-lived, as CPUE
declined appreciably in  1993  and thereafter.  Closure
of only the small U.S. EEZ portion of the pelagic
armorhead's demersal habitat may not be sufficient
to allow population recovery because these seamounts
remain the only part of the fishery currently under
management.
   No progress toward cooperative international
management is foreseen for the pelagic armorhead.
Cooperative exchanges of fishery data with scientific
colleagues in Japan have provided annual commercial
catch data by seamount. Recently acquired biological
data of importance for future management considera-
tions indicate that armorhead undergo a 2-year pelagic
phase prior to recruitment into the fishery, and that the
seamount populations comprise a single stock.

Nearshore Fisheries
   For the purposes of this  report, nearshore fishery
resources are defined as  those coastal and estuarine
species found in the 0—3 nautical mile zone of coastal
state waters and for which the NMFS has no direct
management role.  Nearshore resources vary widely in
species diversity and abundance.  Many are highly-prized
gamefish, whereas  others are small fishes used for bait,
food, and industrial products. The invertebrate species
of greatest interest include crabs, shrimps, abalones,
clams, scallops, and oysters.
   Because the composition of the nearshore fauna is
very diverse and management authority is shared among
the many coastal states and other local bodies, a detailed
treatment of their status is difficult.  This chapter
presents information on the more significant species of
national interest. For more  comprehensive assessments
of individual species, readers should refer to reports
published by state  natural resource agencies.
   Fisheries in the nearshore waters of the tropical and
subtropical Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem and the
other U.S.-associated Pacific islands are highly diverse,
though lower in aggregate volume than commercial or
recreational fisheries of the U.S. mainland. Landings are
reported to be about 1,400 mt annually. Many fisheries
are unique to certain localities, such as that for the
palolo worm in American Samoa, seasonal fisheries for
rabbitfish in Guam, and limpet (opihi) fisheries in the
Insular Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem. Other fisheries are
common to all Western Pacific areas, such as the fish-
eries for bigeye scad (called akule) in  the Insular Pacific-
Hawaiian ecosystem, atule in American Samoa, and
atulai in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
   The more highly populated islands of the Insular
Pacific-Hawaiian ecosystem receive the heaviest inshore
fishing pressure, while less densely populated islands
and mostly uninhabited islands of the Insular-Pacific-
Hawaiian ecosystem and Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands receive less fishing pressure.
In the main islands of the Insular Pacific-Hawaiian
ecosystem between 1980 and 1990, commercial fish-
erman reported an average annual harvest of 1,179 mt
for fish and invertebrates taken from waters up to
600 feet in depth. According to the Hawaii Division
of Aquatic Resources, two pelagic carrangids, akule
and opelu, support the largest inshore fisheries in
the state. During the 1993—1995 period, annual
commercial landings for akule and opelu averaged
310 and  160 mt, respectively.
   Other important commercial fisheries include
those for surgeonfish, squirrelfish, parrotfish, goatfish,
snappers, octopus, and various jacks or trevallies. There
are significant  recreational fisheries, but participation,
landings, expenditures, and economic values are not
well documented. The recreational and subsistence
component of the marine  fisheries of the Insular Pacific-
Hawaiian ecosystem was last assessed in  1986, when it
was estimated  that 200,000 trips were taken by 6,700
vessels involved in nonmarket fishing (this total includes
recreational, subsistence, and submarket sales).
Estimated landings by these "recreational"  fishermen
were 9,525 mt (21 million), of which 4,536 mt
(10 million) were sold ($22 million). Total direct
expenditures by these fisheries totaled $24 million,
and the nonmarket value of the fishing experience
was valued at $23 million.
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  229

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
      Hawaii Assessment
      and Advisory Data

      Clean Water Act Section 305(b)
      Assessments
        The state of Hawaii assessed 99% of its 55 estuarine
      square miles and 83% of its 1,052 miles of shoreline for
      its 2000 305(b)  report. Of the assessed estuarine square
      miles, 43% fully support their designated uses, and
      57% are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
      degradation (Figure 8-9)- Individual use support for
      Hawaii's assessed estuaries is shown in Figure 8-10.
      Of assessed shoreline, 97% fully supports its designated
      uses, 1% is threatened for one or more uses, and 2%
      is impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
      degradation (Figure 8-11). Individual use support for
      assessed shoreline in Hawaii is shown in Figure 8-12.
A lemon-yellow frogfish braces itself from the ebb and flow
of the current with its leg-like pectoral fins (Paul Goetz).
      Figure 8-9. Water quality in assessed Hawaiian estuaries
      (U.S. EPA, 2002).
Figure 8-11. Water quality in assessed shoreline waters in
Hawaii (U.S. ERA, 2002).
            Aquatic Life    Fish    Shellfishing   Primary   Secondary
              Support  Consumption          Contact-   Contact
                                        Swimming
                            Designated Use
      Figure 8-10. Individual use support for assessed estuaries
      waters in Hawaii (U.S. EPA, 2002).

                                                                              Fully Supporting
                                                                           D Threatened
                                                                              Impaired
         Aquatic Life   Fish    Shell
          Support  Consumption
ishing
                                                                                         Designated Use
 Primary
 Contact-
Swimming
Secondary
 Contact
Figure 8-12. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
waters in Hawaii (U.S. EPA, 2002).
230  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                         ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Fish Consumption Advisories
   The state of Hawaii reported that one estuarine
advisory resulting from PCB contamination was in
effect for the Pearl Harbor area on the island of Oahu.
The advisory, which has been in effect since 1998,
advises all members of the general population
(including sensitive populations of pregnant women,
nursing mothers, and children) not to consume any
fish or shellfish from the waters of Pearl Harbor (U.S.
EPA, 2003c).

Beach  Advisories  and Closures
   Beach advisory and closure data were provided
for the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui
(Figure 8-13). Of the 87 coastal beaches that reported
information to EPA, only 8% (seven beaches) were
closed or under an advisory for any period of time in
2002. Beach advisories and closures were implemented
primarily for preemptive reasons associated with sewage-
related problems (Figure 8-14). Sewer line problems
were cited as the source of beach contamination in
75%  of the survey responses (Figure 8-15).
                        Hanauma Bay in Hawaii attracts snorkelers and divers to a beautiful
                        coral reef within minutes of downtown Honolulu (Paul Goetz).
               Kauai
                                                  Preemptive
                                                   Closure
                                              (Chemical/Oil Spill)
      Niihau
                  /-\ O
                     Oahu
                           Molokai
    Percentage of beaches
    reporting with at least
    one advisory or closure
    per county in 2002:

    • 1-10
    • 11-50
    • 51-100
    |  | No Data Available
                                     Maui
Hawaii
                                 Preemptive
                                   Closure
                                  (Sewage)
                                    92%
Figure 8-14. Reasons for beach advisories and closings in
Hawaii (U.S. EPA, 2003a).

Figure 8-13. The percentage of Hawaiian beaches participating
in the survey that had a least one advisory or closure in 2002
(U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                       Other
                                        25%
                                                                                            Sewer Line
                                                                                             Problem
                                                                                               75%
                                                         Figure 8-15. Sources of beach contamination in Hawaii
                                                         (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  231

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Puerto Rico
      Coastal Monitoring Data

        Although EPA Region 2, the San Juan Harbor
     National Estuary Program, and the Caribbean
     Environmental Protection Division have conducted
     some coastal monitoring in Puerto Rico, these surveys
     have been completed almost exclusively in the San
     Juan area. In 2000, the NCA, in cooperation with the
     above offices and programs, conducted a comprehensive
     survey of the ecological condition of Puerto Rico
     estuarine waters (Figure 8-16). The survey included
     50 sites and examined  the full suite of indicators, with
     the exception of fish tissue contaminants. The survey
     was not granted a permit to trawl for fish because of the
     sensitive nature of the bottom communities (e.g., soft
     corals) in these waters.  Fish tissue contaminants will
     be examined in subsequent surveys.
Elkhorn coral are a predominant shallow-water species found throughout
the warm waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean (Pat Cunningham).
                                                                       Puerto Rico
                                                                         Overall
                                                                        Score (1.7)
                                                                       jood   Fair
                                                                                   Poor
         Water Quality Index (3)
         Sediment Quality Index (I)
         Benthic Index (I)
         Coastal Habitat Index (NA)
         Fish Tissue Index (NA)
                                                                                                Figure 8-17. The overall
                                                                                                condition of Puerto Rico's
                                                                                                estuaries is borderline poor
     Figure 8-16. Sampling design for Puerto Rico for the NCA Program's
     2000 survey (U.S. EPA/NCA).

        The overall condition of Puerto Rico's estuarine
     waters is borderline poor (Figure 8-17). Based on
     information collected in 2000 from 47 sites throughout
     Puerto Rico,  none of the assessed estuarine area is
     in good ecological condition (Figure 8-18). Sixteen
     percent of assessed estuaries are threatened for aquatic
     life use, and 77% of Puerto Rico's estuarine  area showed
     indications of poor aquatic life conditions (benthic
     community conditions) or showed degradation in water
     or sediment quality.
                        Unimpaired
              Threatened     7%
                 16%
                                Impaired Aquatic
                                   Life Use
                                     77%
   Figure 8-18. Puerto Rico estuarine condition (U.S. EPA/NCA).
232  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                             ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
    E Water Quality Index
   Based on the cumulative score for the five water
quality indicators (nitrogen, phosphorus, and chloro-
phyll, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity), the water
quality index in Puerto Rico's estuaries is fair. Although
only 9% of waters were determined to have poor water
quality (poor condition for two or more indicators),
63%  of estuarine waters in Puerto Rico are rated either
poor  or fair (Figure 8-19).
  Water Quality Index - Puerto Rico (2000)
   Site Criteria: Number of component indicators in poor
   or fair condition

   • Good =  ^ I components fair, 0 components poor
   OFair  =  I component poor or ^ 2 component fair
   • Poor  =  ^ 2 components poor
   OMissing
  Good
           Fair
Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorus
   Nutrients in Puerto Rico's estuaries are rated fair
for nitrogen and good for phosphorus for the period
sampled. High DIN concentrations for tropical estu-
arine ecosystems (> 0.1 mg/L)  were not observed at any
of the sampling locations in Puerto Rico (Figure 8-20).
                                                               Nitrogen - Puerto Rico (2000)
   Site Criteria: DIN concentration

   • Good =  < 0.05 mg/L
   OFair  =  0.05 -O.I mg/L
   • Poor  =  > O.I mg/L
   OMissing
Figure 8-19. Water quality index data for Puerto Rico's estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                                             Fair
                                                                                                             52%
                                                             Figure 8-20. DIN concentration data for Puerto Rico's estuaries
                                                             (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                               I
                    The sampling conducted in the EPA NCA Program has been designed to estimate the
                    percent of estuarine area (nationally or in a region or state) in varying conditions and
                    is displayed as pie diagrams. Many of the figures in this report illustrate environmental
                    measurements made at specific locations (colored dots on maps); however, these
                    dots (color) represent the value of the indicator specifically at the time of sampling.
                    Additional sampling may be required to define variability and to confirm impairment
                    or the lack of impairment at specific locations.
                                                                                            National Coastal Condition Report II  233

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      ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Although DIN concentrations did not exceed 0.1 mg/L
     (the value indicative of poor conditions), 52% of
     estuarine waters had concentrations between 0.05 and
     0.1 mg/L and were thus rated fair. Elevated phosphorus
     concentrations (> 0.01 mg/L) occurred in 6% of the
     estuarine waters of Puerto Rico (Figure 8-21). Elevated
     concentrations of dissolved nutrients  are not expected
     during late summer months in tropical coastal waters
     because freshwater inflow is lower and available
     dissolved nutrients are readily utilized by phytoplankton
     during summer months.
        Phosphorus - Puerto Rico (2000)
         Site Criteria: DIP concentration

         • Good = < 0.005 mg/L
         OFair  = 0.005-0.01 mg/L
         • Poor = > 0.01 mg/L
         OMissing
      Figure 8-21. DIP concentration data for Puerto Rico's estuaries
      (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                        Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research
                        Reserve. Sea turtles are occasionally seen
                        near seagrass meadows around coral reefs
                        in the Reserve  (NOAA National Estuarine
                        Research Reserve Collection, Jobos Bay
                        Puerto Rico).
Chlorophyll a
   Puerto Rico's estuaries are rated poor for chlorophyll a.
Twenty-nine percent of estuarine waters in Puerto Rico
have concentrations of chlorophyll a that were greater
than 1 g/L (Figure 8-22), indicating that whatever
dissolved nutrients are available in the summer months
are rapidly incorporated  into phytoplankton biomass.
  Chlorophyll a - Puerto Rico (2000)
   Site Criteria: Chlorophyll a concentration

   • Good =  < 0.5 Mg/L
   OFair  =  0.5- 1.0 Mg/L
   • Poor  =  > 1.0 Mg/L
   OMissing
                                                                                                                   Poor
                                                                                                                   29%
                                                                  Figure 8-22. Chlorophyll a concentration data for Puerto Rico's
                                                                  estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).
234   National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                             ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Water Clarity
   Water clarity in Puerto Rico's estuarine waters is fair.
Water clarity was estimated by light penetration through
the water column and compared with the reference
condition for tropical ecosystems supporting SAV and
coral communities. In approximately 20% of the waters
in Puerto Rican estuaries, less than 20% of surface light
penetrated to a depth of 1 meter (Figure 8-23).
Dissolved Oxygen
   Dissolved oxygen conditions in Puerto Rico's
estuaries are good, except for in a single location in
San Juan Harbor. The NCA estimates for Puerto Rico's
estuaries show that about 1% of bottom waters in  these
estuaries have hypoxic conditions or low dissolved
oxygen (<2 mg/L) on a continual basis in late summer
(Figure 8-24). This area is associated with the inner
reaches of San Juan Harbor.
  Water Clarity - Puerto Rico (2000)
  Dissolved Oxygen - Puerto Rico (2000)
   Site Criteria: Light penetration at I meter depth

   • Good = > 40%
   OFair  = 20% - 40%
   • Poor  = < 20%
                                                Fair
                                                19%
Figure 8-23. Water clarity condition for Puerto Rico's estuaries
(U.S. EPA/NCA).
   Site Criteria: Dissolved
   oxygen concentration

   • Good =  > 5 mg/L
   OFair  =  2-5 mg/L
   • Poor  =  < 2 mg/L
   O Missing
                                                                                                         Missing
                                                                                                          27%
                                              Poor 1%
                                              Fair 2%
Figure 8-24. Dissolved oxygen concentration data for Puerto
Rico's estuaries (U.S. EPA/NCA).

                                                                                        A snorkeler encounters a friendly
                                                                                        slow-moving manatee (Paul Goetz).
                                                                                            National Coastal Condition Report II  235

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      ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
             Sediment Quality Index
        The condition of the estuarine sediments of Puerto
     Rico was determined to be poor.  Sixty-one percent of
     the estuarine sediments in Puerto Rico displayed poor
     condition for one or more of the three indicators—
     sediment contaminants, sediment toxicity, and
     the proportion of sediments that contains TOC
     (Figure 8-25).
     Sediment Toxicity
        Only 3%  of sediments sampled were toxic to
     test organisms (Figure 8-26). As a result, Puerto Rico's
     estuarine sediments are ranked good with regard to
     sediment toxicity. Sediments were determined to be
     toxic when test organisms exposed to the sediments
     had more than a 20% mortality rate in a 10-day
     exposure test.
A diver encounters a spiny pufferfish, whose defense strategy is to
blow itself up with water to deter would-be predators (Paul Goetz).
       Sediment Quality Index - Puerto Rico (2000)
  Sediment Toxicity - Puerto Rico (2000)
         Site Criteria: Number and condition of component indicators

         • Good = No components poor and sediment contaminants good
         OFair  = No components poor and sediment contaminants fair
         • Poor = s: I components poor
         OMissing
                                                     Poor
                                                     61%
                 Fair
                         Poor
      Figure 8-25. Sediment quality index data for Puerto Rico's
      estuaries  (U.S. EPA/NCA).
    Site Criteria: Amphipod survival rate

    • Good = s80%
    • Poor = >80%
    OMissing
 Figure 8-26. Sediment toxicity data for Puerto Rico's estuaries
 (U.S. EPA/NCA).
236  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                          ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Sediment Contaminants
   Estuarine sediments in Puerto Rico contained several
contaminants that exceeded guidelines representing
the likelihood of biological effects. These sediments
were ranked poor and included 23% of all estuarine
sediments in Puerto Rico (Figure 8-27)- In most of
these cases, concentrations exceeded the ERM guideline
(i.e., the concentration likely to result in biological
effects). An additional 44% of sediments exceeded
the ERL guideline (i.e., the concentration that
potentially could result in a biological effect) for
at least one contaminant.
   Of the 23% of sediments ranked poor, 100%
showed exceedances in heavy metals, 41% showed
exceedances in pesticides, and 26% showed exceedances
in PCBs. None of these sediments contained PAHs
exceeding the guidelines.
Sediment Total Organic Carbon
   Puerto Rico sediments are rated poor with regard
to sediment TOC. Analyses of estuarine sediments
in Puerto Rico showed that 44% contained TOC
content greater than 5% (Figure 8-28) and were
thus ranked poor. An additional 33% of sediments
contained between 2% and 5% TOC. Although higher
percentages of TOC would be expected in tropical
regions (sometimes 2% to 3%), TOC levels in estuarine
sediments above 5% are often associated with organic
loading to the estuaries via untreated wastewaters,
agricultural runoff from livestock areas, and industrial
discharges. However, these elevated TOC  levels are
occasionally associated with natural processes in
mangrove estuaries.
  Sediment Contamination - Puerto Rico (2000)
  Total Organic Carbon - Puerto Rico (2000)
1 \J\J
80
60
40
20
n

76


16
3
1 1 i 	 1 1 1 1 1




                  Missing   PAHs   PCBs Pesticides  Metals
                        Any ERL/ERM Exceedances
Figure 8-27. Sediment contaminant data and locations for sites
with more than five contaminants exceeding ERL guidelines or
one contaminant exceeding ERM guidelines in Puerto Rico (U.S.
EPA/NCA).
                                                                                                                      I
Figure 8-28. Sediment TOC data and sample sites in Puerto
Rico (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                                                                                       National Coastal Condition Report II  237

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      ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
             Benthic Index
        A benthic index has not yet been developed for
      Puerto Rico, but one will be developed as additional
      data are collected. As a surrogate for benthic condition,
      the  benthic samples from Puerto Rico's estuaries were
      examined using ecological community indicators:
      biological diversity, species richness, and abundance.
      Biological diversity and species richness are measure-
      ments that contribute to all of the benthic indices
      developed by the NCA Program in the Northeast
      Coast, Southeast Coast, and Gulf Coast regions.
      Biological diversity is directly affected by natural
      gradients in  salinity and silt-clay content. Analyses using
      data for Puerto Rico showed no significant relationships
      between benthic diversity and either salinity or silt-clay
      content. Thus, benthic diversity was used directly to
      evaluate benthic condition.  If a site's benthic diversity
      was less than 75% of the observed mean diversity for
      all locations  in Puerto Rico, the site was rated poor
      (Figure 8-29).
       Benthic Index - Puerto Rico (2000)
        Site Criteria: Compared to expected diversity

        • Good =  > 85%
        OFair  =  75% - 85%
        • Poor  =  < 75%
        OMissing
                                                   Poor
                                                   35%
   Overall benthic condition in Puerto Rico's estuaries is
rated poor. Thirty-five percent of the estuarine sediments
in Puerto Rico had low benthic diversity (Figure 8-29).
Of these areas of low benthic diversity, 90% co-occurred
with poor sediment conditions, and 60% co-occurred
with poor water quality conditions  (Figure 8-30).
  PoorWater/Sediment Quality Indicators that
  Co-occur with Low Benthic Diversity -
  Puerto Rico (2000)
   OSediment Quality
   OWater Quality
   • Sediment and
    Water Quality
   ONone
                                       Sediment
                                        Quality
                                         30%
     Figure 8-29. Benthic index data for Puerto Rico's estuaries
     (U.S. EPA/NCA).
                Sediment and
                Water Quality
                    60%
                                                                Figure 8-30. Indicators of poor water/sediment quality
                                                                that co-occur with low benthic diversity in Puerto Rico
                                                                (U.S. EPA/NCA).
       Coastal Habitat Index
   The coastal wetland indicator for Puerto Rico
cannot be scored because the only information available
regarding the  acreage of coastal wetlands for Puerto
Rico represents a single point in time, and rate of loss
cannot be determined from this value. In 1990, the
acreage of coastal wetlands in Puerto Rico was deter-
mined to be 17,300 acres. Although acreage estimates
for 2000 are not available, it is clear that losses to
coastal wetland acreage in Puerto  Rico can be affected
by development, sea-level rise, and interference with
normal erosional/depositional processes.
238  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                       ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Puerto Rico Assessment
and Advisory Data

Clean  Water Act Section 305(b)
Assessments
   Puerto Rico assessed 175 linear miles of estuaries
(total number of estuarine square miles is unknown)
and 550 linear miles of shoreline (100%) for its 2000
305(b) report. Of estuarine miles, 6% fully support
their designated uses, 10% are threatened for one
or more uses, and the remaining 84% are impaired
by some form of pollution or habitat degradation
(Figure 8-31)- Fifty-five percent of ocean shoreline
fully supports its designated uses, 24% is threatened
for one or more uses, and the remaining 21% is
impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degrada-
tion  (Figure 8-32). Individual use support for assessed
shoreline in Puerto Rico  is shown in Figure 8-33-
                  Fully Supporting
                       6%
           Threatened
              10%
                                  Impaired
                                    84%
 Figure 8-3 I. Water quality in assessed estuaries in Puerto
 Rico (U.S. EPA, 2002). Puerto Rico assessed 175 linear miles of
 estuaries, but the total number of estuarine square miles is
Figure 8-32. Water quality for assessed shoreline waters in
Puerto Rico (U.S. EPA, 2002).
Figure 8-33. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
waters in Puerto Rico (U.S. EPA, 2002).

Fish Consumption Advisories
   Puerto Rico did not report fish consumption advi-
sory information to EPA in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

Beach Advisories  and Closures
   Puerto Rico reports beach advisories and closure data
to EPA, but of the 24 beaches reporting in Puerto Rico,
none reported being affected by either an advisory or
a closure during 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003a).

                                                       A juvenile basket star entwines itself in the soft coral for protec-
                                                       tion during the day (Pat Cunningham).
                                                                                   National Coastal Condition Report II  239

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                             ghlight
                Coastal Biological Invasions

                   Biological invasion is considered the greatest cause of loss of plant and animal diversity after
                habitat destruction (Vitousek et al., 1997)- The National Invasive Species Council reports that
                early detection of invasive species and a quick, coordinated response can eradicate or contain these
                invasions at much lower cost than long-term control programs, which may be unfeasible or
                prohibitively expensive. Carlton (2001) postulated that eradication of new populations of non-
                native species may succeed with the implementation of an early warning system. While there are
                several terrestrial models (e.g.,  the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), there is
                no such system for coastal waters, nor is there a national plan to monitor, share information, or
                advise field response teams on  how best to control alien species before they become widespread.
                   With growing scientific concern for the increasing rate of biological introductions to United
                States coastal waters and the relative lack of action to reverse this trend, NOAA initiated in fiscal
                year 2002 a new coastal alien species program with five components:
                   (1) an inventory of coastal marine species
                   (2) a warning system to alert managers
                   (3) a national information dissemination system
                   (4) risk assessments and predictions of alien species becoming invasive
                   (5) early detection and monitoring of alien species.

                   The first implemented prototype component of this program is the Hawaiian Pilot Reporting,
                Warning, and Information Dissemination System for Coastal Alien Species. One of many part-
                ners, Bishop Museum, is preparing an electronic inventory of Hawaiian coastal species. Taxonomic
                experts will peer review this species inventory, while the state of Hawaii,  the University of Hawaii,
                NOAA's Fisheries Service, and other organizations are making their monitoring data available to
                NOAA. NOAA's Coastal Data Development Center will integrate the monitoring data and link it
                to the inventory to create  an information-dissemination system that Web site users can query by
                species name, search by geographic area, and download summary data to their desktops.
240  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                   ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
   An up-do-date inventory of native and alien species known to reside in U.S. coastal waters and
a verification process for validating the names of species reported as new to a region is integral to
building a reliable reporting and warning system for biological invaders. The American Fisheries
Society (AFS) has published peer-reviewed volumes on the names of fishes and invertebrates of
Canada and the continental United States, and updates the volumes each decade. A primary
partner in the new venture, AFS has granted copyrights to NOAA so that this information can be
used to build the initial baseline inventory. Voucher specimens and photographs will be required
before  reported species can be confirmed, a warning to coastal managers issued, and the baseline
inventory revised. Members of the museum community and other taxonomic experts who helped
prepare and peer review the AFS volumes have volunteered to assist in the reporting system and to
verify species reported as potentially new to a region.
   Following successful testing of the prototype system in fiscal year 2003, NOAA and its partners
will expand the Hawaiian  coastal inventory, reporting, warning, and information-dissemination
system to include other regions of the United States. (Other likely candidate regions include the
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean and  Pacific Islands.) NOAA and the USGS are planning a joint
venture in fiscal year 2004 to initiate the early detection and monitoring components of the alien
species program.

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Other Island Systems
     Coastal Monitoring Data
       No consistent coastal monitoring programs exist
     for American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana
     Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. The NCA Program
     may include one or more of these territories in the
     2004 survey.

    American Samoa

     Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries
       The islands of American Samoa are partially
     surrounded by a narrow, fringing coral reef that is
     inhabited by a diverse array offish and invertebrates.
     These reefs are harvested by local residents on an
     almost daily basis. Total inshore subsistence catch
     for 1993—1995 averaged 160 mt, with a value worth
     $560,000. The catch is dominated in some years
     by the coastal migratory species atule, but typically,
     more resident species such as other jacks, surgeonfish,
     mullet, octopus, groupers, and snappers  are most
     consistently harvested.
       Samoans also fish on the predicted nights  of emer-
     gence of the paolo worm, whose reproductive segments
     are considered a delicacy. During its annual spawning,
     the hind end of the paolo worm containing the repro-
     ductive segments or epitokes separate from the anterior
     end of the worm and swarm to the surface, releasing
     sperm and eggs into the ocean. These epitokes are
     collected and consumed by many local fishermen.
     The head end of the worm remains below and regener-
     ates a new epitoke in preparation for spawning the
     following year.
       For Samoan inshore fisheries, downward trends in
     catch and CPUE have been observed  in  recent years,
     especially when the catches of the highly variable atule
     have been removed from the analysis.
The beauty of the Pacific lionfish belies its venomous
spines (Paul Goetz).

Assessment and Advisory Data

Clean Water Act Section 305(b)
Assessments
   American Samoa assessed 53 (46%) of its 116 shore-
line miles for its 2000 305(b) report. Of the assessed
miles, 13% fully support designated uses, 57% are
threatened for one or more uses, and the remaining
30% are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat
degradation (Figure  8-34). Individual use support for
American Samoa's shoreline is shown in Figure 8-35-
                                          Fully
                                        Supporting
                                          13%
                                                        Figure 8-34. Water quality for assessed shoreline waters in
                                                        American Samoa (U.S. EPA, 2002).
242  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                      ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories

    35
    30-
    25-
    20-
    is-
    m-
     s'
     0
          Aquatic Life     Fish Consumption   Primary Contact-
           Support                      Swimming
                     Designated Use
Figure 8-35. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
waters in American Samoa (U.S. EPA, 2002).

Fish Consumption Advisories
   Since 1993, American Samoa has had a fish
consumption advisory in effect for chromium, copper,
DDT, lead, mercury, zinc, and PCBs in Inner Pago
Pago Harbor (U.S. EPA, 2003c). This estuarine
advisory advises all members of the general population
(including sensitive populations of pregnant women,
nursing mothers, and children) not to consume any
fish, fish liver, or shellfish from the waters under advi-
sory. In addition, these same waters are also under a
commercial fishing ban that precludes the harvesting
of fish or shellfish for sale in commercial markets.

Beach Advisories and Closures
   American Samoa did not report monitoring
or closing information for any beaches  in 2002
(U.S. EPA, 2003a).

Guam

Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries
   Guam is the southernmost and largest island in the
Mariana Island Archipelago, and like American Samoa,
the principal inshore fisheries are based on a wide
assortment of coral reef fishes. Harvested fish include
jacks and scads (especially atulai, the bigeye scad),
surgeonfish, squirrelfish, fusilier, rudderfish (guili),
snappers, mullet (aguas), goatfish (ti'ao), and rabbitfish
(manahak). Invertebrate species include various marine
crabs (including land crabs), spiny and slipper lobsters,
sea urchins, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, tridacnid clams,
topshells, chitons, conchs, strombids, and nerites.
Guam's inshore reefs appear to be fully exploited and
have shown signs of overfishing. During 1993—1995,
the catch of nearshore reef fisheries averaged 90 mt.

Assessment and Advisory Data

Clean Water Act Section 305(b)
Assessments
   Guam assessed 17 (15%)  of its 117 coastal shoreline
miles for its 2000 305 (b) report.  Six percent of the
assessed miles fully support designated uses, 35%
are threatened for one or more uses, and 59% are
impaired because of some form of pollution or habitat
degradation (Figure 8-36).
                                       Fully
                                    Supporting
                                       6%
Figure 8-36. Water quality for assessed shoreline waters in
Guam (U.S. ERA, 2002).
Fish Consumption Advisories
   Guam did not report fish consumption advisory
information to EPA in 2002 (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

Beach Advisories and Closures
   Of 42 beaches in Guam that reported information to
EPA, 39 (93%) were under advisories or closings at least
once during 2002. Many of these advisories or closings
were issued because monitoring had revealed elevated
bacterial levels. Also, some beaches were closed preemp-
tively because of sewage discharges or spills. The major
source of elevated bacterial levels was unknown in most
cases; however, the source of preemptive closures was
sewerline blockage or pipe breakage  (U.S. EPA, 2003a).
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report II  243

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     ChapterS   Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
     Northern Mariana Islands

     Assessment and Advisory Data

     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
       The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
     Islands assessed 1 (less than 0.01%) of its 15,989 square
     miles of bays, estuarine areas, and lagoons for its 2000
     305(b) report. The entire assessed estuarine area (100%)
     is impaired because of some form of pollution or
     habitat degradation (U.S. EPA, 2002).

     Fish Consumption Advisories
       The Northern Mariana Islands did not report fish
     consumption advisory information to EPA in 2002
     (U.S. EPA, 2003c).

     Beach Advisories  and Closures
       Three beaches reported advisory or closing informa-
     tion, and all  three beaches were affected by public beach
     notifications. The beach notifications were issued in all
     three cases because monitoring revealed elevated
     bacteria levels. The sources of the elevated bacterial
     counts were SSOs, septic systems, stormwater runoff,
     and other sources.
Fish  Consumption Advisories
  The U.S. Virgin Islands did not report fish
consumption advisory information to EPA in 2002
(U.S. EPA, 2003c).

Beach  Advisories and Closures
  All three of the main islands of the U.S. Virgin
Islands—St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John—reported
beach advisory and closing data in 2002 (U.S. EPA,
2003a). Of 62 beaches reporting data, only 3% (three
beaches)  reported advisories or closings, and these three
beaches were all on St. Croix. The reason for all three
closures was preemptive—sewage discharges or spills
of sewage from POTWs.
Figure 8-37. Water quality for assessed shoreline waters in the
U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S. EPA, 2002).
     U.S.  Virgin Islands

    Assessment and Advisory Data

     Clean Water Act Section  305(b)
     Assessments
       The U.S. Virgin Islands assessed 202 (97%) of
     its 209 miles of coastal shoreline for its 2000 305 (b)
     report. Eighty-six percent of assessed shoreline fully
     supports its designated uses, 10% is threatened for
     one or more uses, and the remaining 4% is impaired
     by some form of pollution or habitat degradation
     (Figure 8-37). Individual use support for assessed
     U.S. Virgin Islands shoreline is shown in Figure 8-38.
   160
   140-
   120-
   100-
60-
40-
20-
o-


II n
Aquatic Life Primary Contact-
Support Swimming
Designated Use


n
Secondary
Contact

Figure 8-38. Individual use support for assessed shoreline
waters in the U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S. EPA, 2002).
244  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                             ChapterS  Coastal Condition for Alaska, Hawaii, and Island Territories
Summary
U   Ecological conditions of the coastal resources in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the
~.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific island territories of American Samoa,  Guam, and
the Northern Mariana Islands are largely unknown. Alaska assessed less than 0.1 % of its
coastal estuaries and less than 0.1% its coastal shoreline in 2000; however, NCA assess-
ments were completed for the Alaskan Province in 2002 and were scheduled in 2004 for
Alaska's southeast region (Columbian Province), which includes Juneau and the  island
passage area. Additional NCA monitoring is planned for the Aleutian, Bering  Sea, and
Arctic areas in subsequent monitoring years because of the geographic expanse of these
areas and the restricted time period in which sampling can be conducted.
   Hawaii's 2000 305 (b) data suggest that 57% of Hawaii's estuarine area is impaired
by some form of pollution or habitat degradation, whereas only 2% of its coastal shore-
line is impaired. Most monitoring in Hawaii is focused on known AOCs; therefore,
it is difficult to interpret these results. NCA surveys conducted in 2002 and 2004 will
provide a less biased view of Hawaii's estuarine condition in future National Coastal
Condition Reports.
   Although coastal monitoring in Puerto Rico has occurred in some coastal regions,
these surveys were almost exclusively conducted in the San Juan area. The NCA Program
conducted comprehensive survey of coastal resources in Puerto Rico in 2000. This survey,
which included data from 50 sampling stations throughout the island, determined that
the overall condition of Puerto Rico's estuarine waters is borderline poor, with 7% of the
estuarine condition rated as unimpaired, 16% rated as threatened, and 77% judged to
be impaired by some form of pollution. Habitat degradation for Puerto Rico could not
be scored because the only information on the island's coastal wetlands represents a single
point in time (17,300 acres of wetlands  existed on the island in  1990). Puerto Rico's
2000 305(b) data provided similar results on estuarine area conditions, with 6% of
assessed estuaries in Puerto Rico  fully supporting their designated uses, 10% rated as
threatened, and 84% impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degradation.
   The 2000 305(b) data for the U.S. Virgin Islands suggests that the islands'  coastal
resources are in good condition. Approximately 86% of assessed shoreline fully supports
its designated uses, 10% is threatened for one or more uses, and only the  remaining 4%
are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degradation. Estuarine areas on the
U.S. Virgin Islands were not assessed because these islands do not have waterbodies that
are true estuaries.
   Coastal resources in several of the  Pacific island territories are believed to be in good
condition;  however, available data are relatively scarce for these jurisdictions. The 2000
305 (b) data for American  Samoa revealed that of the assessed coastline miles, 13% fully
support their designated uses, 57% are threatened for one or more uses, and the
remaining  30% are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degradation. The 2000
305 (b) data for Guam revealed that of the assessed coastline miles, only 6% fully support
their designated uses, 35% are threatened for one  or more uses,  and the remaining 59%
are impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degradation. No water quality assess-
ments of estuarine condition were made for American Samoa or Guam. Finally,  the 2000
305 (b) data for the Northern Mariana Islands revealed that of the 1  square mile  of estu-
aries and bays assessed (representing less than 0.01%  of 15,989 square miles of estuarine
area), 100% is impaired by some form of pollution or habitat degradation. The NCA
Program may include one or more of these island  territories in their 2004 survey to
obtain a more comprehensive perspective on estuarine and coastal resources.

                                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II  245

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Chapter 9
Health of
Galveston Bay
for Human Use


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     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
     Health of Galveston Bay for Human  Use
        Estuaries are expected to support a variety of human
     uses, ranging from commercial and recreational fisheries
     to marine transportation to discharge of chemical and
     thermal wastes. How well estuaries are meeting these
     human uses is one measure of coastal condition.
     Traditionally, coastal condition is described in terms of
     the effects of human activities on one or more environ-
     mental metrics. The previous chapters have followed
     this traditional approach and have used the results of
     estuarine assessments to describe the current condition
     of coastal resources in each region of the United States.
     This final chapter complements that approach by
     assessing the health of an estuary based on its ability to
     meet society's desired uses. Using Galveston Bay (the
     largest estuary of the Texas coast) as an example, this
     chapter will examine the following questions:
     •  What are society's stated uses for the system?
     •  How well are those uses being met?
     •  In instances in which a particular use is not being
        achieved to the desired level, are there relationships
        between the impairment and the National Coastal
        Condition Report indicators? If so, how might
        improving one or more of the indicators affect
        a particular use?

        Addressing estuarine health in this manner can
     help researchers interpret existing data in terms of
     an estuary's  ability to meet society's desired uses, as
     well as drive the collection of new data directly related
     to perceived problems. The first steps in enabling
     managers to enhance and balance those uses are to
     determine how society currently chooses to use these
     areas and to estimate the social, economic, and environ-
     mental costs and benefits of optimizing one or more
     uses. The relationship between coastal condition
indicators and human use impairments will be
addressed in more detail in future National Coastal
Condition Reports.
   The type of assessment described in this chapter
cannot be done on scales larger than a single estuary.
Galveston Bay was chosen for this first evaluation for
two reasons. First, on a very large scale, Galveston Bay
supports a wide array of human uses, from industrial
activities, such as oil and gas extraction and petrochem-
ical operations, to fisheries, recreation, tourism, and
marine transportation. Second, a great deal of informa-
tion has been gathered and made readily available by
the Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP), formerly
the Galveston Bay National Estuary Program
(GBNEP);  the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
(TPWD); the NMFS; and the USAGE.
Overview  of Galveston Bay

   Galveston Bay (Figure 9-1) is classified as a bar-
built estuary in a drowned river delta. The open bay has
a surface area of approximately 600 square miles (GBEP,
2002). With an average depth of 6 feet and a maximum
nondredged depth of 10 feet, it is a shallow estuary.
The watershed has an area of approximately 24,500
square miles (NOAA, 1990), which includes
all or portions of 44 counties within the state of
Texas. Five counties  surround the estuary: Brazoria,
Chambers, Galveston, Harris, and Liberty. In addition,
the metropolitan areas of Houston, Dallas, and Fort
Worth are also contained in the watershed.
   Galveston Bay itself is commonly divided into
four subbays: Galveston Bay, Trinity Bay, East Bay,
and West Bay. Galveston Bay receives inflow from the
San Jacinto River and local drainage from the Houston
248  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
  Hirri,

Figure 9-1. Galveston Bay watershed.

metropolitan area via the Buffalo Bayou and its tribu-
taries. The Trinity River empties into Trinity Bay. East
Bay, on the inside of the Bolivar Peninsula, receives
inflow from Oyster Bayou and from local runoff. West
Bay, landward of Galveston Island, receives freshwater
inflow from a series of bayous.
   With an estimated input of 10 million acre-feet
per year, Galveston Bay has the largest freshwater inflow
volume of any estuary wholly or entirely within Texas
(Martin et al., 1996), flushing the system  between four
and five times annually (GBNEP, 1994a). The major
source of freshwater to Galveston Bay is the Trinity
Pviver, accounting for 54% of the inflow, followed by
the San Jacinto Pviver basin (28%) and the local water-
shed (18%)  (GBNEP, 1994a).
   In the upper half of Galveston Bay,  salinity is typi-
cally less than 10 ppt, and it is lower near the point
where the Trinity Pviver enters the bay.  In  the lower half
of the estuary, higher salinities are common, including
salinities as high as 30 ppt at the  Gulf inlet located
between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula (GBEP,
2002). Vertical salinity stratification is slight, averaging
less than 0.6 ppt/meter. The Houston Ship Channel,
which extends approximately 50  miles from Houston
to the Gulf of Mexico, has also produced  changes in
bay circulation and salinity.
                                                           Within Galveston Bay, six major estuarine habitat
                                                        types have been identified: oyster reefs, seagrass
                                                        meadows, marshes, intertidal mud and sand flats,
                                                        open-bay waters, and open-bay bottoms (GBEP, 2002).
                                                        Species living in Galveston Bay move in and out of
                                                        these areas, typically associating with one or more
                                                        habitats during their life cycle.
What Does Society Want
Galveston Bay to Look Like?
   According to The Galveston Bay Plan: The
Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for
the Galveston Bay Ecosystem (GBNEP, 1994a) developed
by the GBNEP, there are a number of land uses identi-
fied as important to society. These land uses include
marine transportation; commercial and recreational
fishing; receiving waters for industrial, municipal, and
thermal wastes; recreational activities, such as sailing
and motorboat cruising and sightseeing; habitat for fish,
birds, shellfish, dolphins, reptiles, and other species;
sites for oil and gas production; human residential
housing;  and also use as a general indicator of the
health of the environment.
   Society's desired uses  of Galveston Bay are also
reflected  in land use patterns (Table 9-1). In general,
urban and industrial development is concentrated
on the western side of the bay, with the eastern side
being more rural, dominated by agriculture and the
extraction of natural resources (GBEP, 2002). There are
more than 800 point source dischargers in the water-
shed, and many of these are wastewater treatment plants
(Figure 9-2). Significant industrial activity exists around
Galveston Bay, much of it centered along the Houston
Ship Channel and in Texas City. As much as 50% of
the nation's petrochemical production and as much as
                                                                                    National Coastal Condition Report II 249

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     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
     30% of its petroleum industry can be found within the
     five-county area surrounding Galveston Bay (Gersten,
     1995)- There are approximately 50 petrochemical facili-
     ties and 40 inorganic chemical producers in the area.
     Manufacturing in the five counties surrounding
     Galveston Bay accounts for an estimated annual value
     of more than $95 billion (Table 9-2).
        The Port of Houston is the third largest port in
     the Unites States and the sixth largest in the world
     (Port of Houston Authority, 2003). It is used
     primarily by ships in support of the petroleum and
     petrochemical industries (Martin  et al., 1996). The
     combined annual revenue of the Port of Houston,
     Texas City, and Galveston Bay has been estimated at
     more than $ 15 billion per year.
        Agriculture is  a significant human use, particularly
     on the eastern side of the bay. The major crops in the
     five counties surrounding Galveston Bay include rice,
     sorghum, soybeans, and corn. The raising of livestock,
     primarily beef cattle, is also an important activity. In
     the five counties  surrounding Galveston Bay, agriculture
     generates an estimated market value of more than
     $130 million per year  (Table 9-2).
        Tourism is an important and growing use of
     Galveston Bay and its surrounding areas,  generating
     an estimated $7-5 billion in travel and payroll dollars
     (Martin et al., 1996). Sport fishing and associated
     expenditures in and around Galveston Bay have been
     estimated to generate as much as  $2.8 billion per year.
        Galveston Bay ranks as the second most productive
     estuary in the United States in terms of seafood (Martin
     et al., 1996). The commercial fishing industry produces
     a total economic impact of up to  $358 million each
     year (Martin et al., 1996), approximately one-third of
     the commercial fishing income in Texas (GBEP, 2002).
     The most commercially valuable species from Galveston
     Bay are brown and white shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs.
        Although Galveston Bay has been modified
     substantially to support human uses, large tracts of
     natural areas in and around the bay still  remain
     intact, in part because of the value society has placed
     on these areas. For example, there are an estimated
     345 square miles of wetlands in and around Galveston
     Bay and approximately 585 square miles of forest land.
     Wetlands and seagrasses are important habitats for
     many species and life stages of aquatic organisms
     that inhabit Galveston Bay.
Table 9-1. Land Use in the Galveston Bay Watershed
(NOAA, 1999).
Land Use
Urban
Residential
Commercial and services
[Industrial
Transportation,
communication,
and utilities
Strip mines and quarries
Agricultural lands
Rangeland
Forest
Wetlands
Estuaries, lakes, and
reservoirs
Streams and canals
Lower
Watershed
(mi.2)*
1,141
31
4
46
7
1
1,627

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                                                                         Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
          o
 oo ^     o
0^0^
                                o
                                   C0
                             o
                              o
 o
   o
    o  o
oQ  c£P
       o

                T
               /
o
                  O
Figure 9-2. Major point sources adjacent to Galveston Bay (U.S. EPA, 2004).
                               Point Source Facility Types

                               •  Petroleum refineries
                               O  Wastewater treatment plants
                               O  Inorganic chemical production
                               O  Synthetic rubber production
                               O  Petroleum bulk storage
                               ®  Alkalies and chlorine production
                               •  Agricultural chemical production
                               •  Paper mill
Table 9-2. Production and Value ($) Estimates of Human Uses in Galveston Bay
Use
Commercial fishing
Recreational fishing
Tourism
Economic Impact
$358 million (Martin et al., 1996)
$2.8 billion (Martin et al., 1996)
$7.5 billion (Martin et al., 1996)
Production/Employment
1 1 million Ibs/year (Martin et al., 1996)
40,000 jobs; 100,000 pleasure boats
(GBEP, 2002)
80,000 jobs (Martin et al., 1996)
Marine Transportation
Port of Houston
Port of Galveston
Port of Texas City
Manufacturing
Employment
Agriculture
$11 billion
(Port of Houston Authority, 2003)
$440 million '
$4.2 billion '
$95.3 billion
183,000 jobs
(U.S. Census Bureau, 1997)
$132 million (USDA, 1999)'
1 75 million tons; 6,800 vessels (GBEP, 2002)
7 million tons; 927 vessels (GBEP, 2002)
67 million tons; 9,600 vessels (GBEP, 2002)


5,558 farms; 1.5 million acres (USDA, 1999)
 1  Estimated value of cargo for Galveston Bay and Texas City calculated using per ton value from Port of Houston.
 2  Market value of agricultural product sold.
Project is a project to increase the depth of the channels
from 40 to 45 feet and to widen their bottom widths
from 400 to 530 feet. In addition to improving marine
transportation in and out of Galveston Bay, dredge
material will be used in the construction or rehabilita-
tion of several islands and marshes. A total of nearly
4,500  acres of habitat is being created over the 50-year
life of this project, as well as approximately 120 acres of
oyster  reefs  (GBEP, 2002).
                        The marine commerce industry in Galveston Bay is
                     already large, and despite ongoing efforts to accommo-
                     date growth  in the industry, it is anticipated that marine
                     commerce in the bay will overwhelm the available port
                     facilities sometime after 2010. Planning for that growth
                     is well under way, and environmental impact statements
                     have been filed with the USAGE to build new ports at
                     Baytown and Texas City.

                                                                                         National Coastal Condition Report II  251

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     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
     A Place to Live
        The area around Galveston Bay is home to approxi-
     mately 4 million people (GBEP, 2002), and population
     growth is expected to continue. The majority of the
     population lives in Harris County (Figure 9-3), home to
     significant manufacturing activities. Much of the popu-
     lation growth around Galveston Bay can be attributed
     to the growth of industry, ranging from petrochemicals
     to electronics manufacture (GBEP, 2002).
        Although population growth in the cities of Houston
     and Galveston has slowed, growth in the suburban
     communities is expanding to meet the needs of the
     population. Many people also want to live near the bay
     itself. In Chambers County, approximately 45% of the
     population lives within 2 miles of the bay; in Galveston
     County, that figure climbs to more  than 70% (GBEP,
     2002).

     Oil  and Gas  Production
        The discovery of oil and gas in the early part of the
     twentieth century drove much of the region's  growth.
     There are currently more than 5,300 oil wells and
     1,500 gas wells in the Galveston Bay area (GBEP
     2002). Although oil and gas production is still an
     important industry in the region, production has
     decreased considerably since the 1970s (GBNEP
     1994b). In 1979, oil production in Brazoria, Chambers,
     Harris, and Galveston counties totaled 52 million
     barrels. By 2001, that figure had declined to approxi-
     mately 5-4 million barrels. The decline appears to be
     related to external factors, such as falling oil and gas
     prices worldwide, which have led to less extraction of
     reserves in the Galveston Bay area. The crash  of the oil
     industry  in the 1980s also led to diversification of the
     bay area's economy.

     Manufacturing
        As shown in Table 9-2, manufacturing is the major
     economic engine in the Galveston Bay area. An esti-
     mated one-half of the total chemical production in the
     United States takes place in the five counties that
     surround Galveston Bay (GBEP, 2002). Most of this
     manufacturing is concentrated in Harris County. Major
     production categories include petrochemicals, inorganic
     chemicals, plastics and rubber products, fabricated
     metal manufacturing, machinery, and computer and
          • TOTAL
          • Brazoria
          ° Chambers
           Galveston
          • Harris
          : Liberty
Figure 9-3. Population change in the counties surrounding
Galveston Bay (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001).
electronic products. The region's economy has expanded
fairly continuously over the past 50 years, indicating the
continued desire for increased production of goods and
services, and this trend will likely continue. In 1997,
the value of shipments in the five counties surrounding
Galveston Bay was approximately $95 billion, (U.S.
Census Bureau, 1997).

Recreational  Activities
   Recreation is important in Galveston Bay. For the
most part, it appears that this use is also being met.
Major  activities include duck hunting, swimming,
nature  viewing, pleasure boating, fishing, camping,
picnicking, and sightseeing (GBNEP, 1994b). With
approximately 100,000 registered pleasure boats in the
five counties that  surround it, Galveston Bay has been
called the "boating capital of Texas" (GBEP, 2002).
An estimated 40% or  more of the residents around
Galveston Bay participate in walking, swimming, or
picnicking around the bay at least annually (GBEP
2002), and approximately 20% of the residents in
the five-county area use the bay at least once a year
for recreational fishing and boating (Whittington
etal., 1993).
   One concern related to this use, however, is that
of access  to the bay. Currently, public shoreline access
is limited to parks and boat ramps and a few parks
(GBNEP, 1994b). As the population of the region
increases, the need for greater access to the bay will
likely become a greater priority.
252  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
Wildlife Habitat
   A habitat for wildlife is also listed as an important
use in the Galveston Bay management plan. Over the
years, the bay has changed significantly. One of the
most obvious changes is the loss of wetlands and
seagrasses. Wetlands and seagrasses have many functions
within estuarine ecosystems, one of the most important
being habitat for plants, fish, birds, and wildlife. In
Galveston Bay, many of the fishery species of shrimp,
crabs, and fish rely on wetlands and seagrasses for at
least part of their life cycle (GBNEP, 1994b).
   More than 33,000 acres of vegetated wetlands, or
approximately 19% of the total, have been lost from
Galveston Bay since the 1950s (GBNEP, 1994b). The
rate of wetland loss in Galveston Bay is also  higher than
the national average. Four main causes have been cited:
human-induced subsidence and associated relative sea-
level rise; conversion of wetlands to agricultural land;
dredge and fill activities; and isolation projects. Much
of the subsidence was caused by the pumping of
groundwater, resulting in compaction of the underlying
clay layers. Some wetlands were expanded as upland
areas were inundated with water, but overall, losses
exceed gains. Subsidence and inundation were most
common in brackish or salt marshes. The draining of
wetlands for upland uses, such as rangeland, is  another
significant cause of wetland loss in Galveston Bay.
   The loss of seagrasses has been even more significant
than loss of wetlands. Seagrasses have decreased from
approximately 2,500 acres in the 1950s to 700 acres
in 1987, roughly a 70% loss of this habitat (GBNEP,
1994b). The reasons for the loss of seagrasses are  not
fully understood, but may be related to human activi-
ties, including land development, wastewater discharges,
chemical spills, and dredging activities, a number of
which can result in light attenuation and limit seagrass
growth (Pulich and White, 1991). Another cause of
the disappearance of seagrasses may be related to  subsi-
dence. The removal of natural  berms resulting from
subsidence may increase the wave energy impinging
on seagrass beds and thus increase erosional  forces
(GBNEP, 1994b).
   The loss of wetland and seagrass habitat could
also be affecting both ecologically and economically
important species;  however, no studies have  been able
to document a causal relationship between species
abundance and habitat loss in Galveston Bay
(GBNEP, 1994b). Although the loss of wetlands and
seagrass habitat could affect the abundance of fish and
shellfish that use these areas as  a nursery, many of these
species can survive and grow over open bay bottom
(GBEP, 2002).
   Galveston Bay is also home  to a variety of birds,
from colonial waterbirds to waterfowl and shorebirds. A
recent study (McFarlane, 2001) investigated population
trends in colonial waterbirds in Galveston Bay.  Overall,
the results were good: 10 species  of birds had stable
populations during the period  1973 to 1998, 8 species
increased in population, and only 4 species—great
blue heron, roseate spoonbill, least tern, and black
skimmer—had decreasing  populations. The reasons
for the decrease in these four species are not clear.
In the case of great blue herons and roseate spoonbill,
a decrease in the quality or quantity of nesting and
feeding habitat, such as wetlands, could be a factor
(Walton and Green, 1993).
Status  of Fisheries in Galveston
Bay
   Galveston Bay is an important source for both
commercial and recreational species of fish and shellfish.
Historically, the bay has been the leading producer of
seafood in Texas and one of the leading producers in the
Gulf of Mexico. In general, the fisheries appear to be
meeting the needs of commercial and recreational fishers.
   The status of fisheries in Galveston Bay was assessed
primarily using commercial and recreational landings
data provided by the TPWD. Seafood dealers provide
information on commercial harvest of shrimp, oysters,
crabs, and marine fish through a mandatory self-
reporting system known as the Monthly Marine Products
Report (Green et al., 1992). Where appropriate, fishery-
independent trawl and seine data, also collected by
TPWD, were used to supplement landings data.
   Public pressure led to a ban on the use of gill nets
in all saltwater habitats in the late 1980s because valued
non-target  fish and mammals were being caught in the
nets (Robinson, 2003). Twenty-year records of commer-
cial landings of some commercial finfish species show
overall decreases that are likely a result of that ban;
                                                                                     National Coastal Condition Report II  253

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     Chapter 9 \  Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
     therefore, only data since 1990 have been used to
     examine a possible connection between landings and
     coastal condition.

     Commercial Fisheries
        The shrimp fishery is the largest commercial fishery
     in Galveston Bay, averaging approximately 7 million
     pounds,  followed by the fisheries for oysters, blue crabs,
     and a variety offish species (Table  9-3). Approximately
     95% of the total annual commercial harvest in
     Galveston Bay is made up of shrimp, oysters,  and
     blue crabs (GBNEP, 1994b).
   Table 9-3. Average Harvest of Selected Commercial
   Species of Fish and Shellfish from Galveston Bay (GBEP,
   2002)
                      Weight (Ibs)
                  Ex-vessel Value
Shrimp
Eastern oysters
Blue crab
6,948,629
3,919,514
1 ,992,007
$9,969,989
$8,412,810
$1,240,167
   Finfish
211,399
$151,515
   Values represent mean for years 1994-1998.

     Shrimp
        The commercial harvesting of shrimp in Galveston
     Bay rose to prominence in the 1920s. White and brown
     shrimp are the major species harvested in Galveston
     Bay, and pink shrimp are a minor component of the
     overall harvest and are usually counted as "browns."
     Slightly more white shrimp are caught in Galveston
     Bay than brown and pink shrimp (Green et al., 1992).
     Figure 9-4 shows the commercial harvest between 1990
     and 2001 in  Galveston Bay, during which time there
     was an overall increase. In terms  of human use, this
     would appear to indicate the resource is  meeting human
     use needs.
     Eastern  Oysters
        Oysters are the second most important commercial
     species harvested in Galveston Bay. Most of the bay's
     large oysters reefs are located in mid-Galveston Bay
     (e.g., Redfish Reef and Redfish Bar) and also in East
     Bay (e.g., Hanna Reef), where fresh water from the
     tributaries mixes with saltwater from the Gulf of
     Mexico.  Commercial landings of oysters increased
                                                1990
                                                       1992
                                                              1994    1996
                                                                   Year
                                                                            1998    2000
Figure 9-4. Commercial landings of shrimp in Galveston Bay
1990-2001. Developed by NOAA for NCCR II. Data provided by
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPVVD, 2003).

between 1990 and 2001 (Figure 9-5), and the fishery
does not appear to have had an adverse impact on the
size of existing oyster reefs (GBEP, 2004). Some of the
most heavily fished reefs have not varied much in size
since the 1850s, and there is even evidence of accretion
on some reefs (GBNEP, 1994b). This resiliency of
oysters is interesting not only because of the fishery
pressure on the resource, but also because of other
stressors, such as disease and predation. For example,
the protozoan parasite known as "Dermo" (Perkinsus
marinus) can cause annual mortalities in market oysters
ranging from 10% to 50% (GBEP, 2002).
                                        Figure 9-5. Commercial landings of oysters in Galveston Bay
                                        1990-2001. Developed by NOAA for NCCR II. Data provided by
                                        Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD, 2003).
254  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                       Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
   Although the oyster population appears to be stable
 (even increasing in some areas), oyster harvesting is
 restricted in significant portions (43%) of Galveston
 Bay and is prohibited in small areas (1.5%) (GBEP,
 2002). Growing water condition is determined based
 on observed concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria in
 the water. The presence of such bacteria is an indicator
 of the possible presence of pathogens from human or
 other mammalian fecal material entering the bay,
 usually from nonpoint terrestrial sources.
   Oysters can be commercially harvested from
 restricted areas, but such harvesting is limited to those
 who hold privately leased, approved areas  and can trans-
 port the oysters to these depurate areas prior to sale.
 The size of restricted areas  decreased through the 1990s,
 opening more beds to all oystermen. This may account
 for part of the increase in landings over the same
 period. Another contributing factor is that the TPWD
 has limited the number of commercial licenses for
 shrimp and crabs since the mid-1990s, but not for
 oysters. Also, the recent low prices of shrimp have
 caused some fishers to target oysters rather than shrimp.
   The presence of fecal coliform indicates that fecal
 waste has entered the estuary from human and  other
 terrestrial sources. Fecal coliform can  contaminate
 oysters and cause disease in humans who consume
 them. A naturally occurring marine bacterium, Vibrio
parahaemolyticus, can also be transmitted in raw oysters
 and cause very serious human disease and sometimes
 death. Periodic outbreaks of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
 require temporary total closures of oyster harvesting
 in the bay.
 Blue Crabs
   Blue crabs became an important fishery in Galveston
 Bay after I960, partly because of the increasing
 commercial value of this species.  Currently, more blue
 crabs are harvested out of Galveston Bay than out of
 any other Texas estuary (GBEP, 2002). The commercial
 harvest between 1990 and 2001 averaged 771 mt per
 year (Figure 9-6). An analysis of the landings data did
 not indicate any trends in landings data.
   An analysis of fishery-independent blue crab trawl
 data (Figure 9-7) by TPWD, however, did reveal a
 negative trend in the number of adult crabs captured
 using a shrimp trawl between  1982 and 2000 (GBEP
 2002). Because the blue crab uses a variety of habitats
     3.0
     2.5-
  1  2.0 H
     1.5-
<1>
-D
_§
-8  \.o-\
o
    0.5-

        1990    1992    1994    1996    1998    2000
                           Year
Figure 9-6. Commercial landings of blue crabs in Galveston
Bay 1990-2001. Developed by NOAA for NCCR II. Data
provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department  (TPWD, 2003).
in the bay during its fairly complex life cycle, a number
of natural processes and human alterations could affect
the population. Recruitment, however, does not appear
to be a problem, because fishery-independent nearshore
bag seine capture rates of juveniles appear fairly
constant during the last 20 years. Although there
is some evidence of contaminant stress in blue crabs
inhabiting portions of the Houston Ship Channel
(Engle and Thayer, 1998), fishing pressure may be
a more likely explanation for the decline in the larger
crabs sampled using the shrimp trawl. In 1997, to stem
what appears to be overfishing, the TPWD imposed
trap limits on the commercial  crab industry, set size
limits for blue crab males, prohibited the harvesting
of egg-bearing females, and began a voluntary program
to buy back licenses (Robinson, 2003).
       1982 1984 1986  1988 1990 1992 1994 1996  1998 2000
                          Year
Figure 9-7. Blue crab trawl data, 1982-2000 (GBEP 2002).
                                                                                      National Coastal Condition Report II  255

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     Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
     Finfish Landings
        In the late nineteenth century, the commercial
     harvest of seafood from Galveston Bay was evenly
     divided between finfish and oysters (GBNEP, 1994b).
     Currently, the finfish commercial harvest accounts for
     less than 5% of the total commercial seafood harvest
     from Galveston Bay. The average annual commercial
     harvest of finfish between 1990 and 2001 was 87 mt.
     The ex-vessel value  of finfish in Galveston Bay averaged
     approximately $150,000 annually (GBEP, 2002).
        A variety of finfish are harvested commercially in
     Galveston Bay, including black drum, southern
     flounder, sheepshead, and mullet (Figure 9-8). These
     four species make up more than 60% of the commercial
     finfish harvest. Some of these same species are also
     caught by recreational fishers. Although there is vari-
     ability in the harvest from year to year, there was no
     decline in any of the species harvested between 1990
     and 2001. There are decreases, however, when data are
     viewed for the longer period of 1980 to 2001, but these
     decreases are largely the result of high harvests made in
     the early 1980s before gill netting was banned.
             1990    1992    1994    1996    1998    2000
                                Year
     Figure 9-8.  Commercial landings of selected fish species in
     Galveston Bay 1990-2001.  Developed by NOAA for NCCR II.
     Data provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD,
     2003).
Recreational Fisheries
   The recreational harvest of fish is an important part
of the economy in Galveston Bay. Approximately 50%
of all recreational fishing expenditures in Texas occur in
Galveston Bay (GBEP, 2002). In  the five counties that
surround the bay, more than 260,000 recreational
fishing licenses were sold in 1998 and 1999 (GBEP
2002). In addition to compiling information on the
commercial fisheries, the TPWD  also collects data on
the recreational harvest of finfish. The top five recre-
ational species in terms of the number of fish caught
is provided in Figure 9-9- Between 1990 and 2001,
sand seatrout, spotted seatrout,  and Atlantic croaker
had the highest landings, based on the TPWD survey.
Of the five species shown in Figure 9-9, only one—the
southern flounder—had a negative trend in recreational
landings. It is not clear why this occurred. Fishery-
independent bag seines of southern flounder by TPWD
have shown a nearly stable, slightly increasing trend in
CPUE.  Overall, the recreational harvest of these species
seems to be meeting the needs of recreational fishers
in Galveston Bay.
   In summary, both the commercial and recreational
fisheries in Galveston Bay appear  to be meeting human
use needs. In the fishery-independent data, there is
some evidence of a decreasing blue crab population,
but the  decrease may be related more to overfishing
than to  environmental quality.
                                                                   350
                                   0 Atlantic Croaker
                                   O Red Drum
                                   A Sand Seatrout
                                   • Southern Flounder
                                    Spotted Seatrout

                                                               Figure 9-9.  Recreational (private boat) landings of selected fish
                                                               species in Galveston Bay 1990-2001. Developed by NOAA for
                                                               NCCR II. Data provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
                                                               (TPWD, 2003).
256  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                  Chapter 9   Health of Galveston Bay for Human Use
Can  the Fish Be Eaten?
   There would be little point to commercial fishing if
the product could not be safely consumed. Recreational
fishing, however, has all sorts of benefits in addition to
eating the catch. Nonetheless, it is important to deter-
mine whether the fish can be eaten safely. The Texas
Department of Health (TDH) has declared that "all
species of fish and crabs from areas of Galveston Bay
south of a line from Red Bluff Point to Five Mile Cut
Marker to Houston Point can be eaten without restric-
tions" (TDH, 2001). However, the TDH declared an
advisory area for 50 square miles north of this line (at
the point where the channel opens to the wide portion
of the bay and back toward the city of Houston), for
parts of Buffalo Bayou, for the Houston Ship Channel,
and for the lower San Jacinto River. These areas repre-
sent about 8% of Galveston Bay.
   Since 1990, the TDH has advised that crabs and
catfish taken within this advisory area not be eaten  by
children, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers,
or women who may become pregnant, and only be
eaten in one 8-ounce portion per month by all others,
because of elevated levels of dioxin. Elevated levels of
chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, and dioxins caused the
TDH to recommend the same consumptive restrictions
for all fish species, in addition to crabs and catfish,
taken in a small subsection of this area in 2001. The
area included the 15 square miles within the upper
Houston Ship Channel that extend from the San
Jacinto River to Houston.
Human  Uses and National
Coastal Condition Report
Environmental Indicators

  With the exception of fish contamination in a small
area, reduced benthic conditions at 8 of 10 NCA loca-
tions, and restrictions on oyster harvesting over wider
areas, Galveston Bay is meeting the demands imposed
on it by human uses. Moreover, in terms of the coastal
condition indicators used in this report, it is meeting
human use needs and maintaining a fair ecological
condition. The chlorophyll a and total nitrogen indices
at the 10 NCA sites were all rated as good or fair.
Dissolved oxygen in bottom water is good at eight sites
and fair in the other two sites. Phosphorus concentra-
tions, however, were poor at seven sites and only fair at
three. None of the sediment samples at any site, except
the Houston Ship Channel site, showed sufficient
chemical contamination to classify sediment as
anything other than good. The NOAA Bioeffect
Surveys  (summarized in Chapter 2, National Coastal
Condition) showed the same results at its 75 sites.
There was no toxicity, as measured by 10-day amphipod
survival  (although 80% of the sites are listed as missing
sediment toxicity data), and no cases where sediment
guidelines were exceeded, except one site in the Houston
Ship Channel. Benthic community conditions,
however, were poor at two sites and fair at six sites.
  The Galveston Bay estuary system is maintaining
a fair ecological condition, despite the many demands
from human uses. However, continued surveillance to
detect any early warning signs of ecological degradation
from the current conditions would be prudent.
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report II  257

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                                                                                  ndix A  Quality Assurance
Appendix A     Quality Assurance
Background
   The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) Program
monitors and assesses the quality of the data that is
collected through the activities of the NCA Quality
Assurance Program. The NCA QA Program is
conducted under the guidance of the National Health
and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
(NHEERL) Director of Quality Assurance. The NCA
QA team consists of:
•  National Quality Assurance Coordinator — Assures a
   QA program is in place  and being followed, as well
   as documentation of the known quality of the data
   sets developed by the national contract laboratories;
•  Four regional QA coordinators — Assure that the QA
   program is being followed and develop the docu-
   mentation supporting the known quality of the data
   collected in NCA; and,
•  Twenty-four state QA coordinators — Responsible for
   reviewing and  qualifying all data sets sent to the
   program from their respective states.

   A detailed Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)
was developed by NCA (U.S. EPA,  2001b) and provided
to all participants in the program. Compliance with the
QAPP is assessed through extensive field training exer-
cises, site visits, reviews, and audits. The QAPP
addresses multiple levels of the program. These range
from the collection of field samples and laboratory
processing of these samples, to the review of data sets
compiled from the field and laboratory activities. The
NCA QA team is responsible for performing assess-
ments of the adequacy of these activities.
1999/2000 Survey

  The NCA convened a diverse panel of environ-
mental scientists to help formulate a list of core indica-
tors to help ensure that the NCA collected the appro-
priate types of data to support its mission. In order to
ensure that the data collected were of appropriate
quality to generate sound estimates on environmental
condition, the NCA utilized the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA's) concept of data quality
objectives (DQOs) to set the overall level of data quality
required by management to make informed  decisions.
In other words, how much error can be tolerated within
the measurement process before the data are deemed
unacceptable?
  The NCA Program developed an a priori, program-
level DQO for status estimates: "For each indicator of
condition, estimate the portion of the resource in
degraded condition within ±10% for the overall system
and ±10% for subregions, with 90% confidence based
on a completed sampling regime." This requirement
was met by all of the indicators used for the  1999 to
2000 estimates, with the exception of Puerto Rico. The
NCA design never intended to treat Puerto Rico's
samples as a sole measure of the condition of the
Caribbean and Pacific island commonwealths.  Once
other commonwealth islands are included in the NCA
surveys, the uncertainty associated with condition esti-
mates will  be reduced significantly. The level of uncer-
tainty (error) associated with the individual indicators
for each region and the national estimates (Table A-l)
ranges from 1%  to 16% (including Puerto Rico) and
1-9% (excluding Puerto Rico). The uncertainty associ-
ated with areal estimates of ecological condition in the
Great Lakes cannot be determined.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  259

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     Appendix A   Quality Assurance
Table A- 1. Levels of Uncertainty Associated with the Estimate of Proportional Area Exceeding the
Indicator Criteria (U.S. EPA/NCA)
Indicator
Water Quality Index
Water Clarity
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Chlorophyll a
Dissolved Oxygen
Sediment Quality Index
Sediment Contaminants
Sediment Toxicity
Sediment TOC
Wetland Loss
Benthic Index/Equivalent
Fish Contaminant Index
Aquatic Life Use Impairment
Human Use Impairment
Unimpaired
NE
5%
5%
5%
6%
5%
3%
5%
4%
4%
2%
<.!%
5%
6%
2%
4%
2%
SE
4%
5%

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    ndix A    Quality Assurance
Region
West Coast
Gulf of Mexico
Southeast
Northeast

State or Agency Number Trained
CA
• OR
WA
| NOAA/NMFS
TX
LA
IMS
AL
1 FL
GA
MA
• ME
I DE
I NH
I NY
NJ
CT
1 Rl





4
5
5
6
13
10
2
5
7
2
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10










Table A-3. Matrix of Train ing Activities for the Northeast Region of NCA in 2000.
Subject
Intro to C2000
List of Indicators
Station and
Sample IDs,
Bar Codes
Locating
Stations
Station
Datasheet
CTD Profile
PAR Profile
Secchi Depth
Nutrients
Benthic Infauna
Sediment
Chemistry
Sediment
Toxicity
Trawl
Operations
Fish
Community
Fish
Pathology
Fish Chemistry
Shipping
Computer System
ME
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Include
instrumentation
Include
instrumentation
yes
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
NH
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
MA
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
General only
yes
yes
General only
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Rl
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
CT
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes, but may
not use it
General only
yes
yes
General only
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
General only
General only
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
NY
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Mixed
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
NJ
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
General only
yes
yes
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
General only
General only
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
DE
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
General only
yes
yes
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
Full detail
National Coastal Condition Report II  261

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     Appendix A   Quality Assurance
     Laboratory Analyses
        Prior to the analyses of any samples in 1999, the
     analytical laboratories from Washington, Oregon, and
     California had to perform a demonstration of capability.
     Each laboratory was sent a set of Standard Reference
     Materials (SRMs) as unknown samples for analysis.
     These samples represented both organic and inorganic
     compounds in sediment and tissue matrices (Table A-4),
     which were representative of the type of samples NCA
     would be providing them. The results from these
     analyses were evaluated in order to determine whether
     the lab was capable of correctly identifying and quanti-
     fying the analytes of interest within the QA require-
     ments outlined in the NCA QAPP In lieu of analyzing
     the SPvMs, each lab could submit its results from the
     National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
     annual inter-laboratory comparison (ILC), a program
     examining performance-based quality assurance among
     multiple laboratories  using NIST-generated sediment
     and tissue contaminant samples of known concentra-
     tions. These samples  are analyzed by participating labo-
     ratories  using a variety of methods, and the results are
     compared to the known concentrations.
   Table A-4. Standard Reference Materials sent to
   Washington, Oregon, and California State Laboratories
   for a Demonstration of Capability.
   SRM
    Matrix
Class of Compounds
   CRN 2976
  Mussel Tissue
      Inorganics
   CARP-1
   Fish Tissue
      Organics
   MESS-2
Marine Sediment
      Inorganics
    RM 1944
NY/NJ Waterway
   Sediment
      Organics
     California
        Two separate laboratories performed the chemical
     analyses of samples for the state of California. The
     laboratory performing the organic analyses submitted
     the required SPvMs for evaluation, while the laboratory
     performing the inorganic analyses submitted their
     NIST ILC results. The inorganics laboratory satisfacto-
     rily demonstrated technical capability for metals
     analyses by submitting their results for the current
     NOAA/NIST interlaboratory calibration exercise.
In fact, the NOAA/NIST exercise included samples
identical to those distributed by NCA. For both
matrices, the laboratory generally exceeded NCA's
quality criteria for accuracy, ± 20% agreement to the
accepted true concentration (only applies to those
analytes with accepted true values greater than 10 times
laboratory's method detection limit [MDL]). The labo-
ratory also demonstrated  a high degree of precision for
the three replicate analyses conducted with each sample.
The organics laboratory satisfactorily demonstrated
technical capability for pesticide, PAH, and PCB
analyses with the successful analysis of the CARP-1 and
SRM-1944. The percent  recoveries and reported MDLs
for the required analytes met or exceeded the NCA
quality criteria.

Washington
   The laboratory performing the analyses for the state
of Washington submitted results from the analysis of
the SRMs for inorganics and results from the NIST
ILC for organics. The laboratory's results for  analyzing
SRM Marine Sediment VIII (QA98SED8) were indica-
tive of the laboratory's capability to produce high-
quality analytical data for organic contaminants  in
sediments and met with NCA's general expectation
for technical competency.
   The laboratory's results for the inorganic SRMs,
CRM-2976 and MESS-2, demonstrated that the
laboratory had the capability to  successfully analyze
sediment and tissue samples for metals. Results and
MDLs provided were within the general criteria for
technical competence required by NCA.

Oregon
   The laboratory performing the sample analyses for
the state of Oregon submitted their results from analysis
of the SRMs for evaluation of capability for both
organic and inorganic analyses.  The results submitted
by the laboratory for the sediments appear marginal
when gauged against NCA's established acceptability
criteria. For analytes with true/accepted (e.g., SRM)
concentrations greater than 10 times the laboratory's
reported MDL, the laboratory's  submitted values should
be within ±  35% of the accepted value (including the
confidence limits) for at least 70% of the analytes
within a class of compound (e.g., PCBs). It is not
262  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                                                      ndix A   Quality Assurance
uncommon for a laboratory to encounter difficulty
in meeting these strict standards. Because continued
improvement was anticipated, the laboratory was condi-
tionally approved to initiate the analyses  of sediment
samples, with the understanding that all  results for
field samples will be critically reviewed regarding NCA
quality standards. If these standards were not met, the
data were flagged or even dropped altogether from
the regional and national databases.
   The results from the analyses of the SRMs,  CRM-
2976, and MESS-2 generally met with the NCA quality
standard for relative accuracy, agreement  within + 20
percent of the accepted true value for each analyte.

Other Coastal States
   In 2000, 19 additional coastal states became partners
in the NCA. Many of the states did not wish to or were
not capable of analyzing the samples that were being
collected. In order to meet the  need for a centralized
laboratory processing facility, NCA established national
contracts in which commercial laboratories were
contracted  to perform the required analyses. The
management of the contracts, coordination of the ship-
ment of samples, and distribution of resulting data were
performed  by EPA. The states of New York, South
Carolina, Florida, and Texas chose to perform their own
analyses and did not utilize the national contract. South
Carolina and Florida provided  their own QAPPs for
review by the NCA QA staff, and New York and Texas
agreed to follow the requirements of the  NCA QAPP.
After review, the QAPPs submitted by South Carolina
and Florida were accepted, and each laboratory was
conditionally approved to begin analyses. As a  condition
of each of these four states' cooperative agreements,
each state laboratory was audited during  the time
period 2003-2004.

National Contract Laboratories  - NCA
   As part of the contract awards evaluation  process,
each of the respondents were required to  submit a
QAPP for review with their proposal package.  In their
QAPP, respondents had  to either agree to adhere to the
requirements of the NCA QAPP or to provide a plan
with requirements  that were equal to or greater than
those described in the NCA QAPP.
Chemistry
   The laboratory selected to perform the chemical
analyses for the national contract agreed to  adhere to
the NCA QAPP. The NCA national laboratory for
2000/2001 underwent a technical systems review in
January of 2001. The laboratory was commended for
the efforts it was expending to ensure the overall data
quality. There were exemplary findings for sample
tracking, quality control (QC) checklists, Standard
Operative Procedures (SOPs), electronic data assembly,
and laboratory personnel. Some concern was noted by
the reviewers for validation of storage temperatures,
documentation for comparisons of surrogate recoveries,
and lack of access to raw inorganics data. Overall, the
data received from this laboratory met or exceeded the
requirements of the NCA QAPP

Toxicity
   The laboratory selected for the NCA national
contract to perform the acute toxicity testing of sedi-
ments collected by NCA using Ampelisca abdita agreed
to adhere to the requirements of the NCA QAPP A site
visit of the national contract toxicity laboratory was
conducted during December 2000. The facility and
personnel were  determined to be  technically competent.
The contractor  had significant previous experience with
the performance of the required toxicity tests through
its contracting with EPA's Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program (EMAP) in 1991-1994. The
contractor also  underwent a data quality audit during
November 2001. The  audit team was highly satisfied
with the laboratory's overall technical capability to
conduct the sediment  toxicity tests on a high-volume
basis. The files were complete, orderly, and  with minor
exception, in compliance with the NCA QAPP The
exceptions noted were: (1) some data entries were made
in pencil, and (2) the laboratory personnel were not
initialing receipt of the samples on the log-in form.

Benthic Fauna
   The laboratory selected to perform the identification
and enumeration of the benthic organisms  collected by
NCA agreed to adhere to the requirements  of the NCA
QAPP The laboratory's basic protocols met or exceeded
those required by NCA, including resorting of benthic
                                                                                    National Coastal Condition Report II 263

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     Appendix A   Quality Assurance
     samples, documentation on 10% of each technicians'
     samples (95% efficiency required), and taxonomic
     identifications being verified by a second taxonomist,
     with an outside expert consulted for difficult identifica-
     tions. The staff assigned to the project were determined
     to be technically competent and capable of performing
     the work.

     Nutrients
        All water samples collected for determination
     of dissolved nutrients were analyzed at EPA/ORD/
     NHEERL's Gulf Ecology Division. The analyses were
     performed with strict adherence to the NCA QAPP.
     All analytical batches reported for inclusion in the NCA
     database met or exceeded the requirements in the NCA
     QAPP A six-point calibration curve with an r2 > 0.95,
     internal check calibrant and external quality control
     samples were within the acceptable range of certifica-
     tion, and sample matrices were matched.
        Five states in the Northeast have chosen to perform
     their own nutrient analyses. In 2001, the NCA
     Northeast Quality Assurance Coordinator established
     an inter-laboratory comparison study for nutrient
     analysis utilizing samples provided by the National
     Research Council (NRC)-Canada. Each laboratory was
     provided an unknown sample for analysis of inorganic
     nutrients. Laboratories were assessed by how close their
     results were to the NRC-Canada consensus values. For
     orthophosphate, one of the five laboratories agreed with
     the consensus values, three laboratories provided values
     close to the consensus value, while one laboratory's
     results were not acceptable. For nitrite, one laboratory
     did not submit a result, three laboratories provided
     values close to the consensus value, while one labora-
     tory's results were not acceptable.  For nitrate/nitrite,
     one laboratory did not submit a result, three laborato-
     ries provided values in line with the consensus values,
     and one laboratory provided values that were outside
     the acceptable range. All laboratories were encouraged
     to continue participation in the NRC-Canada
     intercomparison for  nutrients as part of their NCA
     QA programs.
Data Review
   All data received from the laboratories and field
crews participating in the NCA Program for 1999/2000
were reviewed prior to and during the data analysis
phase. The NCA QA team in the Northeast developed
a three-level QA review of data collected in their region
(Appendix B). All of the  data collected in the Northeast
for 2000 were reviewed according to this procedure.
   NCA West Coast data collected in  1999 underwent
an initial review for range checking, completeness, and
consistency prior to placement into the database. Final
review of the data was performed by the states and then
discussed at a 2-day meeting between  each state's NCA
participants and the NCA-West QA staff. The final
version of the data set was then made  available to  the
data analysts.
   Southeastern and Gulf of Mexico data for 2000 was
reviewed for range checking, completeness, and consis-
tency by the NCA QA staffs for these regions of the
country. The data sets were checked for outliers and
known relationships were tested. When these evalua-
tions were completed, the data was supplied to the
data analysts.
   Analytical results from the national contract labora-
tories were reviewed as they were received. Each report
was checked to ensure that the appropriate QC had
been performed and that it met the requirements of the
QAPP When the data report was too voluminous to
review by hand, the NCA data manager summarized
the QA data and checked it in accordance with  the
NCA QAPP
264  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                  Appendix B \ Three-Level QA Review of Coastal 2000 Northeast Database
Appendix  B
Three-Level  QA  Review  of Coastal
2000  Northeast  Database
   This appendix describes the QA review process
performed on Coastal 2000 data in the Northeast
Region, coordinated by the Atlantic Ecology Division
(AED) (U.S. EPA, 2000d). Each state or Cooperative
Agreement recipient measures a suite of field data and
collects water, sediment, and fish samples  for laboratory
analysis. The states may elect to forward the samples to
a national contract laboratory or conduct  the analytical
analyses themselves. The results of the field and labora-
tory analyses are sent to AED for incorporation into a
regional database. These data are subjected by AED to
the three  levels of QA review described below.
   The states or contract laboratories provide the data
in electronic form to the project officer at EPA AED.
A regional database manager at the AED combines all
of the states' data into a "dl-database," organized into
separate data files by similarity and by states. For
example,  all nutrient-related data are entered into  the
NUTRNTS file. In turn, each data file contains several
parameters; for example, the NUTRNTS file includes
the nutrient parameters (e.g., nitrate, ammonium,
phosphate).
   The dl-database contains  many parameters that are
administrative in nature or descriptive of the sampling
event, for example, the identity of the sampling vessel
and crew and the weather conditions at the time of
sampling. The AED database manager constructs  a
summary database, or "d2-database," consisting of para-
meters that have been identified to be the most useful
to data users.

Level I  QA Review
   A Level 1 review examines the dl-database for
completeness, format compatibility,  and internal consis-
tency. The checks listed below are simple and can  be
performed without detailed knowledge of the nature of
the parameters. A Level I review is complete when all
                      data gaps are filled or explained and obvious errors have
                      been corrected. Records are kept of any changes made
                      to the database. The steps for the Level I review are as
                      follows:
                      (1)  A completeness check is performed on all data
                           submitted by states and laboratories. This check
                           involves comparing the number of data entries in
                           each file to the number of stations sampled. The
                           database manager notes and investigates any
                           missing data.
                      (2)  A range check of each parameter is performed to
                           highlight records falling outside  an expected range.
                           The database manager notes outliers and corrects
                           any obvious  errors, such as data  submitted with
                           incorrect units. Persistent outliers are highlighted
                           for a Level 2 review.
                      (3)  Simple consistency checks are performed by
                           comparing independent records  of closely related
                           parameters. For instance, records of latitudes and
                           longitudes are compared with planned locations,
                           and water depths measured by independent
                           methods are compared.

                         The AED database manager submits any
                      questions/corrections that have been  identified with
                      suggested database changes to the Project Officer. The
                      Project Officer transmits these questions/corrections to
                      the Cooperative Agreement Program Manager, who
                      resolves the concerns, concurs/non-concurs with the
                      suggested changes, and submits a revised data file(s) if
                      necessary. Once the Cooperative Agreement recipient
                      concurs with the changes to the database, the Level 1
                      review is complete. The data files passing Level 1 QA
                      review are made available on the password-protected
                      Coastal 2000 Northeast Web site.
                                                                                National Coastal Condition Report II  265

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     Appendix B \  Three-Level QA Review of Coastal 2000 Northeast Database
     Level  2 QA Review
        A Level 2 review is performed on the summary
     database (d2-database) parameters.  The review
     highlights values that are unusual enough to raise
     the suspicions of a data user. Anomalous data include
     values that are especially large or small, or are note-
     worthy in other ways. Focus is on rare, extreme values
     because outliers usually merit most  attention by users
     and may affect statistical  quantities, such as averages
     and standard deviations.
     (1) Extreme values are flagged by highlighting any
         record deviating from the average by more than
         three standard deviations.
     (2) Extreme values are also highlighted visually by plot-
         ting parameter values vs station ID. The benefit  of
         such a plot is that the outliers can be compared
         with nearby stations or with associated parameters.
         For example, if several stations  in an estuary are
         exceptionally high or low, we would suspect that
         the data may be reliable. Similarly, if several closely
         associated parameters are extreme at a station (e.g.,
         consistently high nutrients, or consistently high
         organic compounds), we would suspect that the
         records may be valid.
     (3) Correlations among  the parameters are examined.
         An array of miniature x-y plots is generated, one
         plot for each combination of associated parameters
         (e.g., a standard application of SAS Insight). For
         instance, a matrix of five water quality parameters
         would generate a 5x5 array of plots systematically
         varying in variables for the x- and y-axes. Typical
         plots show a regular  relationship between  the
         plotted parameters. Anomalous data are readily
         evident on these plots. Examination of closely
         related parameters may resolve  questions regarding
         the accuracy of anomalous data.

        Documentation of suspicious data identified is
     prepared, with  invalid data flagged.  This documentation
     becomes part of the metadata. Level 2 data are made
     available on the same Web site as the Level 1 data.
Level  3 QA Review
   A Level 3 review is conducted to evaluate whether
data submitted by the states or laboratories are compa-
rable across areas, recognizing that the magnitudes of
the values may indeed be different in the various
geographic areas.
(1) A regional map is prepared for each measured para-
    meter. Discrete map symbols denote station loca-
    tion and the magnitude of the parameter (e.g., low,
    moderate,  or high). The maps are examined for
    noteworthy patterns that may be attributed to
    database errors.
(2) A bar chart is prepared for each measured para-
    meter. The chart shows the percent area of each
    state's waters  designated by a condition category
    (e.g., low, moderate, or high). The charts are also
    examined for anomalous patterns that may indicate
    database irregularities.
(3) A distribution graph is prepared for each para-
    meter, grouping data by estuarine system to
    compare the range and distribution of measured
    values across  the states.
(4) A table is prepared for each parameter summa-
    rizing the descriptive statistics of parameters by
    state. Although the magnitude of a parameter may
    vary by state, it is expected that the coefficient of
    variation should be roughly equivalent across
    the states.

   A summary  report is prepared, utilizing the maps,
charts, and tables  developed in the Level 3 review. This
report is made available on the same Web site that the
Level 1  and Level 2 data are available on.
   Records are maintained of all data files examined
and entries considered anomalous. The Project Officer
reports the anomalies to the Cooperative Agreement
recipient or contract laboratory data managers, who
correct and resubmit the data. All changes to the orig-
inal database  are documented.
266  National Coastal Condition Report I

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                                                      Appendix C  Normalizing National Coastal Condition Reports I and
Appendix  C    Normalizing  National  Coastal
                               Condition  Reports  I  and  II
   The National Coastal Condition Report (NCCR I)
was completed in 2000 (U.S. EPA, 2001) and covered
the period from 1990 to 1996. The NCCR I included
seven indicators calculated using probabilistic sampling
survey data (e.g., EMAP) and non-probabilistic infor-
mation. Probabilistic sampling data were available for
half of the estuarine resources of the Northeast Coast
and all of the estuarine resources of the Southeast Coast
and Gulf Coast regions. Non-probabilistic information
was used from selected West Coast estuaries and the
Great Lakes. The indicators (eutrophication potential,
water clarity, dissolved oxygen, wetland loss, sediment
contaminants, benthic index, and fish contaminants)
covered the major stressors (water quality, sediment
quality) and biological responses (benthos and fish) for
coastal ecosystems. However, only five of these indica-
tors (water clarity, dissolved oxygen, sediment contami-
nants, benthic index, and fish contaminants) were based
on consistent and comprehensive data covering most
U.S. estuarine area. Eutrophication potential was based
on a combination of expert opinion and long-term  data
(Bricker et al., 1999). The wetland loss information
came from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI,
1995) and reflected loss rates for twenty decades (1780
to 1980). Although this report included information
for all U.S.  estuarine systems, the combination of
qualitative and quantitative information made the
overall indicator scores for the region and nation more
uncertain than the survey data.
   The NCCR I was relatively well received, but a
number of criticisms were made regarding (1) its use
of simple nationwide reference conditions (e.g., water
clarity); (2)  its use of the 200-year loss period for
wetlands, when much of the loss occurred prior to
1990; (3) its use of expert opinion for some of its
eutrophication information; (4) its use of three indica-
tors representing water quality out of the total of seven
indicators used to assess condition; (5) the lack of infor-
mation for the upper Northeast Coast (Massachusetts
through Maine) and the West Coast; and (6) the use
of a simple mean of the seven indicators to characterize
overall estuarine condition.
  This National Coastal Condition Report (NCCR II)
uses probabilistic survey data from 1996 to 2000. It
attempts to address many of the criticisms about the
first NCCR I, but also creates problems for compar-
isons between the two reports. NCCR II uses indicators
representing the same stressors and responses; however,
these indicators are constructed differently. NCCR II
only uses five indicators (water quality index, sediment
quality index,  coastal habitat index, benthic index, and
fish tissue contaminants index). The additional indica-
tors, water clarity and dissolved oxygen, were still
reported, but rather than contributing directly to the
overall rating score reported in NCCR II, they
contribute to the water quality index. The primary
changes made in the NCCR II to address the earlier
criticisms are as follows:
• Probabilistic surveys have been conducted in all
  estuarine waters of the conterminous 48 states. This
  means that comprehensive, consistent, probabilistic
  survey data were available for the waters of
  Massachusetts through Maine and for West Coast
  estuaries. These data were not available for the first
  report. Available non-probabilistic data continue to
  be used to characterize Great Lakes condition.
• Reference conditions for water clarity are regionalized
  to reflect expected (natural background) conditions
  rather than using a standard nationwide reference
  condition of 10% surface light penetration to a
  depth of 1 meter. This means that in NCCR II, areas
  of naturally low water clarity are not automatically
  characterized as poor.
                                                                                 National Coastal Condition Report II  267

-------
     Appendix C   Normalizing National Coastal Condition Reports I and
        Wetland losses are characterized by a combination of
        long-term losses (1780—1990) and losses for the most
        recent decade (1990-2000). This means the criteria
        for poor condition for NCCR II decreased by a
        factor of 40.
        The water quality indicator is based on an index
        constructed from survey data on nutrients (nitrogen
        and phosphorus), water clarity, chlorophyll a, and
        dissolved oxygen. These five subindicators are com-
        bined into a single measure of water quality. Nitrogen,
        phosphorus, water clarity, and chlorophyll a use
        regionalized reference conditions that are adjusted to
        reflect the summertime sampling period.  Dissolved
        oxygen continues to use a nationwide reference
        condition. This means that the water quality indi-
        cator in NCCR II is based on consistent and
        comprehensive information collected from 1996
        to 2000, instead of more long-term data and expert
        opinion used in the NCCR I.
        Only one measure of water quality (water quality
        index) is used to characterize overall condition. This
        means that water quality only contributes 20% to
        overall condition in NCCR II. In the previous
        report, water quality indicators contributed  more
        than 40% to the overall rating.
        Sediment quality is based on a combination of sedi-
        ment contaminants, sediment toxicity, and sediment
        TOC. In the NCCR I, only sediment contaminants
        were used. Poor condition in sediment contaminants
        in NCCR II is based on exceedance of ERM guide-
        lines, whereas in NCCR I, it is based on exceedance
        of ERM or more than 5 ERL guidelines.
        Fish tissue contaminants are characterized by whole-
        body concentrations and are compared to EPA risk-
        based consumption guidelines in the NCCR II. In
        the NCCR I, fish contaminants were based on fillet
        concentrations and compared to FDA criteria.
   As a result of these changes, the NCCR I and the
NCCR II are not directly comparable. In order to facil-
itate comparisons between the two reports,  the results
of NCCR I have been re-evaluated using the analysis
approaches used in NCCR II. The results (as reported)
in the two reports are listed in Tables C-l and C-2.
   In order to compare the two  sets of results, the scores
from the NCCR I were altered in the following ways:
•  Water clarity, dissolved oxygen, and eutrophication
   were combined into a  single water quality index. If
   any of the three components is poor, the water
   quality index is rated as poor. Using this  method,
   water quality was poor in all  regions for NCCR I
   except the Southeast Coast, and no measure is avail-
   able for the Great Lakes. Recalculating this index did
   not change the regional or national rating for water
   quality condition.
•  Sediment contaminants were recalculated using
   only ERM values to determine poor condition
   and combined with sediment toxicity to  create a
   sediment quality index. This  method  improved the
   sediment quality index for all regions  except the
   Northeast Coast and Great Lakes in the NCCR I.
•  Fish contaminants were recalculated based on the
   EPA risk-based guidelines for consumption rather
   than the FDA limits.
•  Overall condition was  calculated based on five indi-
   cators rather than seven.
268  National Coastal Condition Report I

-------
                                                                       Appendix C    Normalizing National Coastal Condition Reports I and
 Table C-l. Comparison of Percent Area of Poor Condition3 by Indicator and Region for 2001  vs. 2004 National
 Coastal Condition Reports (vl = NCCR I  and v2 = NCCR II).
Indicator

Water Quality
lndexb
Water Clarity0
Dissolved Oxygend
Sediment Quality
Index6
Coastal Habitat
lndexf
Benthic Index
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index?
Overall Condition11
Northeast
Coast
vl
60
6
5
41
39
23
30
43
v2
19
23
10
16
1.00
22
31
40i
Southeast
Coast
vl
13
12
2
13
40
17
9
46
v2
5
10
2
8
1.06
II
5
23
Gulf
Coast
vl
38
22
4
43
50
23
20
49
v2
9
23
1
12
1.30
17
14
40
West Great
Coast Lakes
vl v2 vl v2
20 3 - -
1 36 - -
01 - -
- 14 - -
68 1.90 51 -
13 - -
- 27 - -
- 23 - -
Puerto
Rico
vl v2
9
- 20
1
- 61
_ _
- 35
— —
- 77
United
States
vl
40
4
4
35
48
21
26
44
v2
II
23
4
13
1.26
17
22
35
a Percent area of poor condition is the percentage of total estuarine surface area in the region or the nation (proportional area information is not
 available for Great Lakes in 2001 or 2004; it is available for selected estuaries in the West Coast in 2001; and in Puerto Rico, it is available only for
 the 2004 report).
bWater quality index is a combination of dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water clarity in 2004 and the NOAA estimate of
 high potential for eutrophication in 2001.
c Water clarity is used as primary indicator with a national reference value in 2001 and is used as a component of eutrophication with regional
 reference values in 2004.
d Dissolved oxygen is used as a primary indicator with a national reference value in 2001 and is used as a component of eutrophication with a
 national reference value in 2004.
eSediment quality index is a combination of sediment quality measurements (sediment contaminant concentrations, sediment toxicity, and sediment
 TOC).
f Wetland loss in the NCCR I  was based  on the percentage  lost from 1780 to 1980. In the NCCR  II, the coastal habitat index is based on the
 average mean long-term, decadal wetland loss rate (1780-1990) and the present decade's  (1990-2000) wetland loss rate.
8 Fish tissue contaminants are  based on analyses of whole fish (not fillets).
h Overall percentage is based on the overlap of the five indicators and includes estuarine area for all 48 conterminous states  (by region and total) and
 Puerto Rico.
' In Northeast Coast estuaries, at least one of the five indicators is rated poor at sites representing 40% of total estuarine area.
                                                                                                          National Coastal Condition Report II   269

-------
     Appendix C   Normalizing National Coastal Condition Reports I and
Table C-2. Rating Scores3 by Indicator and Region Comparing 2001 (as published) vs. 2004 National Coastal
Condition Reports (vl = NCCR 1 and v2 = NCCR II).
Indicator

Water Quality
Index
Water Clarity
Dissolved Oxygen
Sediment Quality
Index
Coastal Habitat
lndexf
Benthic Index
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index
Overall Condition
Northeast
Coast
vl v2
1 2
5 Nld
4 Nl
41 16
2 4
1 1
1 1
2. 1 1 .8
Southeast
Coast
vl
4
4
5
13
2
2
5
3.6
v2
4
Nl
Nl
8
3
3
5
3.8
Gulf
Coast
vl
1
3
5
43
1
1
1
1.9
v2
3
Nl
Nl
12
1
2
3
2.4
West
Coast
vl
1
5
5
_
1
3
3
2.7
v2
5
Nl
Nl
14
1
3
1
2.4
Great
Lakes
vl
_c
5
4
_
1
1
1
2.2
v2
3
Nl
Nl
_
2
2
3
2.2
Puerto United
Rico States'3
v 1 v2 v 1
3 1.7
Nl 4.3
Nl 4.5
- 61 35
- -e 1.4
1 1.4
- - 1.9
1 .7 2.4
v2
3.2
Nl
Nl
13
1.7
2.0
2.7
2.3
     a Rating scores are based on a S-point system, where I is poor and 5 is good (information for Puerto Rico is available only for the NCCR II.)
     bU.S. score is based on an areally weighted mean of regional scores.
     c No water quality data were available for the Great Lakes for the NCCR I.
     dNI = Not included in the rating scores for NCCR II.
     e No coastal habitat or fish tissue contaminant results are available for Puerto Rico.
        The overall effect of the recalculation of the NCCR I
     scores is to reduce (worsen) all of the regional scores,
     except the Southeast Coast's, as well as the national
     score. Rather than a finding of fair condition as was
     reported in NCCR I, the overall U.S. condition, would
     have been reported as fair to poor (i.e., score reduction
     from 2.4 to 2.0) (Table C-3). Other overall changes
     would have changed ratings in the Northeast Coast
     (from fair to poor) and the West Coast  (from fair to fair
     to poor). After normalizing the scores in this fashion, a
     comparison of NCCR I and NCCR II is possible. The
     information represents too short a time period to assess
     significant trends, but the comparison of conditions in
     the early 1990s to 2000 shows higher scores in 2000 for
     the Gulf Coast and shows  the Great Lakes advancing
     from a poor to fair category. The  overall condition
     scores for Northeast Coast and West Coast estuaries in
     the 1990s were reduced to poor and fair to poor, respec-
     tively, to show no categorical change through 2000.
270  National Coastal Condition Report I

-------
                                                                   Appendix C    Normalizing National Coastal Condition Reports I and
 Table C-3. Rating Scores3 by Indicator and Region Comparing the 2001 and 2004 National Coastal Condition
 Reports but Calculated with 2004 Methods.
Northeast
Indicator Coast
vlc v2c
Water Quality
Index 1 2
Sediment Quality
Index 2 1
Coastal Habitat
lndexf 3 4
Benthic Index 1 1
Fish Tissue
Contaminants Index 2 1
Overall Condition 1.8 1.8
Southeast
Coast
vl
4
4
2
3
5
3.6
v2
4
4
3
3
5
3.8
Gulf
Coast
vl v2
1 3
3 3
1 1
1 2
3 3
1.8 2.4
West
Coast
vl v2
1 5
2 2
1 1
3 3
3 1
2.0 2.4
Great Puerto United
Lakes Rico States'3
vl v2 vld v2 vl
13 - 3 1.5
II - 1 2.3
12 - -e 1.6
12 - 1 1.5
33 - - 3.1
1.4 2.2 - 1.7 2.0
v2
3.2
2.1
1.7
2.0
2.7
2.3
a Rating scores are based on a S-point system, where I is poor and 5 is good (scores for Puerto Rico are only available for 2004 report).
bU.S. score is based on an areally-weighted mean of regional scores.
cvl  = NCCRI,v2= NCCR II
dNo rating information is available for Puerto Rico in NCCR I.
e No coastal habitat index or fish tissue contaminants index results are available for Puerto Rico for NCCR II.
                                                                                                    National Coastal Condition Report II   271

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ADFG          Alaska Department of Fish and Game
ADEM          Alabama Department of Environmental Management
ug/L            microgram per liter
ACE            Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (South Carolina)
ACE INC       Atlantic Coast Environmental Indicators Consortium
ADEC          Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
AED            Atlantic Ecology Division
AFS            American Fisheries Society
ANS            aquatic nuisance species
AOCs           Areas of Concern
APES           Albemarle-Parnlico Estuarine System
ASMFC         Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
BCI            benthic  condition index
BEACH         Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure, and Health Program (EPA)
BMC           benthic  macroinvertebrate communities
CARP           Contamination Assessment and Reduction Program
CCMA          Coastal Monitoring and Assessment
CENR          Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Research
CERP           Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project
CPUE           catch per unit effort
CRD           Coastal Resources Division  (Georgia)
CSO            combined sewer overflows
DDT           dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
DEP            Department of Environmental Protection
DIN            dissolved inorganic nitrogen
DIP            dissolved inorganic phosphorous
DNR           Department of Natural Resources
DO            dissolved oxygen
DOE           Department of Ecology
DO I            U.S. Department of the Interior
DPH           Division of Public Health
DQO           data quality objective
EaGLe          Estuarine and Great Lakes Ecological Indicators
EDCs           endocrine disrupting compounds
EMAP          Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EPA)
EPA            U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPD            Environmental Protection Division
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Acronyms
       ERL            effects range low
       ERM           effects range medium
       FDA            U.S. Food and Drug Administration
       FMCs           fishery management councils
       FMP            Fishery Management Plan
       FMRI           Florida Marine Research Institute
       FWS            U.S. Fish and Wildife Service
       GBEP           Galveston Bay Estuary Program
       GBNEP         Galveston Bay National Estuary Program
       gCm2yr         rams of carbon per square meter per year
       GIF             geographic information processing
       GIS             geographic information systems
       GLNPO         Great Lakes National Program Office
       GLWQA        Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
       GMP           Gulf of Mexico Program
       GNP           gross national product
       HABs           harmful algal blooms
       HEP            Harbor Estuary Program  (New York)
       HMW          high molecular weight
       IMAP           Inshore Marine Monitoring and Assessment Program
       1WRMN        Integrated Water Resource Monitoring Network
       km2             square kilometer
       Ibs              pounds
       LME           large marine ecosystem
       LMRs           living marine resources
       LMW           low molecular weight
       LTER           Long-Term  Ecosystem Research
       m2              square meter
       MAFMC        Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
       MAIA           Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment
       MAR           Multiple Antibiotic Resistance
       MARMAP       Marine Monitoring and Assessment Program (NOAA)
       mg/L           milligram per liter
       mi              mile
       mt              metric tons
       MQOs          Measurement Quality Objectives
       MRLC          Multi-Resolution Land Characterization
 x
National Coastal Condition Report il

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                                                                                          Acronyms
NCA           National Coastal Assessment (EPA)
NCCR I        National Coastal Condition Report
NCCR II        National Coastal Condition Report II
NEFMC        New England Fishery Management Council
NEI WPCC     New England Water Pollution Control Commission
NERRS         National Estuarine Research Reserve System
ng/g            nanograms per gram
NHEERL       National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
NIST           National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST ILC       NIST annual inter-laboratory comparison
NLCD          National Land Cover Data
NLFWA        National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories
NMFS          National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA          National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NRC           National Research Council
NS&T          National Status and Trends Program (NOAA)
NWI           National Wetland Inventory (FWS)
OSCEAP        Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (Alaska)
OPA90          Oil Pollution Act  of 1990
PAHs           polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
PBB            polybrominated biphenyls
PBDEs          polybrominated diphenyl ethers
PCBs           polychlorinated biphenyl congeners
POTW          publicly owned treatment works
ppm            parts per million
PSC            Pacific Salmon Commission
PWSs           public water systems
QA             quality  assurance
r2              coefficient of determination
RCACs          Regional Citizen Advisory Councils
REMAP        Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (NOAA)
SAV            submerged aquatic vegetation
SCCWRP       Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
SCDHEC       South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
SCDNR        South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
SCECAP        South Carolina Estuarine and Coastal Assessment Program
SEAMAP        Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NOAA)
                                                                        National Coasta! Condition Report il
XI

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Acronyms
       SeaWiFS        Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor
       SOLEC         State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
       SPARROW     Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes
       SQGs           sediment quality guidelines
       SRMs           Standard Reference Materials
       SSB            spawning stock biomass
       SSO            sanitary sewer overflow
       STAR           Science to Achieve Results Program (EPA)
       STPs           sewage treatment plants
       SWMP         System-Wide Monitoring Program
       TBEP           Tampa Bay Estuary Program
       TIE            Toxicity Identification Evaluation
       TM            Thematic Mapper
       TMDL         Total Maximum Daily Load
       TN            total nitrogen
       TOG           total organic carbon
       TP             total phosphorus
       TPWD         Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
       TDH           Texas Health Department
       USAGE         U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
       UNC           University of North Carolina
       USCRTF       U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
       US DA          U.S. Department of Agriculture
       USES           Urbanization in Southeast Estuarine Systems
       USGS           U.S. Geological Survey
       USMCMS      University of Southern Mississippi College of Marine Sciences
       US PC           United States Policy Committee
       U.S. EEZ       U.S. Exclusive  Economic Zone
       VCP           Virginia Coastal Program
       VMRC         Virginia Marine Resources Commission
       VOCs           volatile organic compounds
       VOH           Virginia Oyster Heritage Program
       VP             Virginian Province
       VSHP           Virginia Seaside Heritage Program
       WCI           water clarity indicator
       WTC           World Trade Center
       WTPs           water treatment plants
XII
National Coastal Condition Report il

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