vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Fish and Shellfish Program
NEWSLETTER
December 2016 /
January 2017
EPA 823-N-17-001
In This Issue
Recent Advisory News	1
EPA News			3
Other News	5
Recently Awarded Research... 10
Recent Publications	12
Upcoming Meetings
and Conferences	14
This newsletter provides information
only. This newsletter does not
impose legally binding requirements
on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), states, tribes, other
regulatory authorities, orthe
regulated community. The Office of
Science and Technology, Office of
Water, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has approved this newsletter
for publication. Mention of trade
names, products, or services does
not convey and should not be
interpreted as conveying official EPA
approval, endorsement, or
recommendation for use.
https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech
Recent Advisory News
Louisiana Issues Advisory for Bayou D'lnde,
, Portions of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, and
the Upper Calcasieu Estuary
On November 17, 2016, the Louisiana Departments of Health, Environmental Quality,
and Wildlife and Fisheries issued a new advisory concerning fish and shellfish for Bayou
D'lnde, the Calcasieu Estuary, and the Calcasieu Ship Channel.
For Bayou D'lnde and the Calcasieu Ship Channel between channel markers #31 and #33,
state agencies advise the following:
•	Do not eat catfish
•	Do not eat crab fat
•	Limit consumption of other fish and shellfish to two meals per month
For the portion of the Calcasieu Estuary that lies north of channel marker #11 and is not
covered by the Bayou D'lnde/Calcasieu Ship Channel Advisory, state agencies advise the
following:
•	Do not eat crab fat
This advisory is in response to recent sampling and analysis of finfish and shellfish and is
based on sampling data from 2011-2015. Shrimp, blue crab, oysters, and finfish were
tested for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans. Elevated levels of PCBs,
dioxins, and furans were found in the tissue (meat/fillet) of some species. Unacceptable
levels of PCBs, dioxins, and furans were also found in crab hepatopancreas (fat).
This advisory is issued as a precaution. For more information regarding this advisory,
contact the Department of Health at 1-888-293-7020 or visit
www.ldh.la.gov/EatSafeFish.
Click here for an informational brochure entitled Eating Recreationally Caught Seafood
in Louisiana: How to Choose, Clean and Cook Your Catch, or call 1-888-293-7020 to
request copies of the brochure.
Source: http://\vwv\T.wlf.louisiana.gov7news/4o6o8.
This newsletter provides a monthly summary of news about fish and shellfish

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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
> Department of Energy and Environment Issues 2016 Fish
Consumption Advisory in the District of Columbia
On February 10, 2016, the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) issued its 2016 Fish Consumption
Advisory recommending that residents do not eat American eel, carp, and striped bass caught in District waters.
The advisory stated that these fish have elevated levels of toxic chemicals such as PCBs.
According to the Advisory, other fish species caught in the District including sunfish, blue catfish, northern
snakehead, white perch, largemouth bass, brown bullhead catfish, and channel catfish should be consumed only on
a limited basis and in accordance with the District's preparation guidelines. The preparation guidelines outline the
importance of trimming away fat from the fish, and broiling or grilling the fish to allow remaining fat to drip away.
"Our goal is to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents," said DOEE Director Tommy Wells. "This Advisory
helps ensure that residents who enjoy fish from District waters are aware of the health risks associated with
consuming certain fish species."
DOEE has been monitoring fish contaminant levels in the District since 1980. During this period, there has been a
decrease in contaminant levels associated with some species of fish. As a result, the 2016 Advisory provides for
increased consumption of certain species over the earlier advisory. For example, the recommended consumption
limit for sunfish and largemouth bass has more than doubled since the first advisory was issued in 1994. Catfish,
once classified as "not to consume," may now be eaten in limited quantities. "The decrease in our resident fish
species' chemical contaminant concentrations is encouraging," said Director Wells. "But, there is still more work to
be done and we must continue our ongoing efforts to improve the health of our waterways."
The Advisory covers the portions of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers within District boundaries; it does not apply
to fish raised for commercial purposes or those bought in stores, fish markets, or restaurants.
For more information on fishing in the District, visit DOEE's website at http: //doee.dc.gov/node/Q':;82.
For more information, contact Julia Robey Christian, PIO, 202-741-0842 (desk), 202-450-7878 (cell),
Julia.Christian@dc.gov.
Source: http://doee.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/release content/attachments/2016-02-10-
PRESSRELEASE-FISH-CONSUMPTION.pdf.
m 2016 Missouri Fish Advisory: A Guide to Eating Missouri Fish
Annually, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) works with the Missouri Department of
Conservation and other agencies to evaluate the amount of contaminants in Missouri sport-caught fish. Each year
DHSS creates a fish consumption advisory discussing those findings and informing individuals of any potential
health risks associated with eating certain Missouri sport-caught fish. The fish advisory provides advice on the
amount of fish to safely eat and encourages individuals to eat a healthy diet that includes fish.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
The 2016 advisory has three changes:
1)	Recent testing in Lake Buteo has found that chlordane levels in the fish have dropped below levels of
health concern. The Missouri DHSS has removed the advisories associated with chlordane; however,
mercury levels in fish in this lake are still high. As a result, DHSS still has a "do not consume" advisory on
bass and has added a "no more than 1 meal per month" advisory for all other fish.
2)	A "no more than 1 meal per month" advisory has been added for catfish and carp of all sizes taken from
Lake Springfield due to elevated levels of PCBs being found in catfish. Although Lake Springfield is part of
the James River, there is not current data available to be able to determine if fish in the James River also
contain elevated levels of PCBs or not.
3)	A "no more than 1 meal per week" advisory has been added for catfish greater than 24 inches taken from
Montrose Lake due to PCBs.
Sources: http://health.mo.gov/living/environment/fishadvisorv/pdf/fishadvisorv.pdf:
http://health.mo.gov/living/environment/fishadvisorv/.
EPA News
Predicting Effects of Coastal Acidification on Marine Bivalve
Populations
The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pC02) is increasing in
the oceans and causing changes in seawater pH. This is
commonly described as ocean or coastal acidification. When
reproduced in laboratory experiments, these increases in pCO-i
can reduce survival and growth of early life stage bivalves.
However, the ways that these impairments translate to effects
on whole populations of bivalves are unknown. In this study,
laboratory responses were incorporated into field-
parameterized population models to assess population-level
sensitivities to acidification for two northeast bivalve species
with different life histories: Mercenaria mercenaria (hard
clam) and Argopecten irradians (bay scallop). The resulting
models permitted translation of laboratory pC02 response functions into population-level responses to examine
population sensitivity to future pC02 changes. Preliminary results from our models indicate that if the current
M. mercenaria negative population growth rate was attributed to the effects of pCCfa on early life stages, the
population would decline at a rate of 50% per ten years at 420 microatmospheres (uatm) pCO-i. If the current
population growth rate was attributed to other additive factors (e.g., harvest, harmful algal blooms), M. mercenaria
populations were predicted to decline at a rate of 50% per ten years at the preliminary estimate of 1010 uatmpCOi.
The estimated population growth rate was positive for A. it-radians, but was predicted to become negative at
Hard clam (Mercenariamercenary. (Image of USDA via
LeaMaimone, Wikimedia Commons)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
> 530 |LiatmpC02, with a 50% decline per ten years at > 610 |uatmpC02. Given the continual rise of atmospheric
pCO-2, mitigation of eutrophication-basedpC02 or other stressors is required for sustainable populations. This study
demonstrates that elevated rates of early life stage mortality wrought by moderate levels of acidification are enough
to produce significant declines in projected abundances and potentially hinder some bivalve restoration efforts.
These results are described in a manuscript prepared in collaboration among scientists from EPA's Office of
Research and Development, Stony Brook University, and Long Island University, and are currently under review for
publication in the peer-reviewed literature.
For more information, contact Jason Grear (Grear.Jason@epa.gov) at EPA's National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, Office of Research and Development.
EPA Updates Standards for Toxic Pollutants in Washington Waters
On November 15, 2016, the EPA announced actions to update the limits for toxic pollutants in Washington's surface
waters, which will protect water quality and people who eat fish from those waters. These actions set standards
aimed at protecting those who eat salmon and other fish and shellfish from Washington waters.
Specifically, EPA approved 45 of the pollution standards the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) adopted
earlier this year and finalized updates to 144 additional federal standards. For a complete list of the pollutants
addressed in this action go to https: //www.epa.g0v/wqs-tech/water-qualitv-standards-regulations-washington#fed.
Surveys of local residents in the Pacific Northwest, including tribes with treaty-protected rights, reflect that
Washingtonians eat fish and shellfish at levels much higher than the rate that was previously used to set standards
for toxics in Washington's waters. EPA and Ecology have been working to establish these new water quality
standards based on a far more realistic estimate of the amount of fish Washingtonians eat.
"We applaud the Governor and Ecology's decision to increase the fish consumption rate recognized in the standards
and to retain the state's protective one-in-a-million cancer risk level. The fish consumption rate and risk level in the
standards match those established in Oregon and clearly recognize that greater protection of people who eat larger
amounts of fish is appropriate in the Pacific Northwest where fishing is a part of our heritage," EPA Regional
Administrator Dennis McLerran said.
Most of Washington's human health standards for toxics in surface water haven't been updated since 1992. This
new set of standards is based on the latest science about health protection and fish consumption rates. These
actions ensure that water quality standards are now in place at levels that will adequately protect fish consumers in
Washington, including tribes with treaty-protected rights, from exposure to toxic pollutants.
The region's tribes helped both the EPA and the state better understand the particular health risks that tribal
members have long faced due to their consumption of large amounts of fish. In establishing a fish consumption rate
that better reflects the amount of fish people eat, the Ecology and EPA standards will help to lower health risks from
eating fish for all Washingtonians, even those, such as tribal members, who regularly consume large amounts of fish
and shellfish. EPA's final rule incorporates Washington's 175 grams per day fish consumption rate and a one-in-one
million cancer risk level.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
In practice, Ecology and EPA will continue to work together to determine the right level of regulatory flexibility and
the feasibility of meeting the new standards when incorporating new pollution limits into state permits and in other
Clean Water Act programs. Flexibility in implementing these new standards will be important as pollutant detection
and control technologies are developed.
For more information about EPA's action on Washington's water quality standards, visit https: IIwww.epa.gov/wqs-
tech/water-qualitv-standards-regulations-washington#fed.
For more information, contact Mark Maclntyre (Macintvre.Mark@epa.gov').
Source: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-updates-standards-toxic-pollutants-washington-waters.
Other News
Climate Change is Affecting North American Fish
Scientists are seeing a variety of changes in how inland fish reproduce, grow and where they can live, according to
four new studies published on June 29, 2016, in a special issue of Fisheries magazine.
Fish that have the most documented risk include those living in arid environments and coldwater species such as
sockeye salmon, lake trout, walleye, and prey fish that larger species depend on for food. Climate change can cause
suboptimal habitat for some fish; warmer water, for example, can stress coldwater fish. When stressed, fish tend to
eat less and grow less. For other fish, climate change is creating more suitable habitat; smallmouth bass
populations, for example, are expanding.
The authors reviewed 31 studies across North America
and Canada (see map) that document fish responses to
climate change. The manuscripts describe the impacts of
climate change on individual fish, fish populations,
recreational fishers, and fisheries managers. One of the
takeaway messages is that climate change effects on fish
are rarely straightforward, and they affect warmwater
and coldwater fish differently.
Smallmouth bass provide one example of how climate
change presents fisheries managers with both challenges
and opportunities. Smallmouth bass, a popular
recreational species, are expanding their range
northward with climate change. This expansion can
disrupt existing food webs but it also creates new
prospects for recreational fishing. Because many
recreational fishers want to catch smallmouth bass,
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Scientific studies between 1985 and 2015 that document climate
change on North American inland fish. The color of the dots represents
the fish response to climate change in each study. (Image courtesy of
USGS)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
managers may need new management techniques to accommodate the increased fishing demand while still
maintaining the native coldwater fish communities. Consequently, the management process may likely be an
exercise in managing expectations of the stakeholders for fisheries changing with climate change.
Other major findings:
•	Climate change may be altering abundance and growth of some North American inland fishes, particularly
coldwater fish such as sockeye salmon, a species experiencing well-documented shifts in range, abundance,
migration, growth, and reproduction.
•	Climate change may be causing earlier migration timing and allowing species that never occurred together
previously to hybridize. For example, native westslope cutthroat trout in the Rocky Mountains are now
hybridizing with rainbow trout, a non-native species.
•	Shifts in species' ranges are already changing the lands of fish in a specific waterbody, resulting in new
species interactions and altered predator-prey dynamics. For example, in Canada, smallmouth bass have
expanded their range, altering existing food chains because the species compete against other top predators
for habitat and prey fish.
•	Droughts are forecasted to increase in frequency and severity in many parts of North America, especially in
arid rivers. Such droughts exacerbate the impacts of water flow regulation in ways that affect people, fish, and
aquatic systems.
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/nevvs/hot-water-climate-change-affecting-north-american-fish-i.
Scientists Improve Predictions of How Temperature Affects the
Survival of Fish Embryos
Scientists closely tracking the survival of endangered Sacramento River salmon faced a
puzzle: the same high temperatures that salmon eggs survived in the laboratory
appeared to kill many of the eggs in the river.
Now scientists have resolved the puzzle, realizing new insights into how egg size and
water flow affect the survival of egg-laying fish. The larger the eggs, they found, the
greater the water flow they need to supply them with oxygen and carry away waste.
The researcher's model, based on a literature search of laboratory studies, predicted
that temperatures in the upper Sacramento River since 1996 almost never got warm
enough to cause mortality of salmon embryos. The researchers noted that in the
Sacramento River temperature-related mortality could exceed 75 percent.
The results from this study reveal that fish may respond to temperature differently
in the field than in the lab. Understanding the causes for this difference may help
researchers improve their predictions of how temperature affects fish eggs across
different environments.
Winter-run Chinook salmon embryos
in their egg capsules. (Image
courtesy of NOM)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
The goal of the research was to examine why salmon eggs have a much lower thermal tolerance in the field
compared to the lab. The researchers developed the hypothesis that salmon eggs die in the river because of
insufficient oxygen.
Externa] temperatures govern the biological
processes of salmon eggs and the embryos
inside. As the water gets warmer their
metabolism increases, demanding more and
more oxygen. Unlike juvenile and adult fish,
eggs cannot move and don't have a developed
respiratory or circulatory system. Instead they
rely on flowing water to supply oxygen and carry
away waste products.
Winter-run Chinook salmon are especially
challenged when it comes to warmer water
temperatures because their eggs are atypical ly
large and require more oxygen exchange. Their
egg size evolved to take advantage of cold water above Shasta Dam where they once spawned. However, the salmon
now spawn in the warmer Sacramento River below the dam.
After further analysis of field data, scientists found a fundamental difference between conditions in the laboratory
and conditions that effect eggs in the wild.
Laboratory studies estimating the temperature tolerance of the Chinook eggs included water flowing over the eggs
at about two to three times faster than salmon eggs typically experience in the wild. The faster-moving water
provided more oxygen to the eggs in the laboratory, allowing them to survive higher temperatures.
The researchers borrowed concepts from physics to develop a model to determine how much oxygen flowing water
can supply to fish eggs, depending on its velocity. The model predicted that the slower flowing water in the river
would not supply the oxygen needed for egg viability in elevated temperature conditions. Field studies found that
the slower flow in the river equated to about a 3 °C difference in the temperature tolerance of eggs, exactly what the
model predicted.
This new model also provides an explanation for why fish species produce larger eggs in colder water. In general,
the oxygen demand of eggs is proportional to their volume, while oxygen supply is proportional to the surface area
of the egg, where the oxygen diffuses into the egg from the surrounding water. The surface area to volume ratio of
an egg decreases with increasing egg size, which sets a limit on how large eggs can be and still get enough oxygen to
survive. Since oxygen demand increases with temperature, fish species in warm water must make smaller eggs to
match oxygen demand with supply. However, this model also predicts that fish can produce larger eggs in warm
waters when they are in high flow environments.
Water flowing over a grave! riffle in the Sacramento River. (Image courtesy ofNOM)
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
The researchers compiled data on 180 fish species and found that eggs in high flow environments, such as rivers,
consistently produce larger eggs than expected for a given temperature. Some fish have even adapted to produce
larger eggs in warm waters by using their tail to fan water over their eggs, which comes with a significant cost in
terms of energy, time, and risk of predation.
One important implication of this model is that warming conditions and declines in oxygen levels in aquatic
systems may create evolutionary pressure for fish to produce smaller eggs in the future.
For more information, contact Southwest Fisheries Science Center Fisheries Ecology Division, Landscape Ecology
Team.
Source: https://s\\fsc.noaa.go\ /ne\vs.aspx?ParentMenuId=c;4&id=220,02.
Robot Shellfish May Tell Us About Climate Change's Impact on
Marine Species
Out in a bed of mussels, off the Monterey coast in California in a space exposed at low tide, a handful of green light-
emitting diodes blink, indicating the location of a cohort of robomussels.
The little black data loggers, formed from polyester resin, have been precisely engineered to mimic the mussels
already living there, a few of which researchers plucked out to make space for the fake ones. They are here for a
study of climate change, and, more precisely, its effect on one of the most important species found in the ocean.
There have been more than 70 of these plots, scattered across the globe, over the last 18 years. They have been
logging information, in 10-minute intervals, on the temperature of the actual bodies of the Mytihis californianas
mussels.
The mussels, which biologists call an "engineering species," drive biodiversity and create habitat for other animals
and so the scope of this research extends beyond the state of the intertidal ecosystems where the mussels live and to
the way we understand the impacts of climate change on species, and how, and where, mussel farmers put their
farms.
There are a couple of ways temperature can kill a mussel. Heat stress, in general, makes one less fit to continue its
other normal functions. It's costly, from an energy perspective, to live in a warm environment, and that's less energy
the mussels have to eat or reproduce. In more extreme circumstances, too much heat can destroy the proteins in the
mussel's body, similar to what happens when you cook one.
Small loggers, called Tidbits, are used to record the temperatures over six to eight months, after which they must be
replaced and their data uploaded.
Temperature is only one part of the equation. A mussel's health depends on food availability, pH, and more, all in
combination. The latest research has begun to identify hyperlocal niches of mussel resilience and vulnerability, and
the bulk of it has shown a surprising trend: latitude often has little to do with the temperature of individual mussel
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
beds, let alone their overall health. All the factors combined lead to a patchwork of sites that are at varying degrees
of risk for collapse.
Source: http://vvvvvv.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/robot-shellfish-mav-tell-us-about-climate-changes-impact-
on-marine-species-iSoQ6oQ77/?utm source=smithsoniandailv&no-ist.
To characterize potential risks that ocean warming may pose to
marine fish and invertebrates, the researchers identified factors
influencing species resilience. This research could help fisheries oung-of-the-year haddock (Image courtesy ofNOM)
scientists' better plan for the effects of ocean warming when
developing management measures.
The study is formally known as the Northeast Climate Vulnerability Assessment and is the first in a series of similar
evaluations planned for fishery species in other U.S. regions. Conducting climate change vulnerability assessments
of U.S. fisheries is a priority action in the NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy. Similar assessments are now
underway for the Bering Sea and California Current Ecosystems.
The 82 species evaluated include all commercially managed marine fish and invertebrate species in the Northeast, a
large number of recreational marine fish species, all marine fish species listed or under consideration for listing on
the federal Endangered Species Act, and a range of ecologically important marine species.
The method tends to categorize species that are "generalists" as less vulnerable to climate change than are those
that are "specialists." For example, Atlantic cod and yellowtail flounder are more generalists, since they can use a
variety of prey and habitat, and are ranked as only moderately vulnerable to climate change. The Atlantic sea
scallop is more of a specialist, with limited mobility and high sensitivity to the ocean acidification that will be more
pronounced as water temperatures warm. Sea scallops have a high vulnerability ranking.
The method also evaluates the potential for shifts in distribution and stock productivity, and estimates whether
climate change effects will be more negative or more positive for a particular species.
Warming Ocean May Bring Major Changes for U.S. Northeast Fishery
Species
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
scientists have released the first multispecies assessment of just
how vulnerable U.S. marine fish and invertebrate species are to
the effects of climate change. The study examined 82 species that
occur off the Northeastern United States, where ocean warming
is occurring rapidly. Researchers found that most species
evaluated will be affected, and that some are likely to be more
resilient to changing ocean conditions than others.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
Researchers used existing information on climate and ocean conditions, species distributions, and life history
characteristics to estimate each species' overall vulnerability to climate-related changes in the region. Vulnerability
is defined as the risk of change in abundance or productivity resulting from climate change and variability, with
relative rankings based on a combination of a species exposure to climate change and a species' sensitivity to
climate change.
Each species was evaluated and ranked in one of four vulnerability categories: low, moderate, high, and very high.
Animals that migrate between fresh and salt water (such as sturgeon and salmon), and those that live on the ocean
bottom (such as scallops, lobsters and clams) are the most vulnerable to climate effects in the region. Species that
live nearer to the water's surface (such as herring and mackerel) are the least vulnerable. A majority of species also
are likely to change their distribution in response to climate change. Numerous distribution shifts have already been
documented, and this study demonstrates that widespread distribution shifts are likely to continue for the
foreseeable future.
A specific summary of results has been prepared for each species to help put the rankings into context. These
narratives discuss what is known about the effects of climate change on the species and provide the foundation for
future research.
Source: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press release/pr2Qi6/scispot/ssi6o°,/.
Recently Awarded Research
Ocean Acidification: Oxygen-limited CO2 Tolerance in Squids
(Ommastrephidaw and Loliginidae)
The National Science Foundation awarded $15,422 to Irwin Forseth (EF and Emerging Frontiers) and Brad Seibel
(University of South Florida) in May of 2016.
This award funds research aimed at predicting the consequences of ocean acidification on ecosystem health and
function. Specifically, it addresses the extent to which the combined effects of ocean acidification, global warming,
and expanding hypoxia may affect the energetics of squids. Squids provide a critical link in oceanic food chains,
feeding on the massive zooplankton populations, and serving as prey to fish and mammalian predators. Their
growth rates and maximum sizes respond quickly to environmental conditions and serve as real time indicators of
ecosystem health. Oceanic squids are the only non-calcifying organisms whose sensitivity to ocean acidification was
specifically predicted based on highly pH-sensitive oxygen binding by hemocyanin, the blood pigment of squids.
Only a single study has tested this prediction, finding that elevated C02 constrains metabolism and activity levels in
the jumbo squid, Dosidicas gigas. The analysis will integrate across levels of performance, from cell, to systemic, to
whole-animal function, comparing squid species with variable blood-oxygen binding properties and CO2 exposure
histories. It addresses the combined effects of declining environmental oxygen, increasing oxygen demand due to
warming, and reduced oxygen transport due to high C02 on the function of these "high-performance" invertebrates.
These squids are believed to be the most C02-sensitive non-calcifying taxa. The research effort will be
complemented by an extensive education and outreach effort in collaboration with the Ocean Exploration Trust.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
Exploration Vessel Nautilus operates under a new paradigm of "telepresence-enabled" expeditions. Satellite and
high-bandwidth Internet2 technology transmits data, including remotely operated vehicle video feeds, to shore in
real time, supporting the participation of science teams around the world and reaching a growing public and
student population. Moreover, the Nautilus program is teamed up with the JASON Project that brings marine
science to K-12 classrooms via curriculum development. The investigators on this project will contribute time and
expertise in ocean acidification to the development of a new curriculum on Climate and Oceanography and develop
a webcast for the JASON Live interactive series that will be broadcast from sea with Nautilus.
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward7AWD ID=i6412QO.
Effects of Climate Change on Estuarine Fish Nurseries: Analysis and
Implications from Decades-long Time-series
The effects of climate change will be especially relevant to estuaries, which are important nurseries for juvenile fish
including species of recreational and commercial importance. Estuaries may be especially susceptible to climate
change because they are relatively shallow and this effect may be compounded by greater anthropogenic influences
such as development, pollution, and habitat degradation as a result of human pressures. Further, the complicated
relationships between climate and fish recruitment are not always intuitive. Our understanding of these
interrelationships can benefit from long-term monitoring.
This study will determine the impact of changing temperature and other environmental variables due to climate
change on estuarine fish recruitment by analyzing time-series data, over seasonal and annual periods, from a
representative New Jersey estuary. More specifically, to test the response of larval and juvenile fishes to climate
change, this study will examine species composition, abundance, size, and phenology relative to environmental
variables from 25 years of data collected at weekly to seasonal frequencies.
This project has several benefits. First, it is consistent with the need to determine the effects of climate change on
estuarine fish nurseries. Second, this analysis will help plan for management and related estuarine impacts on
important commercial and recreational fisheries. Third, the project should help us to understand estuarine impacts
of climate change on our fisheries and thus help to evaluate their resiliency.
For more information, contact Dr. Kenneth W. Able rAble@marine.rutgers.edu). Dr. Thomas M. Grothues
(Grothues@marine.rutgers.edu"). or Katherine Nickerson rKNickerson@marine.rutgers.edu").
Source: http://niseagrant.0rg/wp-c0ntent/upl0ads/2016/04/Able-Page.pdf.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
Climate Change and Possible Impacts on Fish and Shellfish
~	Environmental boundaries of marine cladoceran distributions in the NW Mediterranean: Implications for their expansion under global warming
Atienza, D., A. Sabates, S. Isari, E. Saiz, and A. Calbet. 2016. Environmental boundaries of marine cladoceran distributions in the
NW Mediterranean: Implications for their expansion under global warming. Journal of Marine Systems 164:30-41.
~	Quantification of climate change implications for water-based management: A case study of oyster suitability sites occurrence model along the
Kenya coast
Aura, C.M., S. Musa, M.K. Osore, E. Kimani, V.M. Alati, N. Wambiji, G.W. Maina, and H. Charo-Karisa. 2017. Quantification of
climate change implications for water-based management: A case study of oyster suitability sites occurrence model along the
Kenya coast. Journal of Marine Systems 165:27-35.
~	Climate change tightens a metabolic constraint on marine habitats
Deutsch, C., A. Ferrel, B. Seibel, H.O. Portney, and R.B. Huey. 2015. Climate change tightens a metabolic constraint on marine
habitats. Science 348(6239):1132-1135.
~	Cardiorespiratory responses in an Antarctic fish suggest limited capacity for thermal acclimation
Eggington, S., and H.A. Campbell. 2016. Cardiorespiratory responses in an Antarcticfish suggest limited capacity for thermal
acclimation. Journal of Experimental Biology 219:1283-1286.
~	Identifying alternate pathways for climate change to impact inland recreational fishers
Hunt L.M., E.P. Fenichel, D.C. Fulton, R. Mendelsohn, J.W. Smith, T.D Tunney, A.J. Lynch, C.P. Paukert, and J.E. Whitney 2016.
Identifying alternate pathways for climate change to impact inland recreational fishers. Fisheries 41(7):362-372.
~	Grev mullet (Mugilidae) as possible indicators of global warming in South African estuaries and coastal waters
James, N.C., A.K. Whitfield, and T.D. Harrison. 2016. Grey mullet (Mugilidae) as possible indicators of global warming in South
African estuaries and coastal waters. Marine Environmental Research 122:188-195.
~	Challenging the links between seafood and human health in the context of global change
Lloret, J., H.J. Ratz, J. Lleonart, and M. Demestre. 2016. Challenging the links between seafood and human health in the context of
global change. Oceans and Human Health 96(l):29-42.
~	Climate change effects on North American inland fish populations and assemblages
Lynch, A.J., B.J.E. Myers, C. Chu, L.A. Eby, J.A. Falke, R.P. Kovach, T.J. Krabbenhoft, T.J. Kwak, J. Lyons, C.P. Paukert, and J.E.
Whitney. 2016. Climate change effects on North American inland fish populations and assemblages. Fisheries 41(7):346-361.
~	Phenomenological vs. biophysical models of thermal stress in aquatic eggs
Martin, B.T., A. Pike, S.N. John, N. Hamda, J. Roberts, S.T. Lindley, and E.M. Danner, 2016. Phenomenological vs. biophysical
models of thermal stress in aquatic eggs. Ecology Letters 20(l):50-59.
~	Ocean warming alters cellular metabolism and induces mortality in fish early life stages: A proteomic approach
Madeira, D., J.E. Araujo, R. Vitorino, J.L. Capelo, C. Vinagre, and M.S. Diniz. 2016. Ocean warming alters cellular metabolism and
induces mortality in fish early life stages: A proteomic approach. Environmental Research 148:164-176.
~	In vitro assessment of Hg toxicity in hepatocvtes from heat-stressed Atlantic salmon
Olsvik, P.A., R. Waagb0, E.M. Hevr0y, S.C. Rem0, and L. S0fteland. 2016. In vitro assessment of Hgtoxicity in hepatocytes from
heat-stressed Atlantic salmon. Biological Trace Element Research 174(l):226-239.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
~	Adapting inland fisheries management to a changing climate
Paukert, C.P., B.A. Glazer, G.J.A. Hansen, B.J. Irwin, P.C. Jacobson, J.L. Kershney, B.J. Shuter, J.E. Whitney, and A.J. Lynch. 2016.
Adapting inland fisheries management to a changing climate. Fisheries 41(7):374-384.
~	Climate change impacts on freshwater fishes: A Canadian perspective
Poesch, M.S., L. Chavarie, C. Chu, S.N. Pandit, and W. Tonn. 2016. Climate change impacts on freshwater fishes: A Canadian
perspective. Fisheries 41(7):385-391.
~	Sensitivity of river fishes to climate change: TTie role of hvdrological stressors on habitat range shifts
Segurado, P., P. Branco, E. Jauch, R. Neves, and M.T. Ferreira. 2016. Sensitivity of river fishes to climate change: The role of
hydrological stressors on habitat range shifts. Science of the Total Environment 562(15):435-445.
~	Change in relative abundance of Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr in Veidnes River. Northern Norway: a possible effect of climate change?
Svenning, M.A., K. Sandem, M. Halvorsen, 0. Kanstad-Hanssen, M. Falkegard, and R. Borgstram. 2016. Change in relative
abundance of Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr in Veidnes River, Northern Norway: a possible effect of climate change?
Hydrobioiogia 783(1):145-158.
~	Functional responses of North Atlantic fish eggs to increasing temperature
Tsoukali, S., A.W. Visser, and B.R. MacKenzie. 2016. Functional responses of North Atlanticfish eggs to increasing temperature.
Marine Ecology Progress Series 555:151-165.
~	Physiological basis of climate change impacts on North American inland fishes
Whitney, J.E., R. Al-Chokhachy, D.B. Bunnell, C.A. Caldwell, S.J. Cooke, E.J. Eliason, M. Rogers, A.J. Lynch, and C.P. Paukert. 2016.
Physiological basis of climate change impacts on North American inland fishes. Fisheries 41(7):332-345.
Ocean Acidification and Possible Impacts on Fish and Shellfish
~	Oxidative responsiveness to multiple stressors in the key Antarctic species. Adamussium colbeckr. Interactions between temperature,
acidification and cadmium exposure
Benedetti, M., I. Lanzoni, A. Nardi, G. d'Errico, M. Di Carlo, D. Fattorini, M. Nigra, and F. Regoli, 2016. Oxidative responsiveness to
multiple stressors in the key Antarctic species, Adamussium colbecki: Interactions between temperature, acidification and
cadmium exposure. Marine Environmental Research 121:20-30.
~	And on top of all that... Coping with ocean acidification in the midst of many stressors
Breitburg, D.L., J. Salisbury, J.M. Bernhard, W.J. Cai, S. Dupont, S.C. Doney, K.J. Kroeker, L.A. Levin, W.C. Long, L.M. Milke, S.H.
Miller, B. Phelan, U. Passow, B.A. Seibel, A.E. Todgham, and A.M. Tarrant. 2015. And on top of all that... Coping with ocean
acidification in the midst of many stressors. Oceanography 28(2):48-61.
~	Differential protein expression using proteomics from a crustacean brine shrimp {Artemia sinicA under CO^-driven seawater acidification
Chang, X.J., C.Q. Zheng, Y.W. Wang, C. Meng, X.L. Xie, and H.P. Liu. 2016. Differential protein expression using proteomics from a
crustacean brine shrimp (Artemia sinica) under C02-driven seawater acidification. Fish & Shellfish Immunology 58:669-677.
~	Impact of ocean acidification on antimicrobial activity in gills of the blue mussel (Mvti/us edu/id
Hernroth, B., S. Baden, H. Tassidis, K. Hornaeus, J. Guillemant, S.B. Lind, and J. Bergquist. 2016. Impact of ocean acidification on
antimicrobial activity in gills of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). Fish & Shellfish Immunology 55:452-459.
~	Ocean acidification effects on Atlantic cod larval survival and recruitment to the fished population
Stiasny, M.H., F.H. Mittermayer, M. Sswat, R. Voss, F. Jutfelt, M. Chierici, V. Puvanendran, A. Mortensen, T.B.H. Reusch, and C.
Clemmesen. 2016. Ocean acidification effects on Atlantic cod larval survival and recruitment to the fished population. PLoS ONE
11(8):1-11.
~	Slow shell building, a possible trait for resistance to the effects of acute ocean acidification
Waldbusser, G.G., M.W. Gray, B. Hales, C.J. Langdon, B.A. Haley, I. Gimenez, S.R. Smith, E.L Brunner, and G. Hutchinson. 2016.
Slow shell building, a possible trait for resistance to the effects of acute ocean acidification. Limnology and Oceanography
61(6): 1969-1983.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
Other
~ The genomic landscape of rapid repeated evolutionary adaptation to toxic pollution in wild fish
Reid, N.M., D.A. Proestou, B.W. Clark, W.C. Warren, J.K. Colbourne, J.R. Shaw, S.I. Karchner, M.E. Hahn, D. Nacci, M.F. Oleksiak,
D.L. Crawford, and A. Whitehead. 2016. The genomic landscape of rapid repeated evolutionary adaptation to toxic pollution in wild
fish. Science 354(6317): 1305-1308.
Upcoming Meetings and Conferences
Seafood Safety: New Findings & Innovation Challenges
Conference
January 25-26, 2017
Brussels, Belgium
109th Annual Meeting of the National Shellfisheries
Association
March 26-30, 2017
Knoxville, Tennessee
11th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish
Safety
May 14-18, 2017
Galway, Ireland
The 77th Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference
February 5-8, 2017
Lincoln, Nebraska
10th Biennial Symposium of the Freshwater Mollusk
Conservation Society
March 26-30, 2017
Cleveland, Ohio
13th International Conference on Mercury as a
Global Pollutant
July 16-21, 2017
Providence, Rhode Island
Additional Information
This monthly newsletter highlights current information about fish and shellfish.
For more information about specific advisories within the state, territory, or tribe, contact the appropriate
state agency listed on EPA's National Listing of Fish Advisories website at https://fishadvisorvonline.epa.gov/Contacts.aspx.
For more information about this newsletter, contact Sharon Frev (Frev.Sharon@epa.gov. 202-566-1480).
Additional information about advisories and fish and shellfish consumption can be found at https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech.
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