Gunnar Lauenstein and Mark MonacoGunnar Lauenstein and Mark MonacoCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)

NOAA Mussel Watch ProgramNOAA Mussel Watch Program

To support ecosystem-based To support ecosystem-based management through integrated management through integrated nationwide programs of environmental nationwide programs of environmental monitoring, assessment and research to monitoring, assessment and research to describe the current status of and to describe the current status of and to detect changes in the environmental detect changes in the environmental condition of our Nation’s estuarine and condition of our Nation’s estuarine and coastal waterscoastal waters

NOAA Mussel Watch ProgramNOAA Mussel Watch Program

Nation’s longest running Nation’s longest running coastal contaminant coastal contaminant monitoring program (26 monitoring program (26 years)years)

Mussels, oysters, and zebra Mussels, oysters, and zebra mussels collected 300 Sites mussels collected 300 Sites nationwide – nationwide – 1/2 monitored annually1/2 monitored annually

150 contaminants routinely 150 contaminants routinely analyzed in mussels, oysters, analyzed in mussels, oysters, and sedimentsand sediments

Mussels and oysters are Mussels and oysters are collected in winter, with the collected in winter, with the exception of the Great Lakesexception of the Great Lakes

Sediments monitored Sediments monitored periodically, 10 yr intervalsperiodically, 10 yr intervals

BackgroundBackgroundNOAA Mussel Watch ProgramNOAA Mussel Watch Program

Mussel Watch: Species• Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

– Maine to Cape May (NJ)• American oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

– Delaware south and throughout the Gulf of Mexico• M. species and M. californianus

– West Coast• Oyster (Ostrea sandvicensis)

– Hawaii• Smooth-edge jewel box (Chama sinuosa)

– Florida Keys• Mangrove oyster (C. rhizophorae)

– Puerto Rico• Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha, D. bugensis)

– Great Lakes

Dennis Apeti collecting oysters 2010

Mussel Watch Analyte Selection

• Mussel Watch analytes started as subset of EPA priority contaminants list

• Other contaminants are added to analyte list (e.g. butyltins, radionuclides, contemporary pesticides) as needed or recommended

Enhanced AnalysesEnhanced Analyses• Contaminants of Emerging Contaminants of Emerging

ConcernConcern• Benthic (sediment) organism Benthic (sediment) organism

characterizationcharacterization• Sediment toxicitySediment toxicity• GIS interpretationGIS interpretation• POCISPOCIS• Caged musselsCaged mussels• Gene expressionGene expression• Bivalve behaviorBivalve behavior

Current AnalytesCurrent Analytes• Trace elementsTrace elements• PesticidesPesticides• PAHsPAHs• Industrial chemicals Industrial chemicals • ButyltinsButyltins

Ancillary MeasurementsAncillary Measurements• Reproductive stage Reproductive stage

characterizationcharacterization• Bacteria characterizationBacteria characterization• Parasite, pathology, and disease Parasite, pathology, and disease

intensity characterizationintensity characterization

Scope of WorkScope of Work

Examples of Results on a National Scale

Chemical contamination in our nation's coastal waters is declining: DDT, TBT, hydrocarbons, and industrial contaminants such as PCBs

Improvements credited to environmental laws – including the Clean Water Act , and specific laws banning the use of certain compounds

Fossil fuel compounds from motor vehicles, oil drilling, power generation, and shipping activities continue to flow into and affect coastal waters

A Report to the Nation (May 2008)

http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/welcome.html

Examples of Results on a Regional Scale

Mussel Watch sitesMussel Watch AOC sitesAOC sites ( 2009/2010)

Mirex in the Great Lakes

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

GBBSLM

NC

LMHM

LMMU

LHTB

SBSPLS

ABLE

RB

LEOW

LEAB

NRNFLO

RCLO

CV

Site

ng/g

dry

wei

ght t

issu

e

World Trade Center Site Contaminant Assessment

PBDEs in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary mussels

Tota

l PB

DEs

(ng/

g dr

y w

eigh

t)

WTC Site

Examples of Results on a Local Scale

DDT Contamination off California

• Mussel Watch data– Showed high levels of DDT

in the Palos Verdes area (exceeding 1600 ppb)

– Data were used, along with other data to trace food web pathways to bird species that were being harmed

•1,800 tons of DDT were discharged into sewer lines (1947-71)

•Largest known DDT contamination in the world

•Concern about injury to resources (eagles, brown pelican, etc.)

Courtesy: USGS

DDT in Palos Verdes Mussels

Con

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ratio

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Environmental Response

First Responders Use Mussel Watch Data

Exxon Valdez, 1989 Pribilof Is., St. Paul 2000 9/11, 2001 Athos 1, 2004 Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Cosco Busan, 2007T/V Eagle Otome, 2010 Deepwater Horizon, 2010

NOAA National Status & Trends Program: Mussel WatchNOAA National Status & Trends Program: Mussel WatchImages From The Post Hurricane Special Sampling EventImages From The Post Hurricane Special Sampling Event

Oil Spills

Tanker Satilla with double-hull ripped on lost oil rig in Gulf of Mexico in 2009 - no oil was spilled

Requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, have reduced the number and volume of spills in US waters.

- NOAA responds to about 200 spills per year

- Large spills are low probability, high consequence events

Baseline data used to measure impact: Cosco Busan, San Francisco Bay

Cosco Busan oil spill, San Francisco Bay

Baseline data helps measure impact: Athos I oil spill, Delaware Bay

Athos Spill Response

In 2004, the M/T Athos I, a 750-foot tanker, hit submerged object spilling about 260,000 gallons of crude oil in the Delaware River

National Status and Trends ProgramDeep Water Horizon oil Spill Response Deep Water Horizon oil Spill Response

Water Chemistry - PAHs - Alkanes - VOCs

Sediment Chemistry

Sediment Bioeffects - Infauna

Oyster Chemistry

Oyster Histopathology

Terry McTigue sorting infaunal sample

Specimen Banking

CollaboratorsWest Coast

Bristol Bay Native AssociationUniversity of Alaska FairbanksAlaska Department of Environmental ConservationChugach Regional Resources CommissionPrince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory CouncilWashington Department of Fish & WildlifeSnohomish County, Washington StateStillaguamish Tribe, Washington StateOregon Department of Environmental ProtectionCalifornia State EPASouthern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP)

Gulf CoastNMFS Pascagoula, MSMote Marine LaboratoryLouisiana State UniversityAlabama Dept. of Environmental ManagementFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Great LakesGreat Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (NOAA)US EPAOld Woman Creek NERR

Collaborators

East Coast

Gulf of Maine Mussel Watch “GulfWatch” for Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts

Hudson River NERRNOAA/CCEHBR/SoutheastGTM Nat. Est. Res. Reserve (NERR)

Collaborators

GulfWatch & NOAA Mussel Watch Collaboration

Ocean Service

NOAA Fisheries

Weather Service

NOAA Research

Satellite, Data &Information

Program, Planning & Integration

NCCOS

Geodetic Survey

Ocean. Products & Services

Sanctuary Program

Coast Survey

Office of Response & Restoration

Coastal ServicesCenter

Ocean & CoastalResource Management

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Organizational Structure at a Glance

Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research(CSCOR)

Center for Coastal Monitoring & Assessment(CCMA)

Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (CCFHR)

Center for Coastal Env. Health & Biomolecular Research (CCEHBR)

Hollings Marine Laboratory NCCOS-NIST-SCDNR-COFC-MUSC (HML)

Kasitsna Bay, AKCenter for Coastal Fisheries

and Habitat Research (Laboratory & Staff)

Charleston, SCCenter for Coastal Environmental

Health & Biomolecular ResearchHollings Marine Laboratory

Silver Spring, MDNCCOS Headquarters

Center for Sponsored CoastalOcean Research

Center for Coastal Monitoringand Assessment

Beaufort, NCCenter for

Coastal Fisheries

And Habitat Research

Honolulu, HICenter for Coastal Monitoring & Assessment(1 Staff Member)

Monterey, CACenter for Coastal Monitoring & Assessment(1 Staff Member)

Oxford, MDCenter for Coastal

EnvironmentalHealth and

Biomolecular Research

(Laboratory and Staff)

NS&T Core Analytes: Trace and Major Elements

AluminumAntimony ◊

Arsenic ◊ Cadmium ◊□

Chromium ◊

Copper ◊□ IronLead ◊□

Manganese

Mercury ◊

Nickel ◊□

Selenium ◊

SiliconSilver ◊□

Thallium ◊

TinZinc ◊□

Vanadium#

◊ Trace elements contained in the EPA Priority Pollutants List□ Trace elements quantified by both the NS&T Program and the earlier EPA Mussel Watch Program

(1976-1978)# Special FDA request in response to DWH oil spill

Participating Laboratories

Texas A&M University Trace Element Research Laboratory

Battelle (Sequim, Washington)

National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research [MeHg]

Center for Coastal Environ. Health & Biomolecular Research

Winchester College, MD

Center of Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

Conclusions for the Mussel Watch Program

•Established long-term contaminant database suitable for assessing temporal trends

•Provides data for regional assessments of contamination for use by coastal managers

•Provides baseline data for evaluation of the impacts of oil spills and other event-based

releases