Bioaccumulation dynamics of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides was examined in young-of-the-year bluefish from seven sub-estuaries of New York Bight ecosystem.

The National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP), which was developed and maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), monitored concentrations of environmental contaminants in freshwater fish over a period of about 20 years. Beginning in the 1960s as a component of the multi-agency National Pesticide Monitoring Program (NPMP) and continuing through the mid-1980s, freshwater fish were periodically collected from a national network of stations for analysis of pesticides, PCBs, and other contaminants. The NPMP/NCBP database of contaminant concentrations is the most extensive of its kind, unique in its breadth and depth with respect to environmental contaminant concentrations in fish. The data and information from the NCBP are sought often by a national and international clientele; especially frequent users are biologists in FWS field offices and USGS Water Science Centers. The fish network was suspended by FWS in 1986 pending development of the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program. The BEST program and the NPMP/NCBP database were transferred to the National Biological Survey/Service (NBS) in 1993. At that time ongoing studies by NBS Inventory and Monitoring (I and M) and the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) generated new data at NCBP sites. The database was subsequently (1996) transferred to USGS. The database derived from the NCBP is unique in its ability to characterize the exposure of free-ranging organisms, including threatened and endangered species, to toxic contaminants.

The National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP), which was developed and maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), monitored concentrations of environmental contaminants in freshwater fish over a period of about 20 years. Beginning in the 1960s as a component of the multi-agency National Pesticide Monitoring Program (NPMP) and continuing through the mid-1980s, freshwater fish were periodically collected from a national network of stations for analysis of pesticides, PCBs, and other contaminants. The NPMP/NCBP database of contaminant concentrations is the most extensive of its kind, unique in its breadth and depth with respect to environmental contaminant concentrations in fish. The data and information from the NCBP are sought often by a national and international clientele; especially frequent users are biologists in FWS field offices and USGS Water Science Centers. The fish network was suspended by FWS in 1986 pending development of the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program. The BEST program and the NPMP/NCBP database were transferred to the National Biological Survey/Service (NBS) in 1993. At that time ongoing studies by NBS Inventory and Monitoring (I and M) and the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) generated new data at NCBP sites. The database was subsequently (1996) transferred to USGS. The database derived from the NCBP is unique in its ability to characterize the exposure of free-ranging organisms, including threatened and endangered species, to toxic contaminants.

1) The purpose of this project is to document juvenile salmon habitat occurrence in the Lower Columbia River and estuary, and examine how habitat conditions influence their distribution, health, and abundance. We also want to monitor habitat conditions and indicators of salmon health in these environments. Parameters measured include habitat conditions such as vegetation, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen; salmon diet and prey availability; weight, length, growth rate, lipid content, genetic stock, and chemical contaminant exposure. 2) Lyndal Johnson (NFWSC FTE) is the project lead, and other primary staff involved are Sean Sol and Paul Olson (NWFSC FTEs) and Kate Macneale (NWFSC term employee), but the project also involves other NWFSC FTEs, other term employees, contractors, and staff from other programs (Environmental Chemistry) and Divisions (FE, CB), as well as staff from collaborating agencies (i.e, the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, USGS, PNNL, OHSU). 3) The project involves field surveys in which parameters measured include habitat conditions such as vegetation, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen; salmon diet and prey availability; weight, length, growth rate, lipid content, genetic stock, and chemical contaminant exposure. 4) Specific products include annual reports for the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, and manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. 5) Specific audiences include (but are not limited to) the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal, state, and local agencies involved with salmon recovery and environmental management in the Columbia Basin (e.g., EPA, Washington Department of Ecology, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the City of Portland); the NMFS regional office, and other agency and academic scientists. 6) This is a stand-alone project, but it is also a component of a larger monitoring program overseen by the Estuary Partnership in which other tasks are conducted by collaborators in USGS, PNNL, and OHSU. 7) This is an ongoing project with a soft completion deadline; however, there are no final deadlines with specific tasks to be completed on a yearly basis. Concentrations of chemical contaminants in bodies and stomach contents of Chinook salmon from Lower Columbia sampling sites.

Long-running science support for the agency (Office of Protected Resources, others) related to the use of modern pesticides throughout the United States as a limiting factor for endangered species conservation and recovery. This work is currently supporting several national ESA Biological Opinions, and is under review by the National Academy of Sciences. The NAS panel recommendations are expected in the summer of 2013, and these will guide additional research in FY14 and beyond. Analyses of water and tissue samples for pesticides.

In June 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Water Science Center (MD-DE-DC WSC) team began to collect and inventory available information on toxic contaminants within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. State agencies were contacted to determine available data. Also, the National Water Information System (NWIS) and National Water Quality Database (NWQD) were queried to gather relevant data for the compilation. The resulting tables contain records for available sites where specific analyte groups, Hg (mercury), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), or pesticides, have been collected with appropriate supplemental metadata including media, method, time frame, and frequency of collection. Sample results span 1972-2019. Files included in the data release: Basic_Table.csv Detailed_Table.csv NWIS_PCodes.csv State_Result_Totals.csv NWIS_Result_Totals.csv

In June 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Water Science Center (MD-DE-DC WSC) team began to collect and inventory available information on toxic contaminants within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. State agencies were contacted to determine available data. Also, the National Water Information System (NWIS) and National Water Quality Database (NWQD) were queried to gather relevant data for the compilation. The resulting tables contain records for available sites where specific analyte groups, Hg (mercury), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), or pesticides, have been collected with appropriate supplemental metadata including media, method, time frame, and frequency of collection. Sample results span 1972-2019. Files included in the data release: Basic_Table.csv Detailed_Table.csv NWIS_PCodes.csv State_Result_Totals.csv NWIS_Result_Totals.csv

1) The purpose of this project is to document juvenile salmon habitat occurrence in the Lower Columbia River and estuary, and examine how habitat conditions influence their distribution, health, and abundance. We also want to monitor habitat conditions and indicators of salmon health in these environments. Parameters measured include habitat conditions such as vegetation, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen; salmon diet and prey availability; weight, length, growth rate, lipid content, genetic stock, and chemical contaminant exposure. 2) Lyndal Johnson (NFWSC FTE) is the project lead, and other primary staff involved are Sean Sol and Paul Olson (NWFSC FTEs) and Kate Macneale (NWFSC term employee), but the project also involves other NWFSC FTEs, other term employees, contractors, and staff from other programs (Environmental Chemistry) and Divisions (FE, CB), as well as staff from collaborating agencies (i.e, the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, USGS, PNNL, OHSU). 3) The project involves field surveys in which parameters measured include habitat conditions such as vegetation, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen; salmon diet and prey availability; weight, length, growth rate, lipid content, genetic stock, and chemical contaminant exposure. 4) Specific products include annual reports for the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, and manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. 5) Specific audiences include (but are not limited to) the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal, state, and local agencies involved with salmon recovery and environmental management in the Columbia Basin (e.g., EPA, Washington Department of Ecology, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the City of Portland); the NMFS regional office, and other agency and academic scientists. 6) This is a stand-alone project, but it is also a component of a larger monitoring program overseen by the Estuary Partnership in which other tasks are conducted by collaborators in USGS, PNNL, and OHSU. 7) This is an ongoing project with a soft completion deadline; however, there are no final deadlines with specific tasks to be completed on a yearly basis. Fish catch composition, fish length and weight for Lower Columbia sites.