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Improving urban fisheries through remediation and restoration of aquatic habitat
Citation:
Hoffman, J., L. Burkhard, T. Hollenhorst, G. Peterson, M. Pearson, A. Cotter, AND J. Launspach. Improving urban fisheries through remediation and restoration of aquatic habitat. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Paul, MN, January 31 - February 03, 2021. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.13713658
Impact/Purpose:
Great Lakes Areas of Concern commonly recognize the presence of fish consumption advisories as a beneficial use impairment. These advisories are based on the concentration of contaminants in game fish tissue, which can vary widely owing to the heterogenous distribution of legacy contaminants in sediment and variable exposure that arises from within- and among-species differences in game fish habitat use and life history. This presents multiple challenges for characterizing contaminant residues in game fishes and providing anglers with accurate consumption information. We demonstrate the application of a habitat-specific, geospatial biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) model to predict contaminant bioaccumulation hotspots and support sediment remediation and habitat restoration projects.
Description:
Urban rivers and coastal environments around the Great Lakes are popular fishing destinations, but also commonly associated with fish consumption advisories owing to a past legacy of contaminated sediments. These contaminants generally are distributed heterogeneously such that contaminant residues in game fish tissue vary widely, presumably due to variable exposure that arises from, at least in part, within- and among-species differences in habitat use and life history. This presents multiple challenges for characterizing contaminant residues in game fishes and providing anglers with accurate consumption information. Therefore, we developed a habitat-specific, geospatial Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF) model that predicts fish tissue residues based on sediment contaminant concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC) concentration. We developed the BSAF model for yellow perch (Perca flavescens), a widely-distributed freshwater species and popular game fish, and conducted an application of the model in an urban river—wetland complex using a random, stratified design. The model demonstrated the likely occurrence of yellow perch with high PCBs residues in specific areas of the river, including in and around public fishing piers. Based on the validation exercise, the model had a high degree of accuracy for predicting fish tissue residues. Subsequently, we used the high-resolution version of the model to support design of a sediment remediation and habitat restoration project. We conclude this approach has strong potential to be used for PCBs hot-spot confirmation, estimating remediation project footprints, and to estimate a project’s potential impact to improve the quality of the fishery.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Improving urban fisheries through remediation and restoration of aquatic habitat