PREFACE 



Early in 1988 reports were received from fishermen about 

 high prevalences of shell erosion and blackened lesions on the 

 carapace or appendages of lobsters and crabs from waters of the 

 New York Bight. Although shell disease had been reported 

 previously in the vicinity of nearshore ocean waste disposal 

 sites, reports in 1988 concerned shellfish populations from 

 deeper waters of the submarine canyons near the Deepwater 

 Municipal Sludge Dump Site (DMSDS) — hereafter called the 106 

 Mile Site. Questions were immediately voiced about possible 

 relationships between shell disease and sludge dumping at that 

 site. Immediate concerns focused on economic losses due to the 

 unsightly appearance of diseased shells and claws, and possible 

 impacts of unfavorable publicity on seafood markets. 



In response to these reports, EPA Region 2 established a 

 Scientific Working Group to analyze shell disease of crustaceans 

 in the New York Bight and elsewhere in the Northeast. The 

 Working Group consisted of federal, state, and university 

 scientists who reviewed available information about the abundance 

 and condition of populations of lobsters and crabs, as well as 

 information on the cause and extent of shell disease. 



The primary purpose of the Working Group was to analyze and 

 summarize available data on whether the condition was pollution- 

 related, and whether the disease could cause mortality in 

 economically important species at the 106 Mile Site. The Working 

 Group met in November and December 1988, and again in January and 

 February 1989 to review and analyze published and unpublished 

 data on the status of disease and mortality in commercially 

 important crustacean resources, including those from areas beyond 

 the New York Bight. In February an additional meeting was 

 convened by New Jersey Sea Grant to gain information from 

 commercial fishermen and representatives of other organizations. 



Data on crustaceans from the continental shelf break, and 

 the 106 Mile Site, were found to be extremely limited. 

 Nevertheless, in order to assess the possible impacts of 

 pollution on commercial species, the Working Group reviewed the 

 available data on lobster, red crab, rock crab, Jonah crab, and 

 blue crab regardless of the geographic source of the data. 



Despite the paucity of information on crustacean health in 

 offshore waters, some tentative conclusions were reached and 

 recommendations proposed, as outlined in the body of this report. 

 As with any group effort of this kind, minor differences of 

 opinion were expressed, but there was general agreement with the 

 principal conclusions and recommendations included here. 



Ill 



