Appendix C 



Using Finfish as Indicators of 

 Toxic Contamination 



This appendix of A Primer for Establishing and Manag- 

 ing Estuary Projects provides guidance on using finfish 

 to indicate health or stress in an estuary and to monitor 

 changes or trends in the estuary. The Primer, which 

 describes the National Estuary Program's origins, 

 statutory provisions, and approach, is designed for 

 EPA's programs and regional offices, coastal states, 

 and other interested parties. For more information, 

 contact an EPA regional office. 



Since 1985, the public has voiced strong concern about the high 

 incidence of diseased finfish in the nation's estuaries. When EPA 

 tried to determine the environmental significance of this 

 phenomenon, it found no consensus within the scientific com- 

 munity. Consequently, in July 1986, EPA's Office of Marine and 

 Estuarine Protection convened a workshop to determine if a set of 

 scientifically appropriate, cost-effective finfish indicators could be 

 identified and used to assess whether toxic contamination in es- 

 tuaries significantly affected human health and ecology. Workshop 

 findings led EPA to develop guidance for using finfish as indicators 

 of estuarine health or stress and for monitoring the estuary. The 

 workshop's report, "Proceedings and Summary of the Workshop 

 on Finfish As Indicators of Toxic Contamination," is available from 

 the National Estuary Program. 



The first task for workshop participants was to develop, evaluate, 

 and rank criteria related to finfish indicators so that the criteria 

 would be useful in estuary programs. The recommended criteria 

 appear in Table C.I. 



EPA's Workshop 

 on Finfish as 

 Indicators of 

 Toxic Contamination 



Setting Criteria 



C1 



