The International Mussel Watch 



levels of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide 

 (CHP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in 

 bivalves collected from coastal marine waters 

 throughout the world. The emphasis is on 

 tropical and southern hemispheric locations 

 where the use of these biocides continues and 

 appears to be increasing. Increased use of 

 these persistent toxic biocides may result in 

 contamination of living coastal resources from 

 whole ecosystems to specific food resources 

 with consequent implication for human health 

 and the integrity of marine communities. 



Comparison of the measured values 

 with those from the northern hemisphere of the 

 1960's and the 1970's (at which times 

 morbidities and mortalities related to 

 chlorinated hydrocarbon pollution were 

 observed) will provide an assessment as to 

 whether populations at upper trophic levels, the 

 most susceptible parts of the ecosystem (e.g., 

 mammals and birds), are at risk from these 

 compounds. 



Another goal for the International 

 Mussel Watch Project will be to help develop a 

 sustainable activity for observation and 

 monitoring chemical contamination in 

 especially susceptible regions of the world's 

 oceans. Such a global scientific network will 

 provide comparable and reliable data sets for 

 environmental decision makers. 



International Mussel Watch 

 Objectives 



* To establish on a global scale the levels 



of contamination of selected organochlorine 



pesticides and the polychlorinated biphenyls, in 

 the coastal marine environment 



* To compare, where possible, present 

 day levels of organochlorine compounds found 

 in the tropics and the southern hemispheric 

 locations with those found in the northern 

 hemisphere during the 1960's and 1970's, 

 where ecosystems disturbances at the upper 

 trophic levels (fish, birds, cetaceans) were 

 apparent 



* To establish an archive of samples to 

 provide a basis for a time series comparison for 

 both these compounds and as yet unidentified 

 industrial and agricultural contaminants. 



* To contribute to the global data base for 

 the evaluation of the present oceans. Provide 

 laboratories and regional organizations with 

 baseline data against which to interpret to make 

 future environmental management decisions. 



Important Products of the Project 



* Stimulation of an approach whereby 

 regional specialized networks of laboratories 

 employ the sentinel organism technique for 

 surveillance and monitoring of contamination. 



* A global network of sentinel organism 

 data exchange between regional networks, with 

 agreement on associated quality control, sample 

 analysis, data exchange and data analysis 

 procedures. 



* A sustainable organization or 

 mechanism capable of obtaining quality 

 controlled data or priority contaminants on a 

 global basis in the near-shore and coastal zone 

 using tested methods of sampling and analysis, 



