rates, of these persistent toxic biocides may result in contamination of living coastal resources with 

 consequent implications for human health and the integrity of marine communities (Goldberg, 

 1976; Goldberg, 1991; UNEP, 1990; World Resources Inst., 1994). 



Comparison of the measured values with those from temperate and subtropical zones of the 

 northern hemisphere of the 1960's and the 1970's (at which times morbidities and mortalities 

 related to chlorinated hydrocarbons 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 is capacity building and this 

 program will help develop a sustainable research and monitoring activity for observation and 

 monitoring chemical contamination in the coastal regions of the world's oceans. Such a global 

 network will provide a framework for new national efforts and will produce comparable and 

 reliable monitoring data for environmental decision makers. 



The International Mussel Watch Project complements regional and national monitoring 

 programs where they are established, thus linking the existing programs and increasing their 

 effectiveness. Existing regional programs provide a base on which to build an international 

 program and their support and collaboration is critical to the success of the international program. 

 The organizational structure of the Initial Phase is represented in Figure 2. 



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 and future state of the 

 health of the oceans. Provide laboratories and regional organizations with baseline data against 

 which to interpret trends in the global environment and to make future environmental management 

 decisions. 



Results and Progress of the Initial Implementation Phase 



* Generation of a unique, high-quality data base on the distribution of organochlorine 



concentration residues (and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in selected samples) in sentinel 

 bivalves on a global region scale. 



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