686 
Resistant populations are correlated with the presence of elevated 
levels of toxic metals (e.g., mercury) in sediments. 
Commercial shellfishing has been closed in the inner Bight in 
accordance with public health criteria which protect against 
ingestion of pathogens accumulated by shellfish (Verber, 1976). 
Most fishes and shellfish of commercial significance have been 
overexploited (Edwards, 1976), resulting in marked declines in 
stocks. Some have begun to respond to harvest limitations imposed 
during the 1970's (Grosline and Azarovitz, in press). 
The combination of organic enrichment and pollutant effects 
have led to obvious degradation of the natural benthic invertebrate 
communities over approximately 240 km? (approximately 15%) of the 
apex (Boesch, in press). 
2.2. Contaminant Sources to the New York Bight Apex 
Despite abundant information, misperceptions remain as to the 
relative contributions of major waste sources to the New York Bight 
apex. The single largest pollutant source is the Hudson River 
plume. This bears materials washed into the estuary and apex from 
upstream, as well as runoff, domestic wastes, and industrial wastes 
discharged or spilled into the estuary by the 16 million inhabitants 
of the greater New York-New Jersey metropolitan area. Although 
much of the wastes discharged into the estuary are flushed into the 
apex, a portion becomes associated with estuarine sediments. These 
materials contribute to the pollution of the Bight when contaminated 
sediments are removed from the estuary by dredging and are disposed 
of at the dredged material dumpsite in the apex (Figure 1). 
The ocean disposal of dredged materials, sewage sludge and 
industrial wastes represents a second major class of pollution 
inputs to the Bight. The remaining sources, atmospheric input and 
_ direct discharge from coastal communities, provide relatively minor 
quantities of most pollutants. Tables 1-3 summarize the contribu- 
. tions made by each of these sources to the pollution of the Bight. 
