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A more recent study (7) by the New Jersey Department of 

 Environmental Protection found that the concentration of 

 PC3S in striped bass from the New York Bight area adjacent to 

 New Jersey is 2.2 ppm (average of six fish). The concentra- 

 tion of PCBs in bluefish from the same area is 1.4 ppm 

 (average of eight fish) . 



The FDA action level for total PCBs is currently 5.0 

 parts per million, although consideration has been given to 

 reducing this to 2.0 ppm (7). 



PCB and chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides in fishes of 

 the Bight are present in concentrations sufficient to initiate 

 the action of enzymes (mixed-function oxidases) which 

 metabolize pollutants. These enzymes also attack steroid 

 hormones in fish and so may cause significant impact on their 

 reproductive function (16) . 



A NOAA study panel (21) concluded that if they were 

 interested only in restricting the PCB level to a maximum 

 of 0.5 ppm in edible finfish, a level the panel considered 

 the maximum safe level for h\aman consumption, that "present 

 inputs to the Bight could safely increase in the future 

 but definitely not by an order of magnitude." The panel 

 constrains this conclusion by noting: "Other animals of 

 the Bight Apex ecosystem, such as bivalves and raptorial 

 birds, would require a much lower level of PCB to be fully 

 protected. We are also aware that any body burden of PCB 

 may be deleterious to the finfish of the Bight." 



