489 



In addition, it is stated on page 225 that the study did not extend 

 to seme of the most economically valuable fisheries species such as 

 the lobster, and on page 226, it is admitted that the model has only 

 been applied to "short term oil pollution inpact analyses." 



2. Georges Bank Benthic Infauna Monitoring Program - Final Report, Year 1," 



Batelle New England and Woods Hole Oceanographic Instution 



Page 22 - "Deposited drilling muds may damage the benthic 

 invertebrate cormunity through burial and smothering, clog- 

 ging with fine suspended particles of gills, etc., of animals, 

 or chemical toxicity. The extent of this damage and rate 

 of recovery are not kncwn." 



Page 134 - at Station 13, the Mod Patch, "sanple residues 

 fron this station in July appeared 'oily' ; that is, after 

 several rinsings in water and 70 percent alcohol, a sur- 

 face sheen reminiscent of oil contamination persisted. 

 Several specimens of anphipods fron this station also ap- 

 peared to be fouled by a dark, oily substance. Since this 

 was observed in sairples collected before drilling had started 

 on the Bank, this contamination must be fron a source other 

 than drilling activities. However, if this station has al- 

 ready been stressed by various forms of pollution, it may 

 be difficult to distinguish changes caused by deposition of 

 drilling muds fron tlvose caused by other sources of stress." 



The accumulation of nutrients and sediments downstream of Georges Bank 

 in this "Mud Patch" may be an indicator of the transport mechanisms on 

 the Bank. The mud patch nay also be an area v^iich will show negative 

 effects at an early stage. It is worthvi^iile to note that the CeTAP 

 data shows the mud patch to be an area of sperm \*ale concentration. 



Page 140 - "Unfortunately, there were no true reference 

 (control) stations, sufficiently far frcm the rig site to 

 preclude any possibility of direct impact, with vAiich to 

 conpare results frcm the three benthic sairplings . " 



Since the monitoring program began only shortly before drilling began, no 

 substantial baseline data was collected. Therefore, the scientists 

 attenpted to use another site as a control reference. This apparently was 

 not highly successful. 



Page 4 - "Because of the problons with the wet-weight 

 bicinass technique, as discussed in this report, the 

 method for determining biomass should be reevaluated. 

 For at least one set of saitples, another technique, such 

 as decalcified wet veights or ash-free dry weights, should 

 be used in order to establish a better estimate of secondary 

 productivity . " 



3. "Analysis of Trace Metals in Bottom Sediments" Bothner, et al 



Page 1 - "We estimate that no more than 18 percent of the 

 barite discharged during drilling remains within 6 km of the 

 drill site in Block 312." 



Bothner et al assumes that the remaining 82% has dispersed. However, vdiile 



3 



28-914 0—84 32 



