18 



II. For fresh or frozen fish. 



A. In general, samplers prefer to draw samples from fresh or frozen fish. This 

 is not a rule. 



B. A lot of fresh or frozen fish is less clearly definable than is a lot of packaged 

 fish. If the fish can be identified as coming from a particular vessel, they may be 

 considered to be one lot on that basis. 



C. The size of a sample of fresh or frozen fish is based on the weight of the lot. 

 Lot sizes and sample sizes are related as follows : 



Lot size (pounds) : 



Sample size 



to 1,000 4 5-lb. samples. 



1,001 to 5,000 1 5-lb. sample. 



5,001 to 15,000 2 5-lb. samples. 



1.5,001 to 25,000 3 5-lb. samples. 



25,000 plus 1 5-lb. sample for each 



5,000 lbs. 



D. Samples from large fish are usually obtained by cutting pieces from fish 

 taken at random. 



E. Samples are analyzed as composites of 5 pounds (probably 3-8 pieces of 

 fish), each of which maintains its identify throughout the analyses. 



Senator Hollings. Go ahead, Dr. White. 



Dr. White. Mr. Chairman, thus far I have described briefly some of 

 man's activities impacting the ocean environment and some of the pol- 

 lutants of olobal concern. Although the short-term effects and more 

 localized consequences of ocean pollution are sometimes apparent to 

 us, as yet we really know relatively little about the longer term 

 consequences. Additionally, in many areas we may not Imow enough 

 to separate the real from the nonproblems. 



These are the basic issues we face : 



1. How do the effects of man's activities relative to natural events 

 affect the ocean, not only locally, but on a regional or even global 

 basis ? 



2. How do various effects interact ? 



3. Are we contributing substances that could cause unwanted and 

 even irreversible long-term effects — either on a regional or global 

 basis ? 



As difficult as it is to understand these larger effects, it is extremely 

 important that we do so. The gaps in our knowledge of the ocean will 

 not be easy to fill. We are dealing with complex and long-term 

 phenomena. 



Our scientists, for example, understand acute toxic effects of many 

 contaminants on marine organisms reasonably well. They know much 

 less about low-level chronic effects, which through alterations in 

 spawning, migration, or other behavior, may take their toll over a 

 period of several generations. 



Then, too, we have sometimes confused natural or cyclic phenomena 

 with man's impact. We certainly have a clear responsibility to identify 

 problems impacting the environment which are due to man's involve- 

 ment, and these are often subtle changes. But we must also be able 

 to say which changes are naturally occurring. 



A few years ago, for example, t:here was great concern over prolifer- 

 ation of crown-of-thorns starfish, which were destroying coral reefs. 

 It was thought this may have resulted from man's interference with 

 the ecosystem. It is now generally accepted that this was a natural 

 condition. There is evidence that this has happened in the past, though 

 we don't know why. We now believe nothing in the way of manmade 

 causes was involved. 



