In 1979, the sampling approach was changed to six replicate samples 

 collected at five of the original six sites. Instead of making monthly 

 collections of these panels, they were collected in four overlapping six 

 month exposure periods. This program change resulted from recommendations 

 of Brown and Moore (1977) and Battelle (1978, 1979). Minor changes from 

 1968-1981 included relocation of panels at sites, sample storage techniques, 

 and refining of panel processing methods. These latter changes were 

 made to reduce losses of panels from storms, increase the similarity in 

 deployments between stations, improve the condition of specimens used 

 for identification, and generally improve our understanding of community 

 structure on exposure panels. 



Battelle (1979) began a special study monitoring the gonad development 

 of shipworms in 1976. They examined a total of 636 shipworms, Teredo 

 naval is , from eight locations around MNPS during the two year study. It 

 was concluded that shipworms in our area could spawn from June through 

 September. 



Exposure panel studies have monitored fouling and wood-boring 

 organisms during three phases of power plant operation: 1) two and one 

 half years before operation, 2) five years of one unit operation, and 3) 

 six years of two unit operation. These data provide an adequate data 

 base for assessing any impact three unit operation might have in the 

 future (Appendix I) . For this reason, the Nuclear Regulatory Agency 

 (NRC) permitted us to suspend the monitoring of these communities until 

 two years prior to three unit operation (Appendix II) . This action has 

 provided us with the opportunity to concentrate our research efforts on 

 shipworms, Teredo navalis and Teredo bartschi , and increase our understand- 

 ing of how power plant operation will affect their life histories. 



