Only the distribution and abundance of two economically significant 

 species, surf clams ( Spisula solidissima) and rock crabs ( Cancer irrogatus) 

 are presented schematically in Figures 40 and 41, respectively. Table 16 

 gives the distribution and abundance of three dominant organisms ( Cerian- 

 thus, Cerebratulus and Nephtys) in the waste disposal areas. Of interest 

 in this table is the reduced average numbers of organisms at stations 59 

 and 82, the centers of the sewage sludge and dredging spoils disposal 

 areas, respectively. The SHL macrofauna survey is not complete in that 

 it does not include the distribution and abundance of the commercially 

 valuable rock clam, and ocean quahog, and there are no data concerning 

 the lobster. 



SHL investigation found a small number of juvenile rock crabs within 

 the disposal areas relative to the noncontaminated regions, suggesting 

 that larvae of crabs do not readily settle in the area of the dumping 

 grounds. On the basis of its investigations, SHL concluded that an area 

 of about 2 miles in diameter was at each of the dumping sites, was devoid 

 of what was considered normal or was characterized by greatly reduced 

 macrofaunal populations. The reported decrease in species diversity was 

 similarly attributed to environmental stress caused by the waste dumping 

 activities. It should be emphasized, however, that SHL did not analyze 

 its data statistically, and this conclusion is not obvious in the tables 

 and figures summarizing the SHL results. An assessment of these results 

 is given in the discussion section of this report dealing with the 

 effects of ocean dumping on the regional ecology. 



(3) Coastal and Bottom- Dwelling Finfishes . In an effort to 

 determine the effect of ocean diamping of sewage sludge on demersal or 

 bottom-dwelling finfishes, SHL trawled in and outside the sewage sludge 

 beds. No attempt was made by SHL to sample the area of the dredge spoil 

 grounds, west of the sewage dump, because this area has a rugged bottom 

 and a large section is closed to trawling because old mines are known to 

 exist. 



Trawl samples and fish stomach analyses by SHL indicate that the local 

 groundfishes frequent the area of the sewage dumping grounds. In fact 

 their numbers were found to be greater in the center of the sewage dumping 

 grounds than those found on a clear sand bottom, east of the dump site. 

 From a total of 31 species of fish that were taken in and around the 

 sewage sludge dumping area, 22 species were collected from the designated 

 center of the dump. Of the species that were taken, whiting ( Merluccius 

 bilinearis) , ling ( Urophysis chuss) , winter flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes 

 americanus) , yellowtail flounder ( Limanda ferruginea) , windowpane 

 ( Scophthalmus aquosus) , and longhom sculpin ( Muoxocephalus octodecem 

 spinosus) , occurred most frequently. Other species of fishes were taken, 

 but usually in lower numbers. Occasionally large numbers of fish such 

 as Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) , porgy ( Stenotomus chrysops) and 

 various herring were collected. 



A special series of collections of demersal fishes was made by SHL 

 across the Hudson Canyon, immediately south of the dumping area. Two of 



90 



