statistics), bench marks sheet of tide data, time series plots, harmonic analysis, tidal 
predictions, daily and monthly sea surface water temperature and density, frequency and 
duration of inundation of high and low water, and daily mean sea level. Tide data can be obtained 
from the NOAA/National Ocean Service (NOS)/Tidal Datum Quality Assurance Branch. A 
9.1.6.1.2. National Status and Trends Program 
NOAA's National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program^ assesses the current status of, and 
changes over time in the environmental health of the estuarine and coastal waters of the United 
States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The NS&T Program consists of seven major component 
projects: National Benthic Surveillance, Mussel Watch, Bioeffects Surveys, Coastal 
Contaminant Assessments, Historical Trends Assessments, Specimen Banking, and Quality 
Assurance (QA). NS&T data can be found in various publications, including NOAA (1988, 1989, 
and 1991b) and on the NOAA Internet home page. Concentrations of organic and inorganic 
contaminants in sediments and mollusks taken in the same area are determined as part of the 
Mussel Watch Project at sites located around the nation. The analytes include 24 PAHs, 20 PCB 
congeners, DDT and its metabolites, 9 other chlorinated pesticides, organotins, 4 major 
elements, and 12 trace elements. NS&T Program sampling and analytical methods, and the list 
of analytes are described in Lauenstein and Cantillo (1993). NS&T sampling sites are described 
in Lauenstein et al. (1993). The quality of the NS&T analytical data is overseen by the QA 
Project, which is designed to assure and document the quality of the data, to document sampling 
protocols and analytical procedures, and to reduce intralaboratory and interlaboratory 
variation. The QA Project description can be found in Cantillo and Lauenstein (1993). 
Five NS&T Mussel Watch sites are located in South Florida and one in the Florida Keys (Table 
17). In order to evaluate the impact on Florida Bay of the restoration project in the Everglades, 
two new Mussel Watch sites were established in 1994. These are located at Flamingo and in 
Blackwater Sound. At these NS&T sites, either the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) or 
the smooth-edged jewel box (Chama sinuosa) are collected during the winter months prior to 
spawning. Two organizations have been responsible for all sample collection and analysis of 
samples from South Florida: Texas A&M University (TAMU) Geochemical and Environmental 
Research Group (GERG) for the Gulf Coast and Florida Keys, and Battelle Ocean Sciences for the 
Atlantic Coast. The NS&T data for the South Florida sites is listed in Cantillo et al. (1993), 
NOAA (1988, 1989, and 1991b) and Cantillo et al. (1995). An NS&T Bioeffects Survey of 
Biscayne Bay in cooperation with the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program and the State of Florida is 
being planned. The survey will include sediment toxicity, fish reproduction, genetic damage, 
and other studies. The NS&T Program will also conduct a joint monitoring survey of the benthos 
in Florida Bay and the region to the west with the EPA EMAP-E. Samples of macrobenthos will 
be collected at 50-100 sites in Florida Bay and the adjacent waters out to a line between Naples 
and Key West. The number of species and individuals of each species will be used to calculate a 
Benthic Index of the health of the benthic community and to obtain baseline information on the 
composition and biodiversity of the macrobenthic community of this region. Sampling is planned 
for the summer 1994. 
A NOAA/NOS/Tidal Datum Quality Assurance Branch, 1305 East West Hwy., rm. 7606, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 301 713 
2877. 
0 t O'Connor, NOAA National Status and Trends Program Office, NOAA/NOS/ORCA21, 1305 East West Hwy., 10614, Silver 
Spring, MD 10910. 301 713 3028. 
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