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Demographic variability in seafood consumption rates among recreational anglers of Santa Monica Bay, California, in 1991-1992
Abstract
Contaminated fish in Santa Monica Bay, California, have raised concerns about health risks from local seafood consumption. In preparation for a new health risk analysis, a field study was undertaken to determine local angler consumption rates, consumption characteristics, and angler catch. During 1991-92, biologists interviewed 1,244 anglers on piers, party boats, private boats, and beaches; 555 provided consumption-rate estimates. In contrast to previous studies, non-English as well as English speaking anglers were interviewed. The median seafood consumption rate of 21 g/day for local anglers was less than the national average. Consumption-rate distributions were highly skewed, upper-decile consumption rates being several times higher than median rates. Upper-decile consumption rates were more useful than median rates in delineating demographic and species-specific differences in consumption rates. Angler consumption rates of potentially contaminated species and angler awareness of health risks varied by ethnic group; therefore communication of health risks should target habits and languages of high-risk anglers.
... Although in southern California, studies of fish consumption by Santa Monica Bay anglers have been conducted (Puffer et al. 1981(Puffer et al. , 1982SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996), similar studies of fish consumption by freshwater fishers in southern California (or elsewhere in California) have not been conducted (OEHHA 2001), although creel studies have been conducted elsewhere in California (some of which are listed in CDHS,EHIB 2007). OEHHA (2001) noted that consumption rates among anglers fishing in Santa Monica Bay (SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996) were similar to those of anglers fishing in fresh water bodies in Michigan, including the Great Lakes (Murray and Burmaster 1994). ...
... Although in southern California, studies of fish consumption by Santa Monica Bay anglers have been conducted (Puffer et al. 1981(Puffer et al. , 1982SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996), similar studies of fish consumption by freshwater fishers in southern California (or elsewhere in California) have not been conducted (OEHHA 2001), although creel studies have been conducted elsewhere in California (some of which are listed in CDHS,EHIB 2007). OEHHA (2001) noted that consumption rates among anglers fishing in Santa Monica Bay (SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996) were similar to those of anglers fishing in fresh water bodies in Michigan, including the Great Lakes (Murray and Burmaster 1994). Based on this, OEHHA (2001) recommended that until reliable California freshwater fish consumption data become available, rounded unadjusted values in the most recent Santa Monica Bay study (SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996) be used as default median, mean, and 90th and 95th percentile consumption rates for both freshwater and marine waters of California. ...
... OEHHA (2001) noted that consumption rates among anglers fishing in Santa Monica Bay (SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996) were similar to those of anglers fishing in fresh water bodies in Michigan, including the Great Lakes (Murray and Burmaster 1994). Based on this, OEHHA (2001) recommended that until reliable California freshwater fish consumption data become available, rounded unadjusted values in the most recent Santa Monica Bay study (SCCWRP and MBC 1994;Allen et al. 1996) be used as default median, mean, and 90th and 95th percentile consumption rates for both freshwater and marine waters of California. However, as consumption rates of anglers fishing in fresh water bodies in southern California may differ from those of freshwater anglers fishing in Michigan and elsewhere, there is a need to determine what fish consumption rates actually occur among anglers fishing fresh water bodies in southern California. ...
An active, in-person survey of the extent of fishing and fish consumption of freshwater fishes in southern California coastal watersheds.
... The spatial distribution of recreational fishers is one underutilized factor for capturing that nuance. Fishers who use a pier or jetty rather than a boat have proven to be distinctive from other non-commercial fishers: they identify different motivations, consumption practices, and socioeconomic identities [19][20][21][22]. The location is especially relevant in California, where pier fishing has remained both popular and free for over a century [5]. ...
... The accessibility and low-cost of pier fishing may make it an especially attractive option for poor, undocumented, and underprivileged members of urban communities [25]. Studies in Southern California found that pier fishers have higher representation of immigrant communities, ethnic and racial minorities, and those who speak English as a second language than the local population [19,26]. Compared to licensed fishers who used boats, pier fishers were more likely to be motivated by consumption and to self-identify as subsistence fishers [27]. ...
... Laminated cards with images of popular sport fishing species were used to help respondents classify their catch. Similar to other studies of informal coastal resource users [19,21,47], we identified and recruited survey respondents while they were actively engaged in fishing at the pier, in order to reliably engage resource users; where there were multiple people fishing together, we interviewed one adult respondent per household. We sought to approximate a random sample inclusive of diverse social and ethnic groups, though the transient nature of pier fishing precludes a formal representative sample. ...
Subsistence fishing is almost exclusively recognized within rural, indigenous and Native fishing traditions; yet research indicates many underprivileged, non-indigenous urban communities also derive social, nutritional, and cultural benefits from coastal resources. In California, pier fishers are an often overlooked and potentially vulnerable community of practitioners who may include subsistence fishers. Pier fishers' informal, unlicensed status means their rates of catch and consumption of fish are scarcely documented, and scant research probes the demographics, motivations, and practices of the pier fishing community. Using survey data collected at active fishing piers in Santa Barbara County, we examine the perceptions, practices, and characteristics of pier fishers. We present common attributes used to define subsistence fishing in the literature and discuss their application in a “recreational” urban context. Although the specific qualities will vary across contexts, we suggest three suitable and interdependent factors for recognizing urban subsistence fishing: 1) reported consumption frequency, 2) fishers' socioeconomic status, and 3) the social, cultural and psychological “process benefits” identified by fishers. Our findings indicate that pier fishing is a form of subsistence, particularly benefiting low-income, Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander fishers in Santa Barbara County. These results challenge commonly used criteria and assumptions about subsistence practices, and demonstrate the flexibility of fishers to meet multiple individual and collective needs. We propose that marine regulations and policies recognize subsistence fishing as a dimension of coastal resource use in California, and consider its potential contributions to urban food security and community well-being.
... To better assess and quantify these risks to the fishing population, information about contaminant levels in fish and actual consumption patterns and preparation techniques must be understood. Several studies have begun to characterize levels of contaminants known to pose health risks in Bay fish (Allen et al. 1996, SCCWRP/MBC 1994, SFEI 1999, SFBRWQCB 1995, but information that describes the consumption patterns of Bay anglers has been sociospatially limited, with focus on select populations and locations (Karras 1998, Ujihara 1997, Wong and Nakatani 1997, Cohen 1995, EHIB 1994, Steinberg and Steinberg 2009). ...
... Of those anglers that indicated they consume their catch, for the most part, consumption rates are low. The arithmetic mean consumption rate of 6.3 grams/day and median of 0.0 grams/day is well below that found in other studies (Shilling et al. 2010;Shilling et al. 2014, SFEI 2000, Allen et al. 1996 2000) and Santa Monica Bay (50 grams/day). Overall, consumption rates were higher for those anglers that fished one or more times a week. ...
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region considers San Diego Bay one of the most important and valuable resources in the Southern California region. The bay provides multiple beneficial uses for both human use and natural services including habitat for fish and wildlife, extensive commercial and industrial economic benefits, and recreational opportunities to residents and visitors. It is imperative to protect its chemical, physical, and biological integrity so the many benefits of San Diego Bay may be enjoyed by future generations. This study was designed to interview a representative sample of anglers fishing in San Diego Bay from May 1, 2015 through April 30, 2016. We conducted field interviews of anglers at common fishing locations (boat landings, piers, and shoreline locations) surrounding the bay. The study design accounted for both geographically and culturally relevant site selection to ensure adequate coverage of all areas of the bay. Our objective was to provide consumption data specifically for fin fish consumed from San Diego Bay and to provide a basis for developing locally relevant recommendations. Additionally, the findings of this study provide valuable information for improving outreach and education to specific, higher risk segments of the fishing population and for guiding contaminant studies to monitor fish that people consume. In developing this study of fishing activity and consumption in San Diego Bay.
... Seafood consumption risk assessments within AAPI ethnic groups require specialized survey tools because of cultural and language differences, as well as varying consumption and acquisition habits (Cassidy, 1994). Very few studies have reported AAPI seafood consumption rates (range: 18-71 g/ day Javitz, 1980;Puffer et al., 1982;Iso et al., 1989;Allen et al., 1996;Wong, 1997;Chiang, 1998), and methodological differences make rate comparisons difficult. ...
... Javitz (1980Javitz ( ) used 1973Javitz ( -1974 National Purchase Dietary data to calculate a mean per capita seafood (fresh/estuarine/ marine) consumption rate for ''Orientals'' (21 g/day). Three surveys conducted among AAPI fishermen fishing in San Francisco Bay, Santa Monica Bay, and Los Angeles reported median seafood consumption rates of 43, 21, and 71 g/day, respectively (Puffer et al., 1982;Allen et al., 1996;Wong, 1997). These studies documented self-harvested seafood consumption rates from specific fishing sites over varying periods of time (7 days, 4 weeks and ''usual intake'' per year, respectively). ...
This paper describes and quantifies seafood consumption rates, and acquisition and preparation habits of 202 first- and second-generation Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) from 10 ethnic groups (Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mien, Samoan, and Vietnamese) in King County, Washington in 1997. Participants were all seafood consumers. Average and median seafood consumption rates were 117.2 and 89 g/day, respectively, based on the average body weight (62 kg) of participants. Shellfish comprised 45.9% and "all finfish" 43.3% of all seafood consumed. Consumption rates varied significantly between ethnic groups with Vietnamese (2.63 g/kg/day) and Japanese (2.18 g/kg/day) having the highest average consumption rates, and Mien (0.58 g/kg/day) and Hmong (0.59 g/kg/day) the lowest. The most frequently consumed finfish and invertebrates were salmon (93% of respondents), tuna (86%), shrimp (98%), crab (96%), and squid (82%). Fish fillets were eaten with the skin 55%, and the head, bones, eggs, and/or other organs 20% of the time. Crabmeat including the hepatopancreas (accumulates lipophilic chemicals such as organochlorine compounds) was consumed 43% of the time. This paper was a product of a Community-University Partnership. Community guidance in study design and data collection was essential for successful participation by the AAPI Community. Data reported here not only will provide risk assessors with AAPI-specific seafood consumption rates but with insights into cultural consumption/acquisition habits that may alter risk assessment assumptions for the AAPI Community.
... Asian customers are particularly interested in whole fish rather than fillets (Allen et al., 1996). Cultural divides also manifest in communication: the digital divide remains wide in the US, with Black, Latinx, and low-income individuals much less likely to have internet access, so effective outreach to these communities may need to extend beyond the internet (Vogels, 2021). ...
Alternative food networks, such as farmers’ markets and community-supported agricultural and fishery programs, often struggle to reach beyond a consumer base that is predominantly white and affluent. This case study explores seven inclusion strategies deployed by a community-supported fishery program (Fishadelphia, in Philadelphia, PA, USA) including discounting prices, accepting payment in multiple forms and schedules, offering a range of product types, communicating and recruiting through a variety of media (especially in person), and choosing local institutions and people of color (POC) as pickup location hosts. Our analysis indicated that all of these strategies were associated with increased participation of customers of color and/or customers without a college degree. For Asian customers, accepting cash, offering whole fish, recruiting in-person, and POC-hosted pickup locations were key factors. For Black customers, discounted price, accepting cash, offering fillets, and communicating through means other than email were most important. Discounted price and communicating through means other than email were most important for customers without a college degree. Payment method, payment schedule and communication method were highly correlated with other strategies; we suggest that these strategies work in synergy to make the program attractive and feasible to these customers. We consider how Fishadelphia’s inclusion efforts have benefitted from both tactical approaches (i.e., programmatic features) and a structural approaches (i.e., the people and places represented within the project), and suggest that elements of both tactical and structural inclusion can be applied in other contexts. This work is crucial for increasing food access, and underscores the importance of relationships in recruiting diverse customers.
... Food Quality and Preference xxx (xxxx) 104786 in the USA. Here , the aversion towards consuming fish is mainly cultural (Burger et al., 1993;Gilbertson et al., 2004;Story & Harris, 1989;Wein et al., 1996), but the food cultural identity is constantly evolving due to globalization and immigration (Cheek, 2006;Scholte, 2008) (Allen et al., 1996;Ballew et al., 2006). Additionally, the response of state and federal agencies to the potential health risks from fish consumption by issuing consumption advisories, or, in rare cases, making it illegal to fish in certain waters in the last two decades might be behind Americans' neophobic behaviour towards fish (Burger, 2005). ...
... Beehler et al. 10 and Burger 30 have looked at the social and cultural explanations for why people fish. Other studies have focused on the angler's perception of the environment and the safety of eating recreationally caught seafood, 9,12,21,31 the demographic variability of seafood consumers, 8,10,12,31,32 and the reasons why people eat seafood. 33,34 The available literature provides a wealth of past experience to draw from and also illustrates the need for localized data of consumption patterns in coastal South Carolina. ...
This study was designed to provide self-reported data on the frequency of fish consumption and shellfish consumption in Charleston and Berkeley (CB) counties, South Carolina. While commercial fishing and recreational fishing have played an important role in the culture and history of the area, information on the specific patterns of consumption by recreational anglers has been previously unavailable. The pilot data presented here will help determine the feasibility of a large-scale survey of seafood consumption in coastal South Carolina. The study’s sampling frame consisted of CB county anglers who had purchased a recreational saltwater fishing license for the 2005/2006 year with oversampling in North Charleston. Survey recipients were asked to provide information on fish consumption and shellfish consumption, general angling habits, perception of water and fishing quality, and demographics. Of the 2500 individuals who were sent questionnaires, about one-fourth responded. Respondents were generally white, middle, or upper class and highly educated. The majority fished by boat and most often ate flounder, spotted sea trout, and red drum. Most respondents ate shrimp several times a month and also supplemented their recreational catch with seafood purchased from grocery stores, markets, and restaurants. Almost all respondents had eaten some seafood in the last year, and more than one-fourth ate seafood twice a week or more. Most anglers responded positively about the area’s fishing and water qualities, but many referred to areas where they would hesitate to eat their catch. Further research may need to incorporate direct distribution of surveys to underrepresented groups and financial incentives to encompass a more diverse population of anglers.
... The overwhelming importance of crayfish consumption rate stems from the wide range in consumption rates among individuals sampled. High variability in seafood consumption rates has been well documented across individuals and populations, and as a result local and subpopulation-specific consumption rate estimates are useful prior to generating seafood consumption guidance (e.g., Allen et al., 1996;Sechena et al., 2003;SFEI and CDHS, 2000;USEPA, 2000;USEPA, 2011). Our results, in combination with these findings, suggest that consumption rate estimates would be the primary monitoring priority for obtaining better estimates of risk due to dietary metals exposure from crayfish. ...
... Presently, due to the high PCB and DDT concentrations in white croaker along the SCB, OEHHA has recommended that only 2 servings per week of white croaker fillet should be consumed for fish caught between Ventura Harbor and San Mateo Point (yellow zone), and no white croaker from Santa Monica Pier to Seal Beach Pier (red zone) should be consumed (Pollock et al., 1991;Klasing et al., 2009) (Fig. 1A). Despite posted advisories for the species, subsistence fishers continue to catch and consume white croaker from local fishing piers within the LA-LB Harbor, which falls within the red "no-consumption" zone (Gossett et al., 1983;Allen et al., 1996;Jonick et al., 2010). White croaker caught within the LA-LB Harbor have been shown to have highly variable levels of organochlorine contamination which do not reflect sediment contamination concentrations in the area in which the fish were caught (Gossett et al., 1983;Malins et al., 1987;Brown et al., 1998;Anderson et al., 2001). ...
White croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) are a sentinel fish species for contamination due to their direct interaction with contaminated sediments through benthic foraging. White croaker within the Los Angeles (LA) and Long Beach (LB) Harbor exhibited hierarchical habitat selection: avoiding dredged areas while selecting for areas of high sediment total organic carbon (4.8-8.1%), high polychaete density (406-700 polychaetes/0.1 m(2)), and small sediment grain size (<23.5 μm). Model results suggest that these fish are moving into shallower waters at night, which may be to forage and refuge more during the day presumably to avoid predation. The predictive model for white croaker habitat use indicated three important areas of use within the LA-LB Harbor: Consolidated Slip, Inner Long Beach Harbor, and Fish Harbor. The areas containing the most frequently selected habitats by white croaker are also often areas of high sediment contamination, and thus are likely locations where these fish are acquiring contaminants. While many sediment mitigation alternatives exist, identifying and remediating sediments in key white croaker habitat may lead to a decrease in white croaker tissue concentrations over time if the fish continue to utilize these areas post remediation.
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... As discussed later, we did not distinguish among age, ethnic, or income groups in preparing our analysis. Allen et al. (1996) analyzed the Santa Monica Bay Seafood Consumption Study (SCCWRP & MBC, 1994) data and observed that while upper decile (i.e., 90th percentile) fish consumption rates based on 4-wk recall of fish meals were different across income and ethnic groups, median rates did not vary significantly based on the results of statistical tests. The Santa Monica Bay Seafood Consumption report indicates that upper decile (i.e., 90th percentile) consumption rates based on 4-wk recall for Asian and White anglers exceeded the upper decile for all anglers by 8 and 5%, respectively, while the upper decile rates for Black and Hispanic anglers were below the overall upper decile by 20 and 40%, respectively. ...
A human health risk assessment of recreational anglers who consume fish from the Palos Verdes Shelf was conducted. The uptake of DDT, DDE, and DDD (collectively total DDT or tDDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) due to fish ingestion was characterized using Monte Carlo techniques. This analysis relied upon 176 probability density functions developed from over 300,000 individual pieces of information to represent 17 different exposure factors that influence the human uptake of persistent organic chemicals in fish. The carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks were estimated using a microexposure event modeling approach that estimates exposure on an event-by-event basis. This evaluation relied upon several large studies that provided site-specific data on angler behavior and concentratioins of chemicals in 13 fish species. Our results indicate that the median theoretical increased lifetime cancer risk associated with estimated exposure to tDDT and PCBs was 5 x 10(-8) for anglers who fish on commercial passenger fishing vessels (CPFVs) and who catch and eat fish from the Palos Verdes Shelf. The mean risk for these anglers was 2 x 10(-7), and the 95th percentile risk was 8 x 10(-7). At the 9.5th percentile, the hazard quotients for anglers were less than 1, indicating that noncancer effects are unlikely. These results are in contrast with prior risk assessments of this site that suggested that consumption of white croaker alone posed a cancer risk of 2 x 10(-3) and a hazard quotient of 32. Our results were validated by their agreement with several independent local studies regarding fishing and consumption practices. This assessment indicates that the levels of tDDT and PCB in fish at the Palos Verdes Shelf do not pose a significant risk to human health among recreational anglers. Based on the size of the local angler population, no cases of cancer would be expected to result from eating Palos Verdes Shelf fish. The methodology used here should be applicable to characterizing the risks to those who ingest fish from the waterways of most industrialized nations.
... Exceeding the screening values is an indication that more intensive site-specific monitoring and/or evaluation of human health risk should be conducted. Screening values were taken from a northern California study by Brodberg and Pollock (1999) and were calculated using a consumption rate of 21 g fish/day (following Allen et al., 1996). ...
This study documents changes in contamination over time at seasonal, interannual, and decadal time scales for sport fish collected in San Francisco Bay. Samples from seven fish species were prepared according to common consumption practices (muscle fillets either with or without skin) and analyzed for trace metals (mercury and selenium) and trace organochlorine contaminants (PCBs, DDTs, chlordanes, and dieldrin). In 2000, sport fish samples exceeded human health screening values for mercury, PCBs, DDTs, selenium, and dieldrin but did not exceed screening values for chlordanes. On a seasonal time scale, white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) exhibited significantly lower PCB and lipid concentrations in spring, and a general increase in concentrations in other seasons. When monitoring data were compared among 1994, 1997, and 2000, analysis of variance indicated that concentrations of mercury, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes varied significantly among years for several fish species. Interannual variation in DDTs often correlated to changes in sampled fish size or lipid content among years. Interannual variation in mercury and PCBs was evident in striped bass (Morone saxatilis) but absent in shiner surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata), leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata), and white croaker. The higher interannual variability of striped bass contaminant concentrations may result from migratory behavior and wide home ranges. Chlordanes significantly declined between 1994 and 2000 in white croaker and striped bass. Of the historical data analyzed (1986-2000), only DDT concentrations in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) showed evidence of a significant decline. Neither PCBs nor selenium showed evidence of a trend in white sturgeon. Between 1970 and 2000, mercury concentrations in striped bass showed no evidence of a trend. The absence of recent trends in mercury may result from the presence of widespread and historic sources, with use reductions occurring in the early 20th century. In contrast to mercury, apparent recent declines in fish tissue DDT and chlordane concentrations may result from use curtailment in the 1970s and 1980s.
This chapter describes the nature and effects of pollution and habitat alteration effects on California marine fishes. At present, the coastal population of the Californias is distributed unevenly with high population centers in southern California and in the San Francisco Bay area. Because of the high human population densities in these areas, these are the primary areas of pollution and habitat alteration that has affected fish populations. In addition to accumulating in marine organisms, contaminants can have detrimental effects on individual fish, populations and assemblages, fish predators, and human consumers of fish. This chapter describes health risks to humans and to bird and mammal predators that consume them.
The research presented here represents an analysis of pier-based subsistence fishing in Los Angeles County. The researchers conducted surveys and participant observation at 4 field sites on Los Angeles piers. Subsistence fishing among populations in the mainland United States has been neglected as a significant activity of research interest. This may be in part because individuals engaged in subsistence fishing are often members of long established poor, indigenous or diasporic communities. With this project, we analyzed particular marine cultural phenomena, otherwise invisible in a highly bureaucratized system of fisheries management and risk analysis, by researching and describing some of the fishing practices and fishers of Los Angeles County's piers. Ethnographic survey research reports on the unique demographics, risk perceptions, and sociocultural aspects of distinct pier-based fishing communities in Southern California.
The Southern California Bight (SCB) has undergone tremendous changes over the last 100 years resulting from natural and anthropogenic alteration of the coastal zone. A large influx of population during the 1900s has propelled the coastal community surrounding the SCB from a small pueblo (<2000 in 1900) to the largest metropolitan centre in the U.S. (>17 million in 1998). This rapid urbanization has placed extreme pressures on marine resources including loss of habitat, discharge of pollutants, and overfishing. As the population has grown in the four counties bordering the shoreline of the SCB, so have discharges of pollutants to the ocean. The major source of pollutants in the early 1970s was publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Regulation of these discharges has led to improved treatment, source control, and pretreatment programs. As a result, cumulative pollutant loads for POTWs have been reduced several fold, even orders of magnitude for some constituents. Similar to trends observed in many areas of the nation, non-point sources have become larger contributors of potential pollutants as POTWs have reduced their inputs. In the SCB, urban runoff contributes more trace metals (chromium, copper, lead, and zinc) and nutrients (nitrate and phosphorus) than all other sources combined. As the inputs of pollutants have declined and the dominant sources have shifted, the fate and distribution of pollutants in the SCB has changed over the last 30 years. Studies have observed decreasing concentrations in water, sediments, and biota. For example, decreasing concentrations in near-surface sediments are recorded in sediment core profiles. Also, fish tissue concentrations have decreased compared to similar measurements made in the 1970s and 1980s. However, legacy inputs continue to place both the marine ecosystem and public health at risk. Among the most important constituents of concern in the SCB is total DDT (o,p' and p,p' isomers of DDT, DDE, and DDD). Total DDT is widely dispersed; it is measured in 89% of the SCB sediments and has contaminated nearly 100% of Pacific and Longfin sanddab populations. In regions where sediment concentrations of total DDT are highest (e.g. Palos Verdes Shelf), commercial fishing is prohibited and recreational anglers are warned about consuming tainted bottom-feeding fish. Along with reductions in pollutant inputs over the last 30 years, scientists have observed the recovery of some marine ecosystems. Five phylogenetic groups are evaluated in this article including kelp (algae), benthic invertebrates, fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Among the most-studied groups are benthic infauna and fish communities. In 1994 approximately 91% of the SCB mainland shelf contained benthic communities classified as 'reference'. Although fish diseases (e.g., fin rot and epidermal tumours) were common in the 1970s, their occurrence is currently at background levels. In almost all cases, interactions have occurred between natural and anthropogenic factors. For example, kelp beds near large POTW discharges that were a fraction of their historical extent in 1970 have shown exceptional recruitment and are currently flourishing. However, during the same time period, natural events such as the 1987-88 El Nino negatively impacted the kelp and reduced bed extent to levels not observed since 1970. Ecosystem management of the SCB is improving as we enter the new millennium. The improvement began when resource managers recognized that traditional monitoring programs were not providing the information they needed to make responsible stewardship decisions. Regulatory and permitted discharge agencies have since created an open dialogue to identify the most important monitoring objectives. In addition, they have cooperatively designed and implemented a coordinated, integrated regional monitoring program. Regional monitoring has evaluated the full range of natural variability and cumulative impacts from multiple discharges, enabling assessment of the overall condition of the SCB.
In Southern California, white croaker caught within proximity to the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site have been found to be contaminated with such high levels of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls that fish consumption advisories recommend that this fish should not be consumed. In response to this risk, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has initiated an Angler Outreach Program designed to reduce the quantity of contaminated fish (specifically, white croaker) anglers bring back to the community. The current project describes the development of a community-based social marketing campaign targeting anglers, and reports results comparing the number of white croaker anglers took back to the community before and after a strategic intervention. Results indicate that the program was highly successful in positively modifying angler behavior. Postintervention results demonstrate that the strategic intervention reduced the number of white croaker entering the community by 93%, and also produced a large reduction in the percentage of anglers who left the fishing site with white croaker. In addition, anglers reported an increase in positive behavior with regard to their white croaker consumption habits.
Ecosystem-based management is more successful when a great diversity of stakeholders is engaged early in a decision-making process. Implementation of the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) has been stakeholder-based, coordinating the participation of a wide range of people including divers, fishermen, conservationists, local officials, business owners and coastal residents. Although commercial and recreational fishermen have actively participated throughout the MLPA implementation process, and research related to California’s sport and commercial fisheries has been integrated into the process, pier and shore anglers have been relatively unengaged as stakeholders. This study was completed to generate information about pier angler understanding and sentiment towards marine protected areas (MPAs), as well as to educate anglers on the MLPA implementation process in southern California and inform them on involvement opportunities. Of the 3030 pier anglers surveyed over 12 months, 78% only fish for subsistence from piers and from shore (never from boats); 84.6% are of non-White/Euro-American ethnicity and speak English as a second language; and 82% indicated that they were supportive of establishing a strong network of MPAs in southern California, specifically fully-protective no-take marine reserves. This study is an example of an alternative and customized method of outreach designed to reach a unique and previously unengaged stakeholder group, which stands to be affected by the implementation of the MLPA in California. Engaging such non-traditional stakeholders in public policy may be critical for decision makers to gauge all views from those standing to be affected by a policy—not just the views of those that regularly attend policy meetings—and for the ultimate success of policy implementation and community support.
Alhough inputs of chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds to the Southern California Bight (SCB) are presently low, historical deposits represent a source of bioaccumulation potential to sediment-associated fauna. To assess this bioaccumulation potential, 14 chlorinated hydrocarbon classes were measured in livers of three species of flatfish collected from 63 randomly selected sites on the coastal shelf between Point Conception and the United States–Mexico international border. Tissue contamination was widespread throughout the SCB, but was limited to just two chlorinated hydrocarbon classes. Virtually 100% of Pacific sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus) and longfin sanddab (Citharichthys xanthostigma) populations were estimated to be contaminated with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (total DDT = sum of o,p′ and p,p′ isomers of DDT + dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [DDE] + dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane [DDD]) and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (total PCBs). Total DDT also contaminated the majority (64%) of the Dover sole (Microstomus pacificus) population in the SCB. Total PCB measurements in tissues of SCB flatfish were dominated by 12 congeners (52, 66, 87, 101, 105, 118, 128, 138, 153, 170, 180, and 187), which averaged 95% of the combined mass of the 27 congeners analyzed. Sediment concentrations (normalized by total organic carbon content) accounted for most of the variability observed in tissue concentrations (normalized by lipid content) for 8 of these 12 congeners and total PCBs. Normalized sediment concentrations were also significantly correlated to normalized tissue concentrations for total DDT and p,p′-DDE. Tissue concentrations measured in this study from reference areas of the SCB were compared to tissue concentrations measured from reference areas in studies conducted in 1977 and 1985. Total DDT and total PCB liver concentrations were found to have decreased one to two orders of magnitude in Pacific and longfin sanddabs between 1985 and 1994. Total DDT and total PCB liver concentrations decreased 5- to 35-fold in Dover sole between 1977 and 1994.
Efforts to provide for public health protection from environmental contaminants in fish have resulted in various advisories or recommendations with regard to fish consumption from local, state, and federal agencies. These advisories are based on measured levels of contaminants in fish that are combined with values for body weight and portion size to produce an estimate of an "acceptable" consumption frequency (e.g., eat no more than once per month). Because values for body weight and portion size are generally generic default values, they do not necessarily relate to a specific population or to any individual in that population. Thus, the use of default values may result in underprotection or overprotection in any given case. Given the benefits of fish consumption and the risks from overexposure to various toxicants, vigilance is required by custodians of public health to ensure that populations are protected while being cautious not to over- or underprotect them. In this analysis, we examine the "acceptable" consumption limits derived for fish species/groups consumed by three specific populations and determine the extent of public health protection afforded by these limits. To accomplish this, the "acceptable" consumption frequencies are derived based, in part, on default assumptions and are compared to intakes calculated from empirically derived species-specific individual consumption and demographic data. Sensitivity analyses and population-specific probabilistic assessments of exposure are conducted to identify those values and/or assumptions which might significantly influence the resulting fish consumption advisories. Three populations were chosen for study based on their ability to represent populations of greatest concern: those most sensitive and/or those most exposed. We conclude from this investigation that consumption pattern data, contaminant data and body weight data together can be used to make fish consumption advisories more focused and, therefore, less likely to be under- or overprotective.
A survey was carried out in the Los Angeles metropolitan coastal area during 1980 to assess fishing activity and consumption rates of fish by sport fishermen at local sites which were pollution impacted. Among the 1,059 anglers interviewed, 49% of them fish at least one time each week and, depending on species caught, between 67% and 97% of the anglers consume some or all of their fish. The most common species caught (one out of three) was the white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus). Because substantially large quantities of the fish eaten were caught in areas influenced by waste discharges, concern was expressed over possible health hazards to those fish consumers.