Mark
I work with the Shellfish Program in Oregon and evaluate the
pollution source and water quality data to develop shellfish growing
water classifications under the same standards as WA. We too have
see high fecal coliform counts from the waters near seafood
processing plants, near their discharge and in the runoff zone of
plant grounds. I cannot attest to any laboratory analysis of the
actual effluent but I can share some field observation we've made
over the years.
When the boats are unloading product (shrimp or finfish) there are
often many seabirds and marine mammals in the water around the boat.
And at certain times of day when the plant is doing a major wash down
they are washing in not only fish clean-up areas (carcasses
supposedly screened out) but areas where birds have gathered. Gulls
are especially numerous around some of these plants. So we have made
an unconfirmed assumption that these seabirds and marine mammals are
part of the fecal count. Most of our fish plants discharge into
prohibited marina areas.
We have considered requesting our environmental agency to ask the
plants to voluntarily control the bird problem and limit wash downs
to the tidal stage that would carry the pollutants away from
shellfish growing areas.
Good luck with your goals, Deb Cannon 503.986.4723
At 2:08 PM -0800 3/2/01, Henderson, Mark wrote:
>I work with the Washington State Dept. of Ecology and sit on a couple of
> > citizens groups regarding the closure of commercial shellfish beds. Our
> > goal is to have these beds re-opened. One of the closed shellfish areas
>is
> > an embayment with a seafood processor contributing their effluent to the
> > harbor. The seafood processor processes bottom fish, dungeness crab (in
> > season), and wild salmon (in season) a few days a week and contributes low
> > volumes of effluent. They monitor their effluent by taking grab samples
>and
> > testing for fecal coliform bacteria among other things. Results show high
> > levels (in the 10,000's) of fecal coliform bacteria monthly.
> >
> > I am not aware of either bottom fish, free swimming fish, or crustaceans
> > having fecal coliform bacteria present in their systems. Are you aware of
> > any research or information regarding this subject? We are trying to
> > determine the source of these high levels of fecal coliform bacteria and
> > want to rule out the product (fish or crab processed) before we begin to
> > pursue possible rodent and bird vectors.
>Mark Henderson
>Bellingham Field Office
>(360) 676-2198
>mhen461@ecy.wa.gov
Deb Cannon
503.986.4723
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Mar 07 2001 - 11:56:42 PST