Title: Environmental monitoring of two fish waste ocean disposal sites in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Authors: Kok-Leng Tay, Glenn Worthman, Rick Wadman, Patrick Stewart

Addresses: Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6, Canada. ' Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, Newfoundland and Labrador District Office, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl A1N 4T3, Canada. ' Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, Newfoundland and Labrador District Office, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl A1N 4T3, Canada. ' Envirosphere Consultants Limited, Unit 5-120 Morison Drive, P.O. Box 2906, Windsor, Nova Scotia B0N 2T0, Canada

Abstract: Sediment contaminant and benthic community surveys were conducted at two fish waste ocean disposal sites in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, to assess the environmental impacts of the disposal activities. Despite a dispersive ocean environment, fish wastes accumulated at both sites, initially disturbing the benthic community through organic enrichment and oxygen depletion, but causing no elevation of sediment contaminants. After three years without disposal, the benthic community at one of the sites shows signs of recovery from the disturbance.

Keywords: fish wastes; ocean disposal; environmental monitoring; sediment contaminants; benthic community; waste disposal; Canada; environmental impact; organic enrichment; oxygen depletion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2009.027981

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.352 - 368

Published online: 24 Aug 2009 *

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