Fish Populations around Edgewood Arsenal's Chemical Agent Test Area
1972
Speir, Harley J.
Seining was conducted around Carroll Island, Maryland as part of an ecological research program. Carroll Island is Edgewood Arsenal's major outdoor facility for field testing of riot control agents, simulants, and signaling and screening smokes. Fish were seined periodically from waters directly downwind from most test areas and from waters that probably received most of the rainwater drainage from testing sites. During the 8-month investigation, nearly 28,000 fish, representing 24 species, were collected. Bay anchovies, white perch, and silversides accounted for 90% of the total catch. White perch and silversides were present throughout the period, but anchovies were abundant only in September and October. Diversity indices computed for Carroll Island populations compare favorably with those reported from a southern estuary. Throughout the study, young-of-year white perch from one Carroll Island area were significantly smaller than white perch from three nearby locations. However, the growth rates of Hawthorne Cove perch were similar to those of fish in the other locations. This probably means that Hawthorne Cove fish were spawned later. No effect that could be attributed to the testing of chemical agents were found.
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