MAY 16, 2014 -- Local fishermen on Vieques Island have expressed concern to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that contamination related to underwater munitions are impacting the southeastern shore of the island and are negatively affecting fish catch. NOAA will be conducting a fish study during the summer of 2014 to help inform this issue.

The study is designed to determine if munitions-related constituents are accumulating in fish and shellfish at levels of ecological concern.

Representatives from NOAA'S OR&R, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and Office of Coastal Resource Management met with local fishermen on Vieques to determine the areas most commonly fished and species targeted and then welcomed them to participate in the field sampling effort. NOAA also made a presentation on the study to the Restoration Advisory Board and met with federal, commonwealth, and local stakeholders, including the U.S. Navy, to solicit their input on the study.

This study is being funded by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program and will supplement earlier studies conducted by NOAA on Vieques to help facilitate the Navy's ongoing efforts to cleanup and restore the island's coastal marine resources.

For more information, contact Diane Wehner.

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