# Great Oriskany PCB's?



## Big B (Sep 7, 2009)

I was reading this article thinking about the long expensive clean out that was done on this ship thinking it must have been cleaned of this. Then it mentions it in the article. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/03/navy-sinkex-raises-pollution-fear/


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## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

Just goes to prove again that our wonderful government is above all laws.


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

Although the other ships have pretty much gone down as-is, the Oriskany was preped pretty well. I know there had to have been some things that were left, but from what I have heard about the PCB study, I don't think it is the final word. I know that it costs over a grand to test ONE fish....so there are not that many tested.......also I did not hear of testing on other sites near Pensacola, which means that there would be nothing to compare the Oriskany levels to. They may be higher than we would want, but that may be true area wide. I know we have quite a bit of pcb pollution present in our local rivers, so it only makes sence that it would find its way into the gulf dwelling fish just off our coast.
Maybe I'm wrong.....but I would like to see a more comprehensive study, which includes other Pensacola reefs, and fish in the bay......or maybe I wouldn't!


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

The FWC uses fish caught at the "Pensacola Fishing Pier Rubble #1" site as a reference when testing for PCBs. During Oriskany fish sampling trips, they visit both sites.

The FWC has a large number of fish tested.

It is my understanding that most of the fish species caught on the Oriskany showed normal PCB levels. However, a couple of species (Grunts and Hinds, I believe) showed elevated PCB levels. Unfortunately few of these "high PCB" fish were caught during sampling trips, so there is some question as to whether they caught enough of these fish to make a statistically relevant sample. 

Since Firefishvideo and I have seen the Oriskany top-to-bottom, he may agree with me that Grunts and Hinds are relativly rare on the Oriskany.

The FWC will be doing another Oriskany sampling trip this Spring and will send an updated report to the EPA.

I assure you that the FWC scientists doing the PCB sampling take their jobs seriously, and they are not afraid to report both good news and bad.


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## ryanbr (Oct 10, 2007)

I'm not buying. You need a lot more testing and proof that it's significantly above that of other areas and fish in the same area. I like the idea that we have testing going on, however, anytime you have a program of this significance there's a bullseye right on top of it. And no shortage of those chasing a headline. I'll bet there's more PCB's leeching into the bay in a day than does from the Oriskany in a year.


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## Duke S (Nov 26, 2011)

Firefishvideo said:


> ....Maybe I'm wrong.....but I would like to see a more comprehensive study, which includes other Pensacola reefs, and fish in the bay......or maybe I wouldn't!


http://uwf.edu/cedb/PERCH_Atlas_page.htm

http://ww.w.earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/Oriskany-Reef-PCB-Monitoring.pdf
Page 72


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## fishboy292 (Jan 25, 2012)

I read the article which stated the amount of PCB's left on the America was 500 pounds. By whose estimation of course? But say there was 2-3 times that. Realistically that may be a better assessment but lets assume it is the stated 500. For a ship that size I would expect that to be a realistic number for the amount which just could not possibly reached for removal. 
If you've ever done caulking on a commercial level you could relate to this. 

As for pollution in the local waters and polluting our fish, I am way more concerned with the pollution from our golf courses and lawn fertilizers/pesticides. 
Again, realistically, likely causing much more harm and we overlook that as it is right in front of us.

To stay on the subject of the PCB's from the Oriskany, I think the estimate may be accurate for the size and if that is the actual total amount I would think they did a fairly thorough job on the removal of PCB's. 

Others maybe not so well. We should indeed be concerned with *any and all* pollutions being put in our local waters and affecting the fish we consume.

Love your country and be faithful to our Republic! Never trust your government...


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

Yes, pollutants are all bad. 

Mercury pollution is a *very serious problem* when it comes to the health of marine wildlife and _fish consumption_. 

For more info, see:
FWC - Fish Mercury and Human Health Advisories
Florida Department of Health - Fish Consumption Advisories
Where mercury pollution comes from


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

I read through w. pattersons report as linked above...and i should have guessed that he would have done something like that. He and Uwf do a lot of good studies on the local ecosystem. I found the portion about tenneco intreresting ....as it seems that the mere exsistence of a reef causes an "enrichment" of the pcbs in the area. Maybe it's just that a reef draws fish,some of which contain poisions, and the greater the reef , the greater the drawn biomass, and the Greater the enrichment.? So are the FISH contaminating the REEF?!:001_huh:


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