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Objective E: <br /> Evaluate indicators of environmental stress in the <br /> estuary and develop new techniques to better assess <br /> water quality degradation. <br /> everal highly visible indicators of environmental stress include <br /> chronic algal blooms, and fish and shellfish kills and diseases. <br /> Government agencies and private groups would coordinate <br /> their resources to track these indicators. Coordination would <br /> provide monitoring that is cost-effective and covers the widest geo- <br /> graphic area. <br /> Continue to track and evaluate indicators of environ- <br /> mental stress, including algal blooms,fish kills, and fish <br /> and shellfish diseases. <br /> Explanation: Biological assessments are useful in <br /> evaluating the integrity of the estuarine system.Tradi- <br /> tional biological indicators such as algal blooms and <br /> fish kills can signify water quality problems that chemi- <br /> cal and toxicological monitoring may have missed or <br /> underestimated. <br /> ...... <br /> Improve the techniques for evaluating the overall envi- <br /> ronmental health of estuarine waters. <br /> Explanation:aon: Tlhe <br /> sensitivity and diversity ty ty oforganisms <br /> inhabiting an area can be an indication system's <br /> n of the system s .... ..... <br /> overall environmental health. Further research is <br /> needed to target these "indicator species" in the estu- <br /> ary. Once found, these organisms could be used to <br /> monitor the general state of the system and indicate <br /> areas that warrant further attention. <br /> Develop and adopt better indicators of shellfish contami- <br /> nation as soon as possible. <br /> Explanation: The presence of fecal colifonn bacteria <br /> currently is used to detect sewage contamination in <br /> shellfish beds. This practice has been criticized, how- <br /> ever,and <br /> the National Oceanic and Atmospheric <br /> Ad- <br /> ministration's National Indicator Study is investigating <br /> better indicator tests. These tests, which assess both <br /> bacterial and viral contamination,better indicate the <br /> health risk from eating contaminated shellfish.They ,. <br /> also would establish more reliable criteria for closing <br /> shellfish areas or re-opening previously closed areas. <br /> 17 <br />