First Bight ’18 Sediment Quality assessment report published, three others nearing completion

The Southern California Bight 2018 Regional Monitoring Program has published the first of its Sediment Quality assessment reports, with three others expected to undergo internal review this summer.

The Bight ’18 Sediment Toxicity report, published as a technical report in April, found that sediment toxicity across Southern California’s coastal ocean remained low overall. Although sediment toxicity declined or remained the same in some habitats compared to Bight ’13 toxicity data, toxicity was higher in marinas and estuaries, according to the study. And sediment toxicity was highest in brackish estuaries, which were assessed by the Bight program for the first time.

The planning committees for three other Bight ’18 Sediment Quality assessment reports – Sediment Chemistry, Bioaccumulation in Sportfish, and Trawl-Caught Fish and Invertebrates – are scheduled to meet this summer to review draft reports.