Bight ’23 field sampling underway to evaluate sediment quality

The 2023 cycle of the Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program has kicked off field sampling of coastal seafloor sediment to evaluate the chemical, toxicological and biological health of Southern California’s marine ecosystems.

The Bight ’23 Sediment Quality study element, which launched in July, involves collecting more than 350 sediment grab samples and 140 benthic trawls across more than 1,500 square miles of coastal waters.

The same sampling effort also will be leveraged by the Bight ’23 Trash and Microplastic element to track the spread of trash across the coastal seafloor. The field sampling work is scheduled to wrap up in late September.

Among the sediment contaminants to be monitored during Bight ’23 will be PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), tire wear compounds, and microplastics – all identified as monitoring priorities by a recently reconvened statewide review panel of experts on CECs (contaminants of emerging concern).

Sampling for multiple other Bight ’23 study elements is scheduled to begin this fall and winter.