1. POTENTAIL IMPACTS OF CONTAMINANTS ON ANGUILLA ROSTRATA US Fish and Wildlife Service New York Field Office - Region 5 Cortland, NY Draft Work Product 2/1/06

2. Outline Overview of Research: Literature review Phone contacts Results: Contaminants Geographic regions Contaminant impacts What We Currently Know: What We Do Not Know: Draft Work Product 2/1/06

3. Overview of Research Literature review Literature review ~170 Peer Reviewed Journal Articles, Federal and State Agency Reports, Academic Research ~170 Peer Reviewed Journal Articles, Federal and State Agency Reports, Academic Research Phone contacts Phone contacts USFWS, USGS USFWS, USGS NOAA NOAA Universities Universities State Agencies State Agencies Compiled eel contaminant data by geographic region Compiled eel contaminant data by geographic region Draft Work Product 2/1/06

4. Contaminant Results Persistent in the Environment Persistent in the Environment Bioaccumulate and Biomagnify Bioaccumulate and Biomagnify Interfere with Biological Processes Interfere with Biological Processes Draft Work Product 2/1/06

5. Contaminant Results PCBs PCBs Pesticides Pesticides Total DDT Total DDT Mirex Mirex Chlordane Chlordane Dieldrin Dieldrin Endrin Endrin Dioxins Dioxins Furans Furans Metals Metals Mercury Mercury Draft Work Product 2/1/06 Early 1970s - 2005

6. Geographic Region Results Canada Canada Nova Scotia/Atlantic Coast Nova Scotia/Atlantic Coast United States United States Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Connecticut Connecticut Maine Maine New Jersey New Jersey New York New York Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Georgia Georgia Mexico Mexico Draft Work Product 2/1/06

7. Geographic Region Results Draft Work Product 2/1/06 Data varied within studies by: Data varied within studies by: Rivers and Sampling Stations Rivers and Sampling Stations Time Period Time Period Tissues Samples Tissues Samples PCB concentrations generally declined over time in some geographic regions PCB concentrations generally declined over time in some geographic regions Contaminant concentrations within range of Contaminant concentrations within range of concentrations associated with impacts in concentrations associated with impacts in other species other species

8. Results on Contaminant Impacts Eel Mortalities Eel Mortalities Lab Exposures Lab Exposures Rhine River, Switzerland 1986 Rhine River, Switzerland 1986 St. Lawrence River Estuary 1960-1970 St. Lawrence River Estuary 1960-1970 Lake Balaton, Hungary 1991 and 1995 Lake Balaton, Hungary 1991 and 1995 Eel Migration/Reproduction Eel Migration/Reproduction Draft Work Product 2/1/06

9. Results on Contaminant Impacts Eel Migration/Reproduction Bioaccumulate in lipid-rich tissues Bioaccumulate in lipid-rich tissues During migration lipid reserves are utilized, During migration lipid reserves are utilized, remobilizing the contaminants into the blood stream Potentially impact migration, reproductive Potentially impact migration, reproductive development, spawning, hatchability, development, spawning, hatchability, embryological and larval survival embryological and larval survival Draft Work Product 2/1/06

10. Results on Contaminant Impacts European Eel Migration/Reproduction van den Thillart et al. 2005 preliminary study van den Thillart et al. 2005 preliminary study Low and High Dose (PCB 126 = 7 ug/kg eel) Low and High Dose (PCB 126 = 7 ug/kg eel) Induced migration of 900 km Induced migration of 900 km Decreased egg quality (malformations) Decreased egg quality (malformations) Embryonic development ceased Embryonic development ceased Draft Work Product 2/1/06

11. What We Currently Know: Preliminary European eel dosing study indicated PCBs stopped embryo development and caused embryonic malformations Preliminary European eel dosing study indicated PCBs stopped embryo development and caused embryonic malformations Contaminant concentrations are within range of Contaminant concentrations are within range of concentrations associated with impacts in other concentrations associated with impacts in other species species No direct evidence that contaminants have No direct evidence that contaminants have contributed significantly to decline contributed significantly to decline Draft Work Product 2/1/06

12. What We Do Not Know: Contaminant impacts on American eel sexual Contaminant impacts on American eel sexual maturation and reproduction maturation and reproduction Definitive impacts of contaminants on embryological development Definitive impacts of contaminants on embryological development Current contaminant load in eels from major Current contaminant load in eels from major freshwater rivers and lakes freshwater rivers and lakes Draft Work Product 2/1/06

13. What We Do Not Know (Cont.): Population wide eel contaminant load Population wide eel contaminant load Difficult to conclude declines of concentrations in eels due to different sampling methods among studies: rivers sampled, sampling stations within rivers, and tissues analyzed Difficult to conclude declines of concentrations in eels due to different sampling methods among studies: rivers sampled, sampling stations within rivers, and tissues analyzed Draft Work Product 2/1/06

14. Geographic Region Results Tappan Zee Bridge, Hudson River, NY Total PCBs (ppm) Draft Work Product 2/1/06

15. Geographic Region Results Catskill, Hudson River, NY Total PCBs (ppm) Draft Work Product 2/1/06