A Synthesis of Ten Years of Chemical Contaminant Monitoring Data in National Park Service - Southeast and Southwest Alaska Networks A Synthesis of Ten Years of Chemical Contaminants Monitoring in National Park Service - Southeast and Southwest Alaska Networks, a collaboration with the NOAA National Mussel Watch Program

This report summarizes the contaminant results from marine sampling conducted between 2007 and 2018 by the National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Alaska Network (SEAN) and Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN) and their partners in association with the NOAA National Mussel Watch Program (MWP). As part of their monitoring efforts to determine the status and trends of chemical contaminants in nearshore and coastal areas within their park boundaries, the SEAN and SWAN have partnered with the MWP to measure a comprehensive suite of contaminants in bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) at targeted sites across the networks. Sampling also occurred outside of parks through external partnerships with the Gulf Watch Alaska (GWA) marine monitoring program and the Municipality of Skagway to provide a regional perspective on contaminant levels. The goal was to create a robust baseline of contaminant concentrations from this region and to compare these concentrations to known human and ecological health thresholds. This report represents a rich source of information to help support the parks' responses during unforeseen catastrophic marine pollution event and guide future sampling site choices and frequency. 2020 NOS (National Ocean Service) NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science) Submitted https://doi.org/10.25923/dbyq-7z17 Public Domain 1935