In late July, scientists from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science will conduct a follow-up field mission to the St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER), on the southeastern end of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
The mission is in response to local regional managers who requested an integrated ecosystem assessment of the STEER. Results from earlier work indicated elevated levels of the boat hull antifoulant ingredients tributyltin (TBT) and copper in the sediments in part of the STEER.
Since TBT was banned on most boats in the US beginning in 1989, the mission in July will be to assess the extent of TBT and copper contamination in the sediments, and to evaluate the levels of these contaminants over time. For additional information contact Tony Pait ( tony.pait@noaa.gov ) or Ian Hartwell ( ian.hartwell@noaa.gov ).