Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Great Lakes Mussel Watch(2009-2014)

Following the inception of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to address the significant environmental issues plaguing the Great Lakes region, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Mussel Watch Program (MWP)expanded its regional monitoring activities in the Great Lakes in 2009 to include all U.S. Areas of Concern (AOCs). This enhanced effort falls under the "Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern" Focus Area outlined in the GLRI Action Plan (2010-2014).

The overall objective of the expanded monitoring is to assess remediation effectiveness, and provide relevant biological data to support decision making for "Beneficial Use Impairment" (BUI) removal and subsequent delisting of AOCs. The stated objective is being addressed through a phased approach utilizing a suite of mussel and sediment indicators at newly established sites within AOCs, and by leveraging the long-term monitoring data at reference sites for meaningful interpretation of AOC status and recovery.

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The International Joint Commission (IJC) in its 16th Biennial Report recognized contaminant monitoring in mussels as one of several indicators for assessing regional status and trends. The IJC recommended that mussel monitoring continue and be expanded to include offshore sites in the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes ERMA is an online mapping tool for coastal pollution cleanup, restoration, and response efforts in the Great Lakes Basin, from Minnesota to New York in the United States and from Ontario to Quebec in Canada.

In addition to information on natural resources, habitat, weather, water levels, and currents, it includes the most comprehensive collection of environmental contaminant data in the Great Lakes. Great Lakes ERMA gathers all of this data from NOAA and our partners into a centralized, easy-to-use map for environmental responders, resource managers, and decision makers.

Contingent upon funding by the GLRI

These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.

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