Document pgLrVR2M5V0zDbprj80YLavD

APR 2 6 875 Reports sharp DDT drop in Lake Michigan fish By Bruce IngersoJI down and have continued to go U.S. Environmental Protection DDT levels mi Lake Mich igan fish have taken a sharp and surprisingly sudden drop siace 19ft, as Ann Arbor (Mich) biologist toId a gath ering of conservationists and amipolluticm officials here Fri down,** he said. The average salmon, for ex ample, contained 11.8 parts per million of DDT in 1988. By 1973, the level of contamina tion had dropped to 45 ppm. be said. Agency. By the end of 1974, phos phorus was being removed nom 63 per cent of the treated sewage going into the lake, he said. By the end of this year, the figure will be 75 per cent. day. la view of the "rise and fall The original goal had been The suddenness of the de of DDT," Reinert said be ex 99-per cent removal by the end cline is baffling, said Robert pected die level* of other in of 1972, Adamkus noted, "but Rouen, a researcher at tbe dustrial compounds in Lake stiU we have come a long Great Lakes Fishery Labora Michigan fish to take a similar way." - tory, but it may augur well for drop. The conference, sponsored tbe lake's future- However, tbe use of these by the Lake- Michigan Feder la sounding what he called a compounds -- polychlorinated ation to make an ecological "cheery note," Retnert said biphenyls (PCBs) -- has been diagnosis of the current state lew scientists, if any, had ex sharply limited only since 1972, of the lake's health, also heard pected DDT levels in coho he pointed out. several disquieting reports: salmon, lake trout and chubs Tbe average coho salmon - to fall so quickly after DDT which he advocated watching was outlawed in 1970. Just as coal miners one "Many people argued watched pet canaries for Uu against banning DDT because first trace of mine gas -- i it would take 100 years for tbe tabued with 12 ppm of PCBs DDT in the lake to no away," be said. Reiaext told the daylong con Another encouraging report, ference at the Sheraton-Chi- on the removal of phosphorus cago Hotel. from sewage effluent, was giv- < "In fact, owe year after the en by Valdas Adamkus. deputy pan, DDT levels stalled to go regional administrator for the , Atmospheric fallout appears to he a source of PCB and as bestos pollution. And 12 per vent of the phosphorus, going into the lake is airborne, said Thomas J. Murphy, a De Paul University researcher. Little has been done about waste discharges from vessels. Harbor dredging by the Army Corps of Engineers is polluting shore waters. Shore erosion continues to be aggravated by the high lake level. HONS 030943