Contaminant Exposure Models (CEMs) were developed to predict population-level tissue contaminant concentrations in fishes by pairing sediment-bound contaminant concentrations (DDTs, PCBs) and fine-scale acoustic telemetry data from a habitat- associated species (Vermilion Rockfish, Sebastes miniatus), nomadic flatfish species (Hornyhead Turbot, Pleuronichthys verticalis), and nomadic benthic/midwater schooling species (White Croaker, Genyonemus lineatus) tagged near wastewater outfalls in southern California. Model results were compared to contaminant concentrations in tissue samples. The CEMs developed require further refinement before implementation into management efforts but may act as steppingstones to help shift primary monitoring methods away from the regular field collection of fish for tissue contaminant analyses and towards behavioral modeling and habitat mapping. We also developed Kernel Density Estimates that can be used by managers immediately to identify regions that contribute most to contaminant exposure in species of concern. Prioritizing remediation efforts in these areas are likely to be most effective at improving fish health.

Acoustic telemetry was collected from several demersal species using two VEMCO Positioning System (VPS) acoustic receiver arrays deployed around wastewater outfalls in southern California, USA. Data were processed to include horizontal positioning error (HPE) values of 15 or less and data were visually assessed to remove tags that had fallen off or animals that have died due to tagging, predation, or fishing.

Please refer to the uploaded readme files.

Raw datasets used for this study that are included in this entry are: 

• *_detections.csv files, where * indicates the species (vermilion_rockfish, white_croaker, hornyhead_turbot). These data were pre-processed to include only HPE values < 15, and include only the individuals analyzed in the study. Please refer to the associated readme files for column names and descriptions. 

Raw datasets used for this study that can be found elsewhere are: 

• white_croaker_contaminants.csv, for DDT contaminant concentrations in white croaker tissues, which can be accessed by the DIVER network. Explicit instructions on how to access the exact dataset used for these analyses can be found in the Supplemental Materials of the manuscript itself.
  • DIVER. 2020. Web Application: Data Integration Visualization Exploration and Reporting Application, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved: March 20, 2021, from https://www.diver.orr.noaa.gov
• hornyhead_turbot_contaminants.csv, for DDT and PCB contaminant concentrations in hornyhead turbot liver and muscle tissues analyzed by the OCSD from the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 sampling seasons. Means and ranges of contaminant concentrations can be found within the OCSD annual reports, referenced below.
  • OCSD. (2017). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2015-2016. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-833
  • OCSD. (2018). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2016-2017. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-915
• vermilion_rockfish_contaminants.csv, for DDT and PCB contaminant concentrations in vermilion rockfish muscle tissues analyzed by the OCSD from the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 sampling seasons. Means and ranges of contaminant concentrations can be found within the OCSD annual reports, referenced below.
  • OCSD. (2017). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2015-2016. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-833
  • OCSD. (2018). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2016-2017. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-915
• total_ddt_pv.shp (and associated files), for DDT concentrations along the Palos Verdes Shelf, CA (USA), which was generated by the USEPA. Station data can be found within the report referenced below.
  • ITSI-Gilbane, C.-S. (2013). Revised Final Data Report for the Fall 2009 Sediment Sampling Program. Prepared for the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region IX. EPA Contract No. EP-S9-08-03 Task Order No. 0029. Retrieved from https://semspub.epa.gov/work/09/100016664.pdf
• total_ddt_ocsd.shp (and associated files), for DDT concentrations along the OCSD outfall (CA, USA), which was generated from the mean of sediment-bound contaminant concentrations at 39 annual sampling sites from 2013-2016. Station data can be found within the OCSD annual reports, referenced below.
  • OCSD. (2014). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2012-2013. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-687
  • OCSD. (2015). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2013-2014. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-748
  • OCSD. (2016). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2014-2015. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-792
  • OCSD. (2017). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2015-2016. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-833
  • OCSD. (2018). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2016-2017. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-915
• total_pcb_ocsd.shp (and associated files), for PCB concentrations along the OCSD outfall (CA, USA), which was generated from the mean of sediment-bound contaminant concentrations at 39 annual sampling sites from 2013-2016. Station data can be found within the OCSD annual reports, referenced below.
  • OCSD. (2014). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2012-2013. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-687
  • OCSD. (2015). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2013-2014. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-748
  • OCSD. (2016). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2014-2015. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-792
  • OCSD. (2017). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2015-2016. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-833
  • OCSD. (2018). Ocean Monitoring Annual Report: Year 2016-2017. Retrieved from https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/transparency/annual-reports/-folder-915

Processed datasets that are presented as the results of this study are the following: 

• scaled_*_states-**mpermin-***min_CEM_****.csv: final calculated contaminant exposure values for each individual in the study, where * indicates the species (VR [vermilion rockfish], HT [hornyhead turbot], WC [white croaker]). ** indicates the rate of movement threshold (3 or 1 [mpermin]), *** indicates the crawl interpolation rate (2 or 5 [min]), and **** indicates the contaminant (pcb or ddt). Please refer to the associated readme file (scaled_states_README) for column names and descriptions.
• *_**mpermin-***min_CEM_****.tif: final KDE estimates, weighted by underlying sediment-bound contaminant concentration, for each species,  where * indicates the species (VR [vermilion rockfish], HT [hornyhead turbot], WC [white croaker]). ** indicates the rate of movement threshold (3 or 1 [mpermin]), *** indicates the crawl interpolation rate (2 or 5 [min]), and **** indicates the contaminant (pcb or ddt). Please refer to the associated readme file (kde_weights_README)

For all datasets, all missing values should be designated by NAs. 

Please refer to the source code in the linked GitHub repository for the proper folder configuration and to re-run analyses, if desired.