The residency, movement patterns and habitat association of several demersal fish species to the Orange County Sanitation District wastewater outfall

Abstract

Abstract Wastewater outfall pipes are structures that may attract marine fishes, yet previous studies that address the risks of exposure to wastewater effluent rarely account for the movements of the species studied. This study used acoustic telemetry to quantify the movement patterns and habitat association of demersal species (Citharichthys sordidus, Pleuronichthys verticalis, Parophrys vetulus, Sebastes miniatus) at two sites (near a wastewater outfall and at a reference site) in southern California over one year. Residencies to both sites were low for pleuronectiform fishes (C. sordidus, P. verticalis, P. vetulus, less than 10% of the study duration was spent in either site), which indicates that tissue samples from these species likely reflect the accumulation of contaminants across individuals’ ranges, not just the outfall site. Alternatively, S. miniatus showed higher degrees of residency to the outfall site (nearly 40% of the study duration) and may be the most susceptible to wastewater effluent effects.