Maryland Pesticide Network

Dear Watermen and Waterkeepers,

Thank you for taking a few minutes to report fish/shellfish abnormalities to this data base.

The Maryland Watermen's Association, and Riverkeepers representing various waterways in the Chesapeake Bay region, belong to the Pesticides and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project, which shares your concern about the impact of pesticides on the watershed and aquatic life. Your input will help the Project's affiliated scientists assess the possible causes of fish health problems. The data we collect will also help us educate our legislators about the need for a statewide pesticide usage database so scientists can measure pesticide use in the Bay and gauge its effects.

This information will only be shared with Project scientists. After reading your report the scientists may have more questions. Your answers could help them determine the cause of the problem you've reported. You do not have to give your name and contact information, but we hope you will fill in that information on the form below so we can reach you if we do have further questions.

Email From:

Your Name:

Your Phone Number:

  1. BASIC DATA
    1. Date: Time of Day:
      Location (GPS coordinates or place name on USCG Chart):
    2. Offshore: Inshore:
    3. Species: Age Group:
    4. Approx Number of Fish Affected:
    5. Fish were Alive: Dead:
  2. ENVIRONMENT OF FISH PROBLEM
    1. Weather (i.e. recent rainfall, recent increase or decrease in temperature):
    2. Approximate Water Temperature:
    3. Water Clarity:
      Clear: Somewhat Cloudy: VeryMurky:
    4. Algal Growth:
      No VisibleAlgae: Some Algae: Dense Mats of Algae:
    5. What color is the water?:
    6. Proximity to potential sources of pollution/stress:
      Storm Sewer Outfall:
      Fuel Dock:
      Crops With No Shrub or Grass Buffer:
      Crops With A Buffer Zone:
      Stored Manure:
      Stored Chemicals:
      Other:
      If you selected "Other", please describe:
    7. WaterDepth:
    8. Tide: High:
      Low:
      Rising:
      Falling:
    • If fish were alive:
  3. FISH BEHAVIOR
    1. Were they at the surface, gulping air?
      Yes: No:
    2. Were they swimming slowly?
      Yes: No:
    3. Did they list to one side?
      Yes: No:
    4. Did they swim in circles?
      Yes: No:
    5. Did they show the appropriate flight response?
      Yes: No:
  4. FISH APPEARANCE
    1. Did they have darkened or pale areas on the body surface?
      Yes: No:
    2. Were these areas raised?
      Yes: No:
    3. If there were gross lesions (obvious wounds or sores) were they:
      Raised:
      Reddened:
      Pale:
      Eroded areas — ulcers with the skin gone?:
      Large Lesions:
      Small Lesions:
    4. Were there small, pinpoint, red areas on body surface or fins?
      Yes: No:
    5. Were there obvious parasites — small black spots, leeches or other attached parasites?
      Yes: No:
    6. Are the gills:
      Pale:
      Eroded/Frayed:
      Contain Small White Spots: Or Larger Spots/Parasites:
    7. Was there general discoloration:
      Very Pale:
      Bright, Cherry Red rather than the normal red color:

Thank you! Please use this space for any additional information you want to report:

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