Atlantic Fishing Crews Face Dangers from Dredged Chemical Weapons

Until 1970, the United States disposed of approximately 17,000 tons of chemical weapons from World War I and II by dumping them into the Atlantic Ocean. This decision continues to impact commercial fishing operations today, as evidenced by recent reports of fishing crews inadvertently dredging up these hazardous materials. According to a publication in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, health officials from New Jersey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have documented at least three incidents between 2016 and 2023 where fishing crews off the coast of New Jersey encountered chemical warfare munitions (CWMs).

These incidents have resulted in serious injuries to crew members, including exposure to mustard agent, which causes severe blistering burns on the skin and mucous membranes. In one case, a crew member required emergency treatment for respiratory distress and second-degree burns, while another needed hospitalization, skin grafts, and physical therapy due to the severity of their injuries.

The report highlights the ongoing risks posed by these CWMs, which are difficult to locate due to ocean drift, storms, and offshore activities. The locations of these sea-disposed munitions are largely unknown, making it challenging to prevent such dangerous encounters. This is not the first time such incidents have been reported; a similar report in 2013 noted that clam fishermen in Delaware Bay frequently recovered munitions that emitted a garlic-like odor, a potential sign of chemical agents.

In one of the recent incidents in 2016, a crew dredging for clams near Atlantic City discovered a munition on their conveyor belt. Although it was thrown overboard, the delay in reporting the incident led to a recall of 192 cases of clam chowder and the destruction of 704 cases of clams. Another incident in 2017 involved a crate containing 20 sulfur mustard canisters that became entangled in fishing equipment off Long Beach, damaging the vessel's machinery and exposing three crew members to the chemicals. In 2023, a leaking CWM was dredged up near Cape May, resulting in a crew member suffering respiratory distress and burns.

Despite the risks, tossing the munitions back into the sea is considered the safest immediate response for crew members, as US laws classify these long-submerged CWMs as abandoned and degraded, not requiring recovery or destruction. However, the best preventive measures for fishing crews include being aware of known dumping sites, using personal protective equipment, and promptly reporting any incidents to seek medical care. These situations necessitate coordinated responses involving the US Coast Guard, Food and Drug Administration, state and local authorities, and the fishing industry.