Atlantic Fishing Operations Continue to Encounter Decades-Old Chemical Weapons from Ocean Floor

Commercial fishing vessels operating in Atlantic waters are repeatedly encountering hazardous chemical warfare materials that were deliberately dumped in the ocean decades ago, according to a new health report documenting multiple dangerous exposures.

Health authorities from New Jersey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented three separate incidents between 2016 and 2023 where fishing crews accidentally brought up chemical warfare munitions while conducting normal operations off New Jersey’s coastline. These encounters resulted in serious injuries to at least six crew members who were exposed to mustard agent, a chemical compound that causes severe blistering burns to skin and respiratory passages.

The injuries sustained were significant, with one crew member requiring emergency overnight hospitalization for breathing difficulties and severe second-degree burns. Another worker suffered such extensive injuries that they needed specialized burn center treatment, including surgical skin grafts and extended physical rehabilitation.

The source of these dangerous materials traces back to military disposal practices that ended in 1970, when the United States ceased dumping an estimated 17,000 tons of unused chemical weapons from both World Wars into Atlantic Ocean waters. However, the exact locations of these materials have become uncertain due to ocean currents, severe weather events, and various maritime activities that have scattered the munitions across the seafloor.

Previous documentation of similar incidents exists, with federal health officials reporting three comparable cases in the mid-Atlantic region in 2013. During those investigations, clam fishermen in Delaware Bay informed authorities that discovering munitions was a regular occurrence, often identifying them by their distinctive garlic-like odor that indicates chemical agent presence.

The 2016 incident occurred near Atlantic City during a clam dredging operation when a munition appeared on the vessel’s conveyor system. Although a crew member quickly disposed of it overboard, that individual subsequently developed severe arm burns requiring surgical skin grafting. The incident’s delayed reporting allowed contaminated clams to enter the food supply chain, ultimately necessitating the recall of 192 cases of clam chowder and the destruction of 704 additional cases of clams.

A year later, fishing crews encountered an intact wooden crate containing 20 sulfur mustard containers off Long Beach. The crate became entangled in fishing equipment and damaged the vessel’s sorting mechanisms, exposing three workers to the hazardous materials. The crew member who removed the crate sustained second-degree forearm burns, while the incident forced the sanitization and destruction of 5,300 bushels of surf clams that had been purchased.

The most recent documented case occurred in 2023 near Cape May, where a crew member who handled a leaking chemical munition required overnight emergency treatment for respiratory complications and burn injuries.

Despite the obvious dangers, current federal regulations classify these ocean-aged chemical weapons as abandoned and sufficiently degraded that they no longer qualify as dangerous military ordnance. Consequently, there are no legal requirements for their recovery or proper disposal when discovered.

Health officials note that while returning the munitions to the ocean increases the likelihood of future encounters, this approach actually represents the safest immediate response for fishing crews. The recommended protocol involves maintaining awareness of known historical dumping locations, keeping appropriate protective equipment readily available, and ensuring prompt medical attention and incident reporting when exposures occur.

Effective response to these incidents requires coordination between multiple agencies, including the US Coast Guard, Food and Drug Administration, state and local authorities, as well as fishing industry operators and seafood processing facilities.