Dr. D. Scott Becker of Integral Consulting was recently certified as a fisheries professional by the American Fisheries Society, the world’s largest organization dedicated to advancing fisheries science and conserving fisheries resources.
Specializing in sediment quality evaluations and fish ecology and pathology, Dr. Becker has directed a wide variety of projects related to the ecological effects of toxic chemicals in freshwater, estuarine, and marine sediments throughout the United States. He received his Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Washington in 1984 and is well-known for his expertise in the field. He currently serves as a consultant for the Upper Columbia River project in Washington State, where he has assisted in development of the remedial investigation/feasibility study and ecological risk assessment (ERA) work plans.
Dr. Becker has conducted numerous ERAs and natural resource damage assessments (NRDAs) to evaluate potential injuries to benthic macroinvertebrates, fishes, and aquatic-dependent wildlife at Superfund, RCRA, and other kinds of contaminated sites. In addition, he is a co-developer of the apparent effects threshold approach for establishing sediment quality guidelines, and he used that approach to help develop the sediment management standards for Washington State.
In support of effective remediation, Dr. Becker has helped design remedial plans that optimize habitat, including enhancements of macrophyte beds, soft-bottom benthic habitat, fish spawning and nursery areas, wetlands, and shoreline stabilization. He was instrumental in developing an innovative sediment remedy based on thin layer placement for a project in Ward Cove, Alaska, which met remedial objectives while enhancing ecological recovery.
For more information on Integral’s NRDA/ERA services, contact sbecker@integral-corp.com.