The Effect Of Oil Spills On Marine Life – The largest marine oil spill in U.S. history occurred on April 20, 2010, when BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers and spilling more than 134,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico (Image credit: US Coast Guard)

Oil spills that occur in rivers, bays and the ocean are most often caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs and storage facilities, but also occur from ships for recreation and in marinas.

The Effect Of Oil Spills On Marine Life

Most oils float in the salt or fresh water of the oceans of rivers and lakes. Oil normally spreads quickly over the surface of the water to form a thin oil slick. As the oil continues to spread, the stain becomes thinner and thinner, eventually becoming a very fine sheen, often looking like a rainbow. (In rare cases, very heavy oil can sometimes sink.)

Oil Spill Threatens Unique Animals Of Mauritius

Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) observed swimming in emulsified oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Studies showed that exposure to the oil caused serious health and reproductive problems. ()

Depending on the circumstances, oil spills can be very harmful to seabirds, sea turtles and mammals, and can also harm fish and shellfish. Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals such as sea otters and the water-repellent abilities of a bird’s feathers, exposing them to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also swallow the oil and become poisoned when trying to clean themselves or when they eat oiled prey.

Fish and shellfish can also digest the oil, which could lead to changes in reproduction, growth rates or even death. Commercially important species such as oysters, shrimp, mahi-mahi, grouper, swordfish and tuna could also suffer population declines or become too polluted to be safely caught and eaten.

Depending on where and when a spill occurs, anywhere from a few to hundreds or thousands of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, corals, and other animals and plants can be killed or injured.

Latest War Tactic: Oil Spills

The response to an oil spill has several goals: primarily to stop the flow of the oil or chemical, but also to protect sensitive areas that could be damaged by the spill itself and to remove the oil from the environment as quickly and efficiently as possible. possible

During a spill response, sensitive sites, such as coastal wetlands or animal nesting areas threatened by an oil spill, can be protected with various types of equipment and tactics, but the tools used depend on the site where the spill occurred and the type of oil spilled. Some spills evaporate quickly from the surface of the water without the need for active cleanup.

Skimmers come in various designs, but they all work basically by removing the layer of oil from the surface of the water. (US Coast Guard)

Booms are floating physical barriers, made of plastic, metal or other materials, that slow the spread of oil and keep it contained. A boom can be placed around a tanker that is leaking oil, to collect it, or along a sensitive coastal area to prevent oil from reaching it.

Eelgrass And Kelp Play Vital Role In Coastal Ecosystems, Communities—but Face Diverse Threats

Another approach, depending in part on the thickness of the slick, is to contain and remove the oil using skimmers, boats and other devices that can remove the oil from the sea surface before it reaches sensitive areas. They skim or remove the oil from the surface of the water so it can be collected for proper disposal.

Which methods are selected depend on the circumstances of each event: time; type and amount of oil spilled; how far from the coast has oil spilled; whether or not people live in the area; what types of bird and animal habitats are in the area and other factors.

Since 1969, there have been at least 44 oil spills of more than 10,000 barrels – 420,000 gallons – in US waters.

Established itself as the go-to agency for HAZMAT modeling and simulations from the 1988 debut of CAMEO, software developed in collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Oil Spill In The Ocean, Symbolizing The Devastating Effects Of Pollution On Marine Life And Ecosystems Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 208686132

Most recently, in the Deepwater Horizon spill response, it made available for the first time an online geospatial mapping system called the Environmental Response Management System, or ERMA, developed with the University of New Hampshire.

ERMA integrates static and real-time data, such as environmental sensitivity index maps, vessel locations, weather and ocean currents, into a user-friendly format for environmental managers and decision makers. The public can also use ERMA to better understand what is happening. U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen called it “the best thing that’s happened since the spill.” Since then, it has rapidly expanded its development to other regions at risk of chemical or oil spills.

A massive oil spill can really mess up a coastline, as scientists learned when they raced to Alaska’s remote Prince William Sound in March 1989. In the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, one of the worst spills in the U.S. United by history, those responsible took shovels and hoses in hand. Since then, he has helped pioneer many state-of-the-art techniques that are now routinely used in coastal cleanup. ()

With each spill, responders continue to learn how to combine various techniques to meet the challenges of removing oil from open waters, a major challenge in the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico. remains at the forefront of the refinement of current and emerging techniques. ()

Oil Pollution In Water

, acting on behalf of the American people, is a federal trustee of coastal and marine natural resources, including marine and migratory fish, endangered species, marine mammals and their habitats. Federal laws charge us and certain other federal agencies, states, and Indian tribes with protecting and restoring public natural resources that are affected by oil spills, releases of hazardous substances, and shipwrecks.

Fulfills its responsibilities by taking certain key actions after the release of hazardous materials or oil into the ocean, wetlands, lakes and rivers.

Standing on an oiled marsh island, BP consultants Bob Nalon (left) and Charlie Johnson discuss field observations with Natural Resource Damage Assessment Team Leader Rich Takacs (on the boat, left ). Chris Grant (on the boat, right), a consultant representing the state of Louisiana, uses a pole to check for oil in the sediment on Swamp Island. ()

During the cleanup of an oil or hazardous waste spill, scientific experts provide guidance to agencies such as the US Coast Guard and the US Environmental Protection Agency that lead the effort. Their goal is to make the most of cleaning while protecting natural resources.

Oil Spills: A Major Marine Ecosystem Threat

It is also responsible for the assessment and restoration of river and coastal resources affected by releases of hazardous materials. The Office of Response and Restoration works with other offices to form the Damage Assessment, Repair and Restoration Program.

The natural resource damage assessment process determines the extent of natural resource damage and the appropriate type and amount of restoration needed to compensate the American public. We work together with those responsible to identify both damage to natural resources and lost recreational uses. Experts determine when and where injuries occurred and, with public input, the best methods, amounts and locations for restoration.

Since 1988, more than $10.4 billion has been recovered from responsible parties, including up to $8.8 billion in NRDA Deepwater Horizon project funding. Funds are used to restore damaged coastal and estuarine resources, such as wetlands, coral reefs, streams and beaches. Environmental restoration benefits fish, bird and marine mammal habitats, and strengthens local and regional economies.

The once mythical Northwest Passage has become a reality due to climate change. Conditions in the Arctic are changing rapidly. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change external link estimates that within the next 80 years, the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer and potentially year-round, rapidly increasing transportation opportunities maritime, tourism and oil and gas exploration.

Oil Spill: Containment, Recovery And Consequences

Ice-free conditions still present navigational hazards: moving ice floes, unstable weather and wave patterns. Emergency responders are few and far between. This means that when oil spills, the consequences can be much more serious and search and rescue missions face even greater difficulties. Marine navigational charts for much of the region were made using lead line measurements: dropping a lead weight on a rope and calculating how much rope is let out until it hits the bottom. These measures can be traced back from the 18th century to the Second World War. Less than 1 percent of the US Arctic has been surveyed with modern technology.

Using drones to detect oil spills: and the USCG team recovered Puma drones after testing their ability to detect simulated oil in the Arctic ice in August 2014. ()

The Arctic is one of the most remote areas on the planet. How would hundreds of rescuers get there, along with all their heavy equipment such as booms, skimmers and boats? Once deployed, the response team has the potential to freeze, encounter strong winds, or be grounded by dense fog. Communicating with managers and decision makers on other ships, ashore at a command post, or even further afield in the lower 48 states will be a huge challenge.

Also, we don’t know precisely how the many oils and chemicals that could be spilled into the frozen Arctic waters will react.

How Do Oil Spills Affect The Environment?

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