What is the True Measure of an Oil Spills Effects to Wildlife?
By Daniel Evans An oil-soaked seabird in the gloved hands of a rescue volunteer, highlighted on the evening news, is an all too common reminder these days of an oil spill’s toll. But those images tell only a fraction of the story. Few people realize that, in even the best “recovery” effort, only a small portion of the oil is removed from the environment. Oil residues may affect the marine and intertidal ecosystems for years. PRBO has developed good credentials for assessing the damage from spills. In 1986, our biologists were first to systematically count the thousands of dead birds washed up along miles of California’s beaches following the Apex Houston spill. This information, initially overlooked by others, became key evidence when federal attorneys fought for and won a $5.4 million settlement, which largely funded mitigation for affected Common Murres. Since that spill, PRBO has worked with California’s Oil Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR ) Program to formalize our damage asses
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