Exposure of sea otters and harlequin ducks in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA, to shoreline oil residues 20 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

ANCHORAGE, April 20—Sea otters rescued from waters fouled by the Exxon Valdez oil spill fared poorly after their return to the wild last fall, and scientists working under Government contract say at least half may have perished over the winter. Nearly 900 dead otters were found after the tanker spilled almost 11 million gallons of crude oil in March 1989. An additional 360 were netted alive and brought to rehabilitation centers at Valdez, Seward, Homer and Kodiak. About 200 were later returned to Prince William Sound but some scientists say that as many as half may have perished and that the rehabilitation effort has been largely futile... The withholding of scientific information on the spill for legal reasons by all the parties is becoming a major source of controversy as research projects begin to generate at least preliminary data.

Download Full-text

Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in the waters of Prince William Sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill: 1989–2005

Marine Pollution Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.11.025 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 339-356 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Paul D. Boehm ◽

Jerry M. Neff ◽

David S. Page

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbon ◽

Oil Spill ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

Download Full-text

Nine Years After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Effects on Marine Bird Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/102.4.723 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 102 (4) ◽

pp. 723-737 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

David B. Irons ◽

Steven J. Kendall ◽

Wallace P. Erickson ◽

Lyman L. McDonald ◽

Brian K. Lance

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Bird Species ◽

Population Level ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Marine Bird ◽

Marine Birds ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Positive Effects

Abstract We compared post Exxon Valdez oil-spill densities of marine birds in Prince William Sound from 1989–1991, 1993, 1996, and 1998 to pre-spill densities from 1984–1985. Post-spill densities of several species of marine birds were lower than expected in the oiled area of Prince William Sound when compared to densities in the unoiled area. These negative effects continued through 1998 for five taxa: cormorants, goldeneyes, mergansers, Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), and murres. Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) and Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) exhibited negative effects in 1990 and 1991. Loons showed a weak negative effect in 1993. Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) showed relative decreases in 1989, 1996, and 1998 which may have been caused by shifts in foraging distribution rather than declines in populations. Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) showed positive effects in most post-spill years. Murrelets and terns showed relative increases in 1993, 1996, and 1998. Generally, taxa that dive for their food were negatively affected, whereas taxa that feed at the surface were not. Effects for some taxa were dependent upon the spatial scale at which they were analyzed. Movements of birds and the mosaic pattern of oiling reduced our ability to detect oil-spill effects, therefore our results may be conservative. Several marine bird species were negatively affected at the population level and have not recovered to pre-spill levels nine years after the oil spill. The reason for lack of recovery may be related to persistent oil remaining in the environment and reduced forage fish abundance.

Download Full-text

Comparative Toxicities of Polar and Non-Polar Organic Fractions From Sediments Affected By the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Chemistry and Ecology ◽

10.1080/02757549508035337 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 10 (1-2) ◽

pp. 137-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Douglas A. Wolfe ◽

K. John Scott ◽

John R. Clayton ◽

John Lunz ◽

James R. Payne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Organic Fractions

Download Full-text

Fish and Wildlife Recovery Following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-1999-1-127 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 1999 (1) ◽

pp. 127-133

Author(s):

John A. Wiens ◽

Ernest L. Brannon ◽

David L. Garshelis ◽

John Burns ◽

Anne A. Hoover-Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Pink Salmon ◽

Natural Variability ◽

Harbor Seals ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Sea Otters ◽

Seabird Species ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Habitat Occupancy

ABSTRACT The authors review studies of four taxa—pink salmon, sea otters, harbor seals, and several species of sea-birds—widely believed to have suffered severe impacts from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. These studies were conducted over a 10-year post-spill period and included pre-spill information where possible. They demonstrated earlier suggestions of negative impacts may have been unfounded (harbor seals) or the species either exhibited no obvious detrimental effects from the spill (pink salmon population runs, population density and habitat occupancy of half the 23 seabird species examined) or indicated impacts followed by clear evidence of subsequent recovery (sea otters, the remaining seabird species). These species' apparent resilience to perturbations such as oil spills may be related to these ecosystems' high natural variability. Evaluating spill effects is enhanced by long-term studies that recognize the natural variability of marine environments and use a rigorous study design. The results of such studies also must be interpreted objectively, free of preconceptions about spill effects and divorced from advocacy positions.

Download Full-text