http:\/\/www.keysnet.com\/2010\/08\/07\/245964\/scientists-caution-against-over.html<\/p>\n
By Kevin Wadlow kwadlow@keynoter.com
\nposted Sat. Aug 7th, 2010 <\/p>\n
“A lot of people in Key West and the Keys seem to believe the problems are over,” said Paul Johnson, a former Reef Relief president working with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We know that’s not the case,” Johnson said.<\/p>\n
“There is much we do not know about the path and fate of the submerged oil plumes and what the future will hold,” said NRDC analyst Ali Chase in a written report after the session at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. <\/p>\n
Conservation groups Oceana and the NRDC hosted the forum, with included remarks by National Marine Sanctuaries Program regional director Billy Causey, and Capt. Pat DeQuattro of the Coast Guard’s Group Key West.<\/p>\n
Recent reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration highlighted the fact that as much as half the oil spilled in the northern Gulf of Mexico seems to have disappeared from the gulf surface, through natural breakdown or recovery efforts. In a nationally published column, NRDC Ocean Initiative Director Sarah Chasis said that means about 100 million gallons of leaked oil remain.<\/p>\n
“Clearly, a lot of this oil is still in the Gulf environment,” Chasis said. “If you do the math, that means as much as 50 percent of the oil could still be affecting the environment, both offshore and along the coastline. That\u2019s nine Exxon Valdez spills.”<\/p>\n
The chances of any Deepwater Horizon oil reaching the Keys or South Florida in visibly noticeable quantities seem slight, federal officials said last week.<\/p>\n
The effects of dispersed oil in the water column are still uncertain.<\/p>\n
Florida International University biology professor Jim Fourqurean said at the Key West session that the gulf’s expansive seagrass beds should prove relatively resistant to oil impacts. But the sea life living in the grass could be impacted. <\/p>\n
“The seagrass community of crabs, shrimp, small juvenile fish and other marine life of great biological and economic importance, are very susceptible,” Fourqurean said. <\/p>\n
DeQuattro said preparing for a possible spill impact in the Keys helped local responders find new ways to work together and spotlighted unforeseen issues.<\/p>\n
But he cautioned forum members, “Don’t wait for the next emergency to get involved and prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n
With reports from the NRDC <\/p>\n
http:\/\/switchboard.nrdc.org\/blogs\/achase\/scientists_discuss_potential_i.html<\/p>\n
Ali Chase\u2019s Blog
\nScientists Discuss Potential Impacts of Oil Exposure on Florida Keys
\nPrint this page
\nPosted August 5, 2010<\/p>\n
Tags:florida, floridakeys, gulfofmexico, gulfspill, oil
\nShare | | In the Florida Keys \u2013 a place defined by its ocean environment and where the economy\u2019s health is directly reliant on a healthy ecosystem \u2013 the community is anxious to know whether or not oil will reach their shores, what the impact will be on their unique and precious corals, seagrasses and mangroves, how the oil could affect the abundant wildlife, and how they can help prevent this ecological treasure from harm.<\/p>\n
Last night, NRDC and Oceana hosted a conference for the Florida Keys\u2019 community \u2013 called \u201cThe Gulf Disaster & the Florida Keys: What Are the Environmental Impacts & How to Help\u201d \u2013 that was designed to answer these questions.<\/p>\n
At the conference, Florida scientists discussed the current understanding about the Gulf oil spill\u2019s potential impacts, should it reach the Florida Keys\u2019 coastline and national marine sanctuary, and local volunteer and response effort officials described their work to prepare for the disaster and offered ways for the public to engage in monitoring and spill response.<\/p>\n
Coming on the heels of the Administration\u2019s questionable reassurances yesterday that the worst of the Gulf disaster may well be over, the audience and panelists instead expressed concern about declaring victory far too soon and reiterated that we need to remain vigilant for impacts from this spill and proactively plan to improve our response capacity for future spills.<\/p>\n
A few take-away lessons from the event follow: <\/p>\n
Thankfully, to date, the Florida Keys has been spared from oil on its shores. However, it\u2019s important to be vigilant because we\u2019re not out of the water yet. There is much we do not know about the path and fate of the submerged oil plumes and what the future will hold. While we hope that this oil will not reach the area, we remain alert for impacts.<\/p>\n
Seagrass beds \u2013 which cover nearly 95 percent of the Keys’ shallow water ocean floor \u2013 are more resilient to oil impacts than, for example, the area\u2019s mangroves, however, \u201cThe seagrass community of crabs, shrimp, small juvenile fish and other marine life of great biological and economic importance, are very susceptible and would be killed [by oil].” \u2013 Jim Fourqurean, Professor of Biology, Florida International University
\n\u201cThe real threat to [the area\u2019s marine mammals, like manatees and dolphins] are respiratory problems due to the inhalation of the [oil] fumes concentrated at the ocean surface where they are forced to breathe.” \u2013 Robert Lingenfelser, President, Marine Mammal Conservancy
\nWe are just beginning to tally the huge costs that the BP spill has had on the Gulf region\u2019s marine life. We know that what happens elsewhere to the marine life in the Gulf will affect the Keys\u2019 marine life and we are only starting to learn about the fate of fish and other species from the months of oil exposure. The environmental legacy of an oil spill can last decades, if not lifetimes, and incur significant economic losses for coastal communities, whether directly affected by the oil or not.<\/p>\n
“Fish-eating ocean birds, like frigates, pelicans and terns, don’t have to be physically oiled to be harmed. By eating contaminated bait fish over time, they can bio-concentrate pollutants, [like heavy metals and polycyclic hydrocarbons] that can cause long-term health problems and death.” \u2013 Michelle Anderson, Director, Key West Wildlife Center
\n“Bluefin tuna \u2026 not commonly found [in the Keys] actively spawn in the central Gulf … where the major effect of this Gulf oil spill disaster is being felt. Because their eggs float and the young fish larvae are very dependent on clean, open ocean water, oil is a killer to them.” \u2013 Patrick Rice, Dean of Marine Science and Technology, Florida Keys Community College
\nThe partnerships and relationships with individuals and organizations as a result of the BP spill is one of the silver linings to this disaster. We need to continue to plan and work together to protect our unique resources. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe take home of this event [the Gulf disaster] in the Keys is \u2013 we had a plan, and we assembled a great team of federal, state and local government partners experienced and use to working together in emergency situations. What we didn’t have was the connections to the wildlife rehab groups, citizens and community that wanted to help and be better prepared to address the environmental impacts that would surely occur from the spill if it reached the Keys. \u2026 Don’t wait for the next emergency to get involved and prepared.\u201d \u2013 Captain Pat DeQuattro, Commander, United States Coast Guard, Sector Key West
\nIn the coming weeks, NRDC will be posting segments from the conference so that those outside of the Keys\u2019 community can hear about the impacts that oil can bear on marine habitats and wildlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
http:\/\/www.keysnet.com\/2010\/08\/07\/245964\/scientists-caution-against-over.html By Kevin Wadlow kwadlow@keynoter.com posted Sat. Aug 7th, 2010 “A lot of people in Key West and the Keys seem to believe the problems are over,” said Paul Johnson, a former Reef Relief president working with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We know that’s not the case,” Johnson said. “There is much we do … Continue reading Keysnet.com: Marine experts at a Key West forum on the Deepwater Horizon spill cautioned against “declaring victory far too soon.”<\/span>