Environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill - focus on effects on fish and effects of dispersants
Research report
Permanent lenke
http://hdl.handle.net/11250/215758Utgivelsesdato
2012Metadata
Vis full innførselSamlinger
- NIVA-rapporter [6994]
Sammendrag
NIVA has conducted a literature study on environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon accident for the Norwegian Oil Industry Association, and the present report summarizes this work with particular focus on fish and dispersants. The report also briefly discusses relevance for Norwegian waters. In the literature, negative effects on the population level of fish have not been reported, although there is evidence of effects on the cellular level of fish. Several exploited species were even characterized by notably higher catch rates during 2010. Despite this, the economic losses for the fishing industry were huge due to an extensive closure of fisheries and effects in the marked. Following the oil spill, large amounts of dispersants were used, mainly Corexit, and for the first time, the dispersants were added under the sea surface. It is not clear whether the dispersants were successful in reducing the overall impacts of the oil. Furthermore, there are indications that the dispersants had the potential to inhibit the natural degradation of oil. Although the use of Corexit was criticized, laboratory studies have shown that Corexit generally tends to be less toxic than several other dispersants.