Last month, I attended a public forum that was organized to explain what the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have been thus far on the environment. Three speakers from the University of South Florida each explained their different portions of study performed.
The first speaker, Dr. Robert Weisberg, works with the Ocean Circulation Department at USF that helps to determine where the oil may go (direction-wise). The professor presented the Ocean Circulation Group website that shows many satellite images of the moving oil over time. Dr. Weisberg pointed out that Florida was very lucky in not getting much damage from this oil spill mainly because it happened in the summer months, when the currents travel from south to north.
The second speaker, Dr. Ernst Peebles, talked with the public about the animals harmed in this oil spill. Out of the turtle population, 609 were found dead and 535 were alive or recovering; only 35% collected also survived and were released back into the ocean. Out of the bird population, 6,104 were found dead and 15% were released back into the environment. Of the dolphin and whale population, 100 were found dead and 3 were released back into the ocean. Dr. Peebles explained that the impact on the Gulf cannot be completely gauged until years from now, just like the Exxon-Valdez oil spill. He ended with a hopeful note, stating that fish eggs found in the area near the oil spill did contain developing embryos.
This article appears in Dec 9-15, 2010.