Table 3.1. Recommendations for response options in oiled mangroves by oil group 3-6 Table 4.1. Im... more Table 3.1. Recommendations for response options in oiled mangroves by oil group 3-6 Table 4.1. Impacts and recovery times for mangrove trees at eight oil spills impacting five regions 4-3 Cover Photograph Credit: Felix Lopez, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service This guide is intended to assist those who work in spill response and planning in regions where mangrove ecosystems are an important part of the coastline. By understanding the basic of the ecology of these forests and learning from past oil spills in mangroves, we can better plan for, protect, and respond to spills that may threaten them. Mangroves often border coastlines where coral reefs live offshore, and these two ecosystems are closely linked. Mangroves filter and trap excess sediment that could harm coral, and coral reefs protect shorelines where mangroves grow from excessive wave energy. Both habitats can be adversely impacted by oil spills, and spill responders must often consider tradeoffs between land-based and offshore resources during a response. This guide is a companion to Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations. This guide is not intended to be a definitive guidance for choosing cleanup methods, as many comprehensive versions of these exist already. Rather, it is a summary of current research on mangroves from the perspective of those who may need to make decisions about oil spill response in mangroves and presents the information in an accessible format for people with some science or response background. Experienced responders unfamiliar with mangroves may want background on mangrove ecology, while biologists may want an overview of oil toxicity and response actions applied to mangrove ecosystems. The topics are organized by chapters, which can be read as a standalone, with additional references provided at the end of each chapter. A glossary defines specialized terms. Chapter 1 provides an overview of mangrove ecology, forest biology, associated mangrove communities, and how they respond to various natural and human stresses. Chapter 2 reviews the research on oil toxicity and impacts to mangroves. Chapter 3 discusses general guidance for responding to spills in mangroves and provides specific considerations for cleanup measures. Chapter 4 discusses long-term recovery of mangroves from oil spill impacts and restoration techniques and approaches. Chapter 5 compiles case studies to illustrate a range of issues from oil spills. Mangrove forests are in many ways very adaptable ecosystems. They have the ability to tolerate a wide range of physical changes in their environment. However, despite their hardiness, they are highly vulnerable to oil toxicity and the impacts from cleanup activities. Thus, we must undertake any type of response or restoration activities in mangroves with caution. The information in this document will is intended to help minimize impacts to mangroves from oil spills and associated cleanup activities. i Chapter 1. Mangrove Ecology CHAPTER 1. MANGROVE ECOLOGY Key Points Mangroves worldwide cover an approximate area of 150,000 square kilometers of sheltered coastlines in the tropics and subtropics. Five of the most common ecotypes include fringe, basin, riverine, overwash, and dwarf forests. Mangroves are restricted to the intertidal zone. Mangroves in general have a great capacity to recover from major natural disturbances. Mangroves maintain water quality by trapping sediments and taking up excess nutrients from the water. Mangroves play an important role in shoreline protection and stabilization. Mangroves provide important habitat for a wide variety of species of commercial, recreational, subsistence, and conservation interests Mangrove conservation and restoration are now also valued for carbon sequestration. What is a Mangrove? Ecologically, mangroves are defined as an assemblage of tropical and semi-tropical trees and shrubs that inhabit the coastal intertidal zone. A mangrove community is composed of plant species whose special adaptations allow them to survive the variable flooding and salinity stress conditions imposed by the coastal environment. Therefore, mangroves are defined by their ecology rather than their taxonomy. From a total of approximately 20 plant families containing mangrove species worldwide, only two, Pellicieraceae and Avicenniaceae, are comprised exclusively of mangroves. In the family Rhizphoraceae, for example, only four of its sixteen genera live in mangrove ecosystems (Duke 1992). Where are Mangroves and What do They Look Like? Mangroves worldwide cover an approximate area of 150,000 square kilometers (km 2) of sheltered coastlines, which is about 50% of their historic range (Spalding et al. 2010). They are distributed within the tropics and subtropics, reaching their maximum development between 25°N and 25°S (Figure 1.1). Their latitudinal distribution is mainly restricted by temperature because perennial mangrove species generally cannot withstand freezing conditions. As a result, mangroves and grass-dominated marshes in middle and high latitudes fill a similar ecological niche. Mangrove-a tree or shrub that has evolved the adaptations for growing in the intertidal zone (specifically, adaptations to salinity and flooded conditions).
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1993
The restoration planning process has yielded a number of possible alternatives for restoring reso... more The restoration planning process has yielded a number of possible alternatives for restoring resources and services injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They were developed by resource managers, scientists, and the public, taking into consideration the results of damage assessment and restoration studies and information from the scientific literature. The alternatives thus far identified include no action natural recovery, management of human uses, manipulation of resources, habitat protection and acquisition, acquisition of equivalent resources, and combinations of the above. Each alternative consists of a different mix of resource- or service-specific restoration options. To decide whether it was appropriate to spend restoration funds on a particular resource or service, first criteria had to be developed that evaluated available evidence for consequential injury and the adequacy and rate of natural recovery. Then, recognizing the range of effective restoration options, a second...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2008
The tanker SOLAR 1 sank in the Guimaras Strait in the central Philippines on August 11, 2006, spi... more The tanker SOLAR 1 sank in the Guimaras Strait in the central Philippines on August 11, 2006, spilling a significant part of her 2,100 tonne cargo of IFO 217. The Philippine Coast Guard led the challenging response to this spill, which impacted sensitive tropical habitats, disrupted fisheries, and affected coastal communities. The spill oiled shorelines along the southern coasts of Guimaras Island and several smaller islands in the Guimaras Strait. This area is rich in mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds, which makes it very important for fisheries and aquaculture. Extensive areas of mangroves were oiled, including stands in the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve. Oil also stranded along sand, pebble, and cobble beaches, often seeping into the substrate or becoming buried. The remoteness and rugged terrain of the affected area made shoreside access for cleanup difficult and oversight of cleanup operations complicated. Political demands and press attention frequently made i...
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the Tanker SOLAR 1 Oil Spill, Guimaras, the Philippines,... more Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the Tanker SOLAR 1 Oil Spill, Guimaras, the Philippines, its impact and response challenges. The sinking of the tanker SOLAR 1 in the Guimaras Strait, the Philippines, was the largest oil spill in recent time. On August 11, 2006, the tanker SOLAR 1 (998 GT) sank in the Guimaras Strait, approximately 18 km southwest of Guimaras Island in the Western Visayas region of the central Philippines. It caused damage to mangrove and beaches along the southern coast of Guimaras Island and smaller islands in the Strait. Due to the oil spill, the fisheries and villages along the impacted coastline got affected. 91 Guimaras islands as well as several smaller islands to the south and east were heavily impacted by spilled oil. The shoreline impact was patchy, and the most significant contamination was found in areas with abundant south western exposure to wind and waves. The coastline of Guimaras is very complex and comprises hundreds of small bays, and peninsulas. Coral reefs also fringe much of the coast. Mangrove forest of the Philippines was affected by the spill with seedlings, roots, and trunks coated in bands between 10 cm and 130 cm high.
I-1. Decision process for managing seafood safety after an oil spill 3 II-1. Pattern of PAH distr... more I-1. Decision process for managing seafood safety after an oil spill 3 II-1. Pattern of PAH distribution for different oil types. 9 II-2. Plots of predicted evaporation and dispersion representative of four oil types 12 V-1 Commercial shellfish harvest closure notice issued during the New Carissa oil spill 50 V-2. Shellfishing closure notice issued during the New Carissa oil spill 51 Tables I-1. Recent oil spills where seafood monitoring was conducted 5 II-1. Components in oil and selected characteristics 6 II-2. Characteristics of oil types affecting the potential for seafood contamination 7 II-3. PAHs normally reported in chemical analyses 10 II-4. Example of solubilities of different oil types 13 II-5. Habitat utilization, feeding strategies, and risk of exposure to oil of different seafood groups 19 II-6. Half-lives of PAHs in bivalves based on laboratory tests of both water and sediment exposures 24 II-7. Presence and duration of taint and tissue contamination with petroleum compounds reported at various oil spills 25 II-8. Conceptual framework for seafood exposure to, uptake, and elimination of oil 27 III-1. National recommended water quality criteria for priority toxic pollutants for protection against human health effects 37 IV-1. Relative PAH potency estimates derived from various sources. 42 IV-2. Sport fishers consumption data 45 IV-3. Subsistence fishers consumption data 45 V-1. PAHs in foods 52 Table I-1. Recent oil spills where seafood monitoring was conducted
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2003
Recent experience indicates that promptly providing state and local seafood safety managers with ... more Recent experience indicates that promptly providing state and local seafood safety managers with key information and assistance during an oil spill response can help prevent unnecessary restrictions on seafood harvest. Efforts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration (ORR) to help facilitate and expedite the decision-making process of seafood safety managers after an oil
Although there is a team of people who are identified as co-authors of this document, many more n... more Although there is a team of people who are identified as co-authors of this document, many more need to be recognized as contributors. Without their help and (mostly) willing assistance, this effort would not have been possible.
A new record of a second seagrass species from the Hawaiian archipelago: Halophila decipiens Oste... more A new record of a second seagrass species from the Hawaiian archipelago: Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) program is an integral component of spill respo... more The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) program is an integral component of spill response, operated under the Environmental Unit of the Planning Section under the Incident Command System. The benefit of SCAT is that it is flexible yet follows systematic processes for collecting and providing information to support cleanup operations. NOAA has provided SCAT training to large numbers of Federal and State responders in the U.S. and often manages the SCAT program during spills of all sizes. NOAA has taken the initiative to update and refine the SCAT process based on lessons learned during recent spills. This initiative includes the following components: 1) Formalization of the SCAT Process to reflect the different phases of SCAT support of Operations; 2) Application of the concept of Response Typing (in terms of the degree of complexity) as part of the SCAT Process to guide procedural SCAT needs, tools, and products for varying response complexity; 3) Development of the SCAT Data Management Plan to streamline data entry and reporting using standard templates to generate useful SCAT products and information during the response; 4) Development of a SCAT course catalogue, training curriculum, and position qualifications standards based on functional SCAT roles; and 5) Revision of the SCAT manuals and job-aids. These improvements will provide greater consistency in SCAT training across the country, improve response efficiencies in the Environmental Unit, and strengthen National Preparedness.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
Nearly 5,000 two-to three-month old South American fur seal pups were oiled and/or died as a resu... more Nearly 5,000 two-to three-month old South American fur seal pups were oiled and/or died as a result of a February 1997, 5,000-metric ton crude oil spill near Punta del Este, Uruguay. After consultation with international experts, the Uruguayan government commissioned small teams (three to five people) of trained military technicians (totaling 30-45 people) who cleaned most of the heavily oiled areas manually using buckets, shovels, small hand tools, specially-treated peat moss, and small driftwood fires. Waste materials were bagged and transported to a mainland facility for treatment. Dead pups were placed into well-marked rocky cemeteries and treated with quicklime. Despite the mortality, the low-technology response was a success because it added no additional injury to the affected populations.
Page 1. Ruth Yender Office of Response and Restoration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administr... more Page 1. Ruth Yender Office of Response and Restoration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle, Washington Jacqueline Michel and Christine Lord Research Planning, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina Managing Seafood Safety after an Oil Spill ...
Table 3.1. Recommendations for response options in oiled mangroves by oil group 3-6 Table 4.1. Im... more Table 3.1. Recommendations for response options in oiled mangroves by oil group 3-6 Table 4.1. Impacts and recovery times for mangrove trees at eight oil spills impacting five regions 4-3 Cover Photograph Credit: Felix Lopez, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service This guide is intended to assist those who work in spill response and planning in regions where mangrove ecosystems are an important part of the coastline. By understanding the basic of the ecology of these forests and learning from past oil spills in mangroves, we can better plan for, protect, and respond to spills that may threaten them. Mangroves often border coastlines where coral reefs live offshore, and these two ecosystems are closely linked. Mangroves filter and trap excess sediment that could harm coral, and coral reefs protect shorelines where mangroves grow from excessive wave energy. Both habitats can be adversely impacted by oil spills, and spill responders must often consider tradeoffs between land-based and offshore resources during a response. This guide is a companion to Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations. This guide is not intended to be a definitive guidance for choosing cleanup methods, as many comprehensive versions of these exist already. Rather, it is a summary of current research on mangroves from the perspective of those who may need to make decisions about oil spill response in mangroves and presents the information in an accessible format for people with some science or response background. Experienced responders unfamiliar with mangroves may want background on mangrove ecology, while biologists may want an overview of oil toxicity and response actions applied to mangrove ecosystems. The topics are organized by chapters, which can be read as a standalone, with additional references provided at the end of each chapter. A glossary defines specialized terms. Chapter 1 provides an overview of mangrove ecology, forest biology, associated mangrove communities, and how they respond to various natural and human stresses. Chapter 2 reviews the research on oil toxicity and impacts to mangroves. Chapter 3 discusses general guidance for responding to spills in mangroves and provides specific considerations for cleanup measures. Chapter 4 discusses long-term recovery of mangroves from oil spill impacts and restoration techniques and approaches. Chapter 5 compiles case studies to illustrate a range of issues from oil spills. Mangrove forests are in many ways very adaptable ecosystems. They have the ability to tolerate a wide range of physical changes in their environment. However, despite their hardiness, they are highly vulnerable to oil toxicity and the impacts from cleanup activities. Thus, we must undertake any type of response or restoration activities in mangroves with caution. The information in this document will is intended to help minimize impacts to mangroves from oil spills and associated cleanup activities. i Chapter 1. Mangrove Ecology CHAPTER 1. MANGROVE ECOLOGY Key Points Mangroves worldwide cover an approximate area of 150,000 square kilometers of sheltered coastlines in the tropics and subtropics. Five of the most common ecotypes include fringe, basin, riverine, overwash, and dwarf forests. Mangroves are restricted to the intertidal zone. Mangroves in general have a great capacity to recover from major natural disturbances. Mangroves maintain water quality by trapping sediments and taking up excess nutrients from the water. Mangroves play an important role in shoreline protection and stabilization. Mangroves provide important habitat for a wide variety of species of commercial, recreational, subsistence, and conservation interests Mangrove conservation and restoration are now also valued for carbon sequestration. What is a Mangrove? Ecologically, mangroves are defined as an assemblage of tropical and semi-tropical trees and shrubs that inhabit the coastal intertidal zone. A mangrove community is composed of plant species whose special adaptations allow them to survive the variable flooding and salinity stress conditions imposed by the coastal environment. Therefore, mangroves are defined by their ecology rather than their taxonomy. From a total of approximately 20 plant families containing mangrove species worldwide, only two, Pellicieraceae and Avicenniaceae, are comprised exclusively of mangroves. In the family Rhizphoraceae, for example, only four of its sixteen genera live in mangrove ecosystems (Duke 1992). Where are Mangroves and What do They Look Like? Mangroves worldwide cover an approximate area of 150,000 square kilometers (km 2) of sheltered coastlines, which is about 50% of their historic range (Spalding et al. 2010). They are distributed within the tropics and subtropics, reaching their maximum development between 25°N and 25°S (Figure 1.1). Their latitudinal distribution is mainly restricted by temperature because perennial mangrove species generally cannot withstand freezing conditions. As a result, mangroves and grass-dominated marshes in middle and high latitudes fill a similar ecological niche. Mangrove-a tree or shrub that has evolved the adaptations for growing in the intertidal zone (specifically, adaptations to salinity and flooded conditions).
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1993
The restoration planning process has yielded a number of possible alternatives for restoring reso... more The restoration planning process has yielded a number of possible alternatives for restoring resources and services injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They were developed by resource managers, scientists, and the public, taking into consideration the results of damage assessment and restoration studies and information from the scientific literature. The alternatives thus far identified include no action natural recovery, management of human uses, manipulation of resources, habitat protection and acquisition, acquisition of equivalent resources, and combinations of the above. Each alternative consists of a different mix of resource- or service-specific restoration options. To decide whether it was appropriate to spend restoration funds on a particular resource or service, first criteria had to be developed that evaluated available evidence for consequential injury and the adequacy and rate of natural recovery. Then, recognizing the range of effective restoration options, a second...
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2008
The tanker SOLAR 1 sank in the Guimaras Strait in the central Philippines on August 11, 2006, spi... more The tanker SOLAR 1 sank in the Guimaras Strait in the central Philippines on August 11, 2006, spilling a significant part of her 2,100 tonne cargo of IFO 217. The Philippine Coast Guard led the challenging response to this spill, which impacted sensitive tropical habitats, disrupted fisheries, and affected coastal communities. The spill oiled shorelines along the southern coasts of Guimaras Island and several smaller islands in the Guimaras Strait. This area is rich in mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds, which makes it very important for fisheries and aquaculture. Extensive areas of mangroves were oiled, including stands in the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve. Oil also stranded along sand, pebble, and cobble beaches, often seeping into the substrate or becoming buried. The remoteness and rugged terrain of the affected area made shoreside access for cleanup difficult and oversight of cleanup operations complicated. Political demands and press attention frequently made i...
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the Tanker SOLAR 1 Oil Spill, Guimaras, the Philippines,... more Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the Tanker SOLAR 1 Oil Spill, Guimaras, the Philippines, its impact and response challenges. The sinking of the tanker SOLAR 1 in the Guimaras Strait, the Philippines, was the largest oil spill in recent time. On August 11, 2006, the tanker SOLAR 1 (998 GT) sank in the Guimaras Strait, approximately 18 km southwest of Guimaras Island in the Western Visayas region of the central Philippines. It caused damage to mangrove and beaches along the southern coast of Guimaras Island and smaller islands in the Strait. Due to the oil spill, the fisheries and villages along the impacted coastline got affected. 91 Guimaras islands as well as several smaller islands to the south and east were heavily impacted by spilled oil. The shoreline impact was patchy, and the most significant contamination was found in areas with abundant south western exposure to wind and waves. The coastline of Guimaras is very complex and comprises hundreds of small bays, and peninsulas. Coral reefs also fringe much of the coast. Mangrove forest of the Philippines was affected by the spill with seedlings, roots, and trunks coated in bands between 10 cm and 130 cm high.
I-1. Decision process for managing seafood safety after an oil spill 3 II-1. Pattern of PAH distr... more I-1. Decision process for managing seafood safety after an oil spill 3 II-1. Pattern of PAH distribution for different oil types. 9 II-2. Plots of predicted evaporation and dispersion representative of four oil types 12 V-1 Commercial shellfish harvest closure notice issued during the New Carissa oil spill 50 V-2. Shellfishing closure notice issued during the New Carissa oil spill 51 Tables I-1. Recent oil spills where seafood monitoring was conducted 5 II-1. Components in oil and selected characteristics 6 II-2. Characteristics of oil types affecting the potential for seafood contamination 7 II-3. PAHs normally reported in chemical analyses 10 II-4. Example of solubilities of different oil types 13 II-5. Habitat utilization, feeding strategies, and risk of exposure to oil of different seafood groups 19 II-6. Half-lives of PAHs in bivalves based on laboratory tests of both water and sediment exposures 24 II-7. Presence and duration of taint and tissue contamination with petroleum compounds reported at various oil spills 25 II-8. Conceptual framework for seafood exposure to, uptake, and elimination of oil 27 III-1. National recommended water quality criteria for priority toxic pollutants for protection against human health effects 37 IV-1. Relative PAH potency estimates derived from various sources. 42 IV-2. Sport fishers consumption data 45 IV-3. Subsistence fishers consumption data 45 V-1. PAHs in foods 52 Table I-1. Recent oil spills where seafood monitoring was conducted
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2003
Recent experience indicates that promptly providing state and local seafood safety managers with ... more Recent experience indicates that promptly providing state and local seafood safety managers with key information and assistance during an oil spill response can help prevent unnecessary restrictions on seafood harvest. Efforts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration (ORR) to help facilitate and expedite the decision-making process of seafood safety managers after an oil
Although there is a team of people who are identified as co-authors of this document, many more n... more Although there is a team of people who are identified as co-authors of this document, many more need to be recognized as contributors. Without their help and (mostly) willing assistance, this effort would not have been possible.
A new record of a second seagrass species from the Hawaiian archipelago: Halophila decipiens Oste... more A new record of a second seagrass species from the Hawaiian archipelago: Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 2001
The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) program is an integral component of spill respo... more The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) program is an integral component of spill response, operated under the Environmental Unit of the Planning Section under the Incident Command System. The benefit of SCAT is that it is flexible yet follows systematic processes for collecting and providing information to support cleanup operations. NOAA has provided SCAT training to large numbers of Federal and State responders in the U.S. and often manages the SCAT program during spills of all sizes. NOAA has taken the initiative to update and refine the SCAT process based on lessons learned during recent spills. This initiative includes the following components: 1) Formalization of the SCAT Process to reflect the different phases of SCAT support of Operations; 2) Application of the concept of Response Typing (in terms of the degree of complexity) as part of the SCAT Process to guide procedural SCAT needs, tools, and products for varying response complexity; 3) Development of the SCAT Data Management Plan to streamline data entry and reporting using standard templates to generate useful SCAT products and information during the response; 4) Development of a SCAT course catalogue, training curriculum, and position qualifications standards based on functional SCAT roles; and 5) Revision of the SCAT manuals and job-aids. These improvements will provide greater consistency in SCAT training across the country, improve response efficiencies in the Environmental Unit, and strengthen National Preparedness.
International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, 1999
Nearly 5,000 two-to three-month old South American fur seal pups were oiled and/or died as a resu... more Nearly 5,000 two-to three-month old South American fur seal pups were oiled and/or died as a result of a February 1997, 5,000-metric ton crude oil spill near Punta del Este, Uruguay. After consultation with international experts, the Uruguayan government commissioned small teams (three to five people) of trained military technicians (totaling 30-45 people) who cleaned most of the heavily oiled areas manually using buckets, shovels, small hand tools, specially-treated peat moss, and small driftwood fires. Waste materials were bagged and transported to a mainland facility for treatment. Dead pups were placed into well-marked rocky cemeteries and treated with quicklime. Despite the mortality, the low-technology response was a success because it added no additional injury to the affected populations.
Page 1. Ruth Yender Office of Response and Restoration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administr... more Page 1. Ruth Yender Office of Response and Restoration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle, Washington Jacqueline Michel and Christine Lord Research Planning, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina Managing Seafood Safety after an Oil Spill ...
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