The Sea Empress oil spill (Wales, UK): Effects on Common Scoter Melanitta nigra in Carmarthen Bay and status ten years later

Carmarthen Bay, UK, regularly supports internationally important numbers (>16,000) of non-breeding Common Scoters Melanitta nigra. The spill of 72,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Sea Empress in 1996 affected birds both through direct mortality and likely pollution of key food resources. Numbers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2008-05, Vol.56 (5), p.895-902
Main Authors: Banks, A.N., Sanderson, W.G., Hughes, B., Cranswick, P.A., Smith, L.E., Whitehead, S., Musgrove, A.J., Haycock, B., Fairney, N.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Anseriformes
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Crude oil
Ecosystem health
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration
Environmental Monitoring
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Marine
Marine and brackish environment
Melanitta nigra
Petroleum
Population Density
Population Dynamics
Population recovery
Seaducks
Ships
Shipwreck
Wales
Water Pollutants, Chemical
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Summary:Carmarthen Bay, UK, regularly supports internationally important numbers (>16,000) of non-breeding Common Scoters Melanitta nigra. The spill of 72,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Sea Empress in 1996 affected birds both through direct mortality and likely pollution of key food resources. Numbers were greatly reduced following the spill, whilst changes in the distribution of birds within Carmarthen Bay suggested that potentially sub-optimal foraging zones were used. However, ten years after the incident, numbers of Common Scoter were no different to those recorded immediately before the spill. Compared to some other spills, rapid revival is evident. Numbers increased to pre-spill levels within three winters and distributional changes suggested a concurrent return to previously contaminated feeding areas, implying that the ecosystem had regenerated sufficiently to support its top predator. The importance of prolonged, standardised monitoring of bird numbers and distribution as indicators of ecological recovery from environmental damage is emphasised.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.01.032