Oil spills can be very harmful to marine birds and mammals as well as fish and shellfish. read more
In general, oil spills can affect animals and plants in two ways: from the oil itself and from the response or cleanup operations. Understanding both types of impacts can help spill responders minimize overall impacts to ecological communities and help them to recover much more quickly. read more
Oil spills can affect ocean habitat, both offshore and onshore. Before an oil spill reaches the shore, the oil can poison plankton and other pelagic marine life. Onshore, it can cover rocks, marine algae, and marine invertebrates. The Exxon Valdez spill coated 1,300 miles of coastline, initiating a massive cleanup effort. read more