Potential Impacts of the DWH Oil Spill on Fishery Resources: Will There be Reduced Recruitment of Economically Important Shrimp, Crabs, and Finfish in Seagrass and Marsh Nursery Habitats of the North Central Gulf of Mexico?
Implementing Organization
Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL)
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$193,775
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)
Funding Program
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative GoMRI Grant Program
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Environmental Research
Targeted Resources
Human and/or Institutional Capacity
Project Description
Data gathered during our Phase I sampling indicate that oil from the DwH event has not impacted Alabama's coastal habitats with the severity seen in Louisiana. As a result, no significant loss of seagrass and marsh plants has occurred in these locations, and the structure provided to the associated fauna remains largely unaffected. Our Phase I animal sampling efforts revealed high levels of shellfish and finfish productivity in the seagrass/marsh systems along the coast of western Alabama, in accordance with results found for other Gulf of Mexico seagrass/marsh systems.
Contact
Kenneth L. Heck251-861-2141 x 2284
kheck@disl.org
Project Website
None
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