Project Page

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. Heck
251-861-2141 x 2284
kheck@disl.org
Project Website
Project Partners

None

Affiliated Institutions

None

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