Aspects of mineral composition of male and female Heterobranchus bidorsalis adults exposed to different concentrations of Bonny-light crude oil

Studies were carried out to assess some macro and trace elements of mineral composition of the male and female Heterobranchus bidorsalis adults exposed to graded concentrations (1.00-8.00m/L-1) of Bonny-light crude oil (BLCO). The experiment was monitored for 4 days (toxicity) and 42days (recovery) periods. Significant decreases (P < 0.05)in the sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), vanadium (Va), lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) contents of the male H. bidorsalis corresponded with the increasing concentrations of BLCO. In contrast, the female fishes recorded significant increases (P < 0.05) in the values of the above elements in their tissues as the concentrations of BLCO increased. Furthermore, the values of Na, K, Mg, Ca, P, Zn, Fe, Va, Pb and Mn recorded in the male fishes where generally lower than those of their female counterparts and the control fish. Increased values of these elements were also recorded during the recovery periods (days 14, 28 and 42) of this study in the magnitudes of 15% at day 14, 20% at day 28 and 20% at day 42. This implied that the removal of crude oil stress during this period improved the quantity of these minerals deposited in the fish tissues. The highest percent proportion of Zn and the lowest proportion of Pb recorded in both male and female H. bidorsalis adults agreed with the report of other workers for other fish species. KEYWORDS: Heterobranchus bidorsalis, Mineral composition, Bonny-light crude oil, Toxicity, Recovery.

Studies on cannning of mackerel fillets in oil

Canning operations suitable for packing mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) in the form of skinless and boneless fillets in oil were studied and the process standardised. The technique of lye peeling for skin removal could be successfully applied. The storage life of the final product was tested over a period of one year and found to be quite comparable to other similar fish products.

Changes in Behavior, Movement, and Home Ranges of Largemouth Bass Following Large-scale Hydrilla Removal in Lake Seminole, Georgia

About 1,200 ha of hydrilla ( Hydrilla verticillata L.f. Royle) was eliminated in the Spring Creek embayment of Lake Seminole, Georgia, using a drip-delivery application of fluridone (1- methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethl) phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone) in 2000 and 2001. Two groups of 15 and 20 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepede) were implanted with 400-day radio tags in February 2000 and 2001 to determine changes in movement and behavior before and after hydrilla reduction.(PDF contains 8 pages.)

A Method for siting and prioritizing the removal of derelict vessels in Florida Coastal Waters: test applications in the Florida Keys

Increased boating activities and new waterfront developments have contributed an estimated 3,000 dismantled, abandoned, junked, wrecked, derelict vessels to Florida coastal waters. This report outlines a method of siting and prioritizing derelict vessel removal using the Florida Keys as a test area. The data base was information on 240 vessels, obtained from Florida Marine Patrol files. Vessel location was plotted on 1:250,000 regional and 1:5,000 and 1:12,000 site maps. Type of vessel, length, hull material, engine, fuel tanks, overall condition, afloat and submerged characteristics, and accessibility, were used to derive parametric site indices of removal priority and removal difficulty. Results indicate 59 top priority cases which should be the focus of immediate clean up efforts in the Florida Keys. Half of these cases are rated low to moderate in removal difficulty; the remainder are difficult to remove. Removal difficulty is a surrogate for removal cost: low difficulty -low cost, high difficulty - high cost. The rating scheme offers coastal planners options of focusing removal operations either on (1) specific areas with clusters of high priority derelict vessels or on (2) selected targeted derelicts at various, specific locations. (PDF has 59 pages.)

Cruise Report 69-S-3: Pelagic fish and trawling survey of Santa Barbara oil spill

(PDF contains 5 pages)

Hydrocarbon sensors for oil spill prevention and response, Seward, Alaska, April 8th-10th, 2008: workshop proceedings

During April 8th-10th, 2008, the Aliance for Coastal Technology (ACT) partner institutions, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), and the Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI) hosted a workshop entitled: "Hydrocarbon sensors for oil spill prevention and response" in Seward, Alaska. The main focus was to bring together 29 workshop participants-representing workshop managers, scientists, and technology developers - together to discuss current and future hydrocarbon in-situ, laboratory, and remote sensors as they apply to oil spill prevention and response. [PDF contains 28 pages] Hydrocarbons and their derivatives still remain one of the most important energy sources in the world. To effectively manage these energy sources, proper protocol must be implemented to ensure prevention and responses to oil spills, as there are significant economic and environmental costs when oil spills occur. Hydrocarbon sensors provide the means to detect and monitor oil spills before, during, and after they occur. Capitalizing on the properties of oil, developers have designed in-situ, laboratory, and remote sensors that absorb or reflect the electromagnetic energy at different spectral bands. Workshop participants identified current hydrocarbon sensors (in-situ, laboratory, and remote sensors) and their overall performance. To achieve the most comprehensive understanding of oil spills, multiple sensors will be needed to gather oil spill extent, location, movement, thickness, condition, and classification. No single hydrocarbon sensor has the capability to collect all this information. Participants, therefore, suggested the development of means to combine sensor equipment to effectively and rapidly establish a spill response. As the exploration of oil continues at polar latitudes, sensor equipment must be developed to withstand harsh arctic climates, be able to detect oil under ice, and reduce the need for ground teams because ice extent is far too large of an area to cover. Participants also recognized the need for ground teams because ice extent is far too large of an area to cover. Participants also recognized the need for the U.S. to adopt a multi-agency cooperation for oil spill response, as the majority of issues surounding oil spill response focuses not on the hydrocarbon sensors but on an effective contingency plan adopted by all agencies. It is recommended that the U.S. could model contingency planning based on other nations such as Germany and Norway. Workshop participants were asked to make recommendations at the conclusion of the workshop and are summarized below without prioritization: *Outreach materials must be delivered to funding sources and Congressional delegates regarding the importance of oil spill prevention and response and the development of proper sensors to achieve effective response. *Develop protocols for training resource managers as new sensors become available. *Develop or adopt standard instrument specifications and testing protocols to assist manufacturers in further developing new sensor technology. *As oil exploration continues at polar latitudes, more research and development should be allocated to develop a suite of instruments that are applicable to oil detection under ice.

Studies on the nutrition of brackish water catfish - Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus . 1. Preliminary investigations on the probable use of vegetable oil in catfish feeds

Four groups of brackishwater catfish were fed four diets: N.F. (NIOMR formula 1 feed), A. B. and C. for seven weeks. Feeds N.F., A., B and C. contained 1.21% fish oil + 5.59% vegetable oil; 1.21% fish oil + 7.39% vegetable oil; 1.21% fish oil + 9.09% vegetable oil; 1.21% fish oil + 10.89% vegetable oil respectively. Results of feeding trial showed that growth was best in the group fed diets containing 10.89% vegetable oil and least in those containing 9.09% vegetable oil

From the individual to the community and beyond: water quality, stress indicators and key species in coastal waters

This review examines water quality and stress indicators at levels of organisation from the individual to the community and beyond by means of three case studies concentrating on rocky shores within the north-east Atlantic. Responses of dogwhelks (Nucella) to tributyltin pollution from antifouling paints is examined as the main case study. There are effects at the individual level (development of male sexual characteristics in the female leading to effective sterility) and population level (reduction in juveniles, few females and eventual population disappearance of dogwhelks in badly contaminated areas) but information on community level effects of dogwhelk demise is sparse. Such effects were simulated by dogwhelk removal experiments on well studied, moderately exposed ledges on shores on the Isle of Man. The removal of dogwhelks reduced the size and longevity of newly established Fucus clumps that had escaped grazing. Removal of dogwhelks also increased the likelihood of algal escapes. In a factorial experiment dogwhelks were shown to be less important than limpets \{Patella) in structuring communities but still had a significant modifying effect by increasing the probability of algal escapes. Community level responses to stress on rocky shores are then explored by reference to catastrophic impacts such as oil spills, using the Torrey Canyon as a case study. Recovery of the system in response to this major perturbation took between 10-15 years through a series of damped oscillations. The final case study is that of indicators of ecosystem level change in response to climate fluctuations, using ratios of northern \{Semibalanus balanoides) and southern (Chthamalus spp.) barnacles. Indices derived from counts on the shore show good correlations with inshore sea-water temperatures after a 2-year lag phase. The use of barnacles to measure offshore changes is reviewed. The discussion considers the use of bioindicators at various levels of organisation.

Effect of crude oil and some petroleum products on Clarias Gariepinus fingerlings (Catfish: Claridae)

Ninety (90) hatchery bred fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight: 0.96 ± 0.1g) were randomly placed in 15 plastic baths (25 litres each) at the Research laboratory and were exposed to different concentrations of oil products to determine their effects on the fish, to facilitate inferential deductions that will enhance effective aquatic environmental management. Three (3) replicate basins of 5 experimental treatments (crude oil, petrol oil, kerosene oil, engine oil and control) were used at a concentration of 1.25ml. L-1. The control experiment was devoid of oil treatment. Six (6) fingerlings were placed in each replicate basin, flooded with 20 litres of clean tap water and fed with nutrafin cichilid food, 2 times daily at 3% body weight. The results showed that the feeding behaviour and swimming performances of fish were reduced after 24 hours of the addition of the various oil pollutants. Mortality of fingerlings in the oiled basins increased as the hours of exposure increased (i.e. 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours). Recovery was not immediate in the treated basin while surviving fingerlings in the control basins grew up to post-fingerlings after 90 days (3 months). There were significant differences (P<0.01 and P<0.05) in the effect of crude oil and the petroleum products on the mortality rate of C. gariepinus when exposed to oil pollutants at 1.25ml. L-1 concentration

The relationships between fish assemblages and the amount of bottom horizontal beam exposed at California oil platforms: fish habitat preferences at man-made platforms and (by inference) at natural reefs

Between 1995 and 2002, we surveyed fish assemblages at seven oil platforms off southern and central California using the manned research submersible Delta. At each platform, there is a large horizontal beam situated at or near the sea floor. In some instances, shells and sediment have buried this beam and in other instances it is partially or completely exposed. We found that fish species responded in various ways to the amount of exposure of the beam. A few species, such as blackeye goby (Rhinogobiops nicholsii), greenstriped rockfish (Sebastes elongatus), and pink seaperch (Zalembius rosaceus) tended to avoid the beam. However, many species that typically associate with natural rocky outcrops, such as bocaccio (S. paucispinis), cowcod (S. levis), copper (S. caurinus), greenblotched (S. rosenblatti), pinkrose (S. simulator) and vermilion (S. miniatus) rockfishes, were found most often where the beam was exposed. In particular, a group of species (e.g., bocaccio, cowcod, blue (Sebastes mystinus), and vermilion rockfishes) called here the “sheltering habitat” guild, lived primarily where the beam was exposed and formed a crevice. This work demonstrates that the presence of sheltering sites is important in determining the species composition of man-made reefs and, likely, natural reefs. This research also indicates that adding structures that form sheltering sites in and around decommissioned platforms will likely lead to higher densities of many species typical of hard and complex structure.

Do oil and gas platforms off California reduce recruitment of bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis) to natural habitat? An analysis based on trajectories derived from high-frequency radar

To investigate the possibility that oil and gas platforms may reduce recruitment of rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) to natural habitat, we simulated drift pathways termed “trajectories” in our model) from an existing oil platform to nearshore habitat using current measurements from high-frequency (HF) radars. The trajectories originated at Platform Irene, located west of Point Conception, California, during two recruiting seasons for bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis): May through August, 1999 and 2002. Given that pelagic juvenile bocaccio dwell near the surface, the trajectories estimate transport to habitat. We assumed that appropriate shallow water juvenile habitat exists inshore of the 50-m isobath. Results from 1999 indicated that 10% of the trajectories represent transport to habitat, whereas 76% represent transport across the offshore boundary. For 2002, 24% represent transport to habitat, and 69% represent transport across the offshore boundary. Remaining trajectories (14% and 7% for 1999 and 2002, respectively) exited the coverage area either northward or southward along isobaths. Deployments of actual drifters (with 1-m drogues) from a previous multiyear study provided measurements originating near Platform Irene from May through August. All but a few of the drifters moved offshore, as was also shown with the HF radar-derived trajectories. These results indicate that most juvenile bocaccio settling on the platform would otherwise have been transported offshore and perished in the absence of a platform. However, these results do not account for the swimming behavior of juvenile bocaccio, about which little is known.

A low-level geographic information system for coastal zone management with applications to Brunei Darussalam: Part III:: simulation and tracking oil spills

B:RUN is a low-level GIS software designed to help formulate options for the management of the coastal zone of Brunei Darussalam. This contribution presents the oil spill simulation module of B:RUN. This simple module, based largely on wind and sea surface current vector parameters, may be helpful in formulating relevant oil spill contingency plans. It can be easily adapted to other areas, as can the B:RUN software itself.

Removal of Sea Lettuce, Ulva spp., in Estuaries to Improve the Environments for Invertebrates, Fish, Wading Birds, and Eelgrass, Zostera marina

Mats (biomasses) of macroalgae, i.e. Ulva spp., Enteromorpha spp., Graciolaria spp., and Cladophora spp., have increased markedly over the past 50 years, and they cover much larger areas than they once did in many estuaries of the world. The increases are due to large inputs of pollutants, mainly nitrates. During the warm months, the mats lie loosely on shallow sand and mud flats mostly along shorelines. Ulva lactuca overwinters as buds attached to shells and stones, and in the spring it grows as thalli (leaf fronds). Mats eventually form that are several thalli thick. Few macroinvertebrates grow on the upper surfaces of their thalli due to toxins they produce, and few can survive beneath them. The fish, crabs, and wading birds that once used the flats to feed on the macroinvertebrates are denied these feeding grounds. The mats also grow over and kill mollusks and eelgrass, Zostera marina. An experiment was undertaken which showed that two removals of U. lactuca in a summer from a shallow flat in an estuarine cove maintained the bottom almost free of it.

Travel Characteristics of Marine Anglers Using Oil and Gas Platforms in the Central Gulf of Mexico

This study was designed to evaluate the travel characteristics of avid marine anglers off Louisiana in the Central Gulf of Mexico. It focuses on the complex marine travel patterns involving the extensive assemblage of oil and gas structures. In an intercept approach, marine recreationalf isherman were asked to identify near and offshore travel patterns on the day of the interview. Information was also solicited regarding how respondents selected and located fishing destinations as well as what method of fishing was undertaken that day. Petroleum platforms were a principal fishing destination, and platform anglers traveled an average distance of 75.5 km (40.7 n.mi.) to and from offshore fishing locations. In fishing an average of 6.5 platforms per trip, these anglers traveled about 21.3 km (11.5 n.mi.) between the first and last platform visited. Mean total distances for platform anglers were 96 km (51.8 n.mi). Travel distances for bay, nearshore, and bluewater anglers were also obtained.