Mussel bed restoration and monitoring. Exxon Valdez oil spill restoration project 95090: Final report
Many mussel beds in the spill area, particularly those on soft sediment, were not cleaned immediately after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Surveys documented the geographic extent (primarily Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula) and intensity of oiling. Hydrocarbon concentrations declined naturally from 1992--1995 in some, but not all beds. Distribution of oil in sediments was related to tidal elevation, depth, and grain size. Oil concentration in mussels correlated with that in sediment. Mussel condition was adversely affected by oil; prevalence of digestive gland metaplasia, brown cells, and hemocytic infiltrates in gonads increased, and storage cell abundance decreased. However, some physiological responses (byssal thread production, condition index, feeding rate, or glycogen content) in mussels contaminated 3--4 years were not correlated with oil concentration. Bed restoration caused immediate reductions in oil concentration in surface sediment, but these sediments were later partially recontaminated by remaining oil. Restoration efficacy was less evident in mussels; concentration declined in one-half of the beds after restoration, but density declines were similar in untreated reference beds.
- Research Organization:
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Auke Bay Lab., Juneau, AK (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 698657
- Report Number(s):
- PB-99-168882/XAB; TRN: 92701933
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: DN: See also PB96-194709.; PBD: Dec 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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