Opinions Diverge on Effect of an Oil Spill in Channel

What would the ecological effects be of an oil spill in the Santa Barbara Channel?

“Our best guess about the future comes from the past,” says Gary Davis, a marine biologist with Channel Islands National Park. “The 1969 (Santa Barbara) spill encircled Anacapa and the eastern end of Santa Cruz Island with oil. That’s the scenario we envision.”

More than 10,000 loons and western grebes died during the spill. But since scientists had no studies that told them how many birds were there before the spill, Davis says they were unable to determine the spill’s complete toll.

“What happens to the plants and animals in the intertidal zone is less clear,” Davis says. “But hopefully we are better-prepared now. We know what’s there now and how it changes in the absence of oil. So if you add oil, we should be able to sort out what was changed.”

Biologists with both the Department of the Interior’s Mineral Management Service (MMS) and Channel Islands National Park agree that a sizable oil spill would interfere with sea life in the marine sanctuary, including the migration of whales and the nesting and breeding of other birds and animals.

But there is marked disagreement on other issues. MMS service scientists have said that sea life has coexisted for centuries with natural oil seepage from the ocean floor and that there would be no long-term effects. Other biologists say the long-term effects of oil on fish eggs and larvae may not be visible for years.

In either case, Jack Fitzgerald, chief ranger with Channel Islands National Park, says biologists don’t attempt to determine how many oak-soaked sea lions, birds or other animals would die after a spill. Instead, they focus on the effect a spill would have on each species, taking into account such things as the time of year the species breeds.

“Some things wouldn’t vary,” Fitzgerald says. “Regardless of the time of year, if (the oil) made contact with the shoreline of Anacapa, there are significant tide pools and kelp beds that would be affected.

“And of course, Anacapa for about 10 months of the year is fairly sensitive for the California Brown pelican, which is still listed as a threatened species.

“Anacapa is its primary breeding site. It’s very important for the United States.”