Reducing marine pollutants
Whenever there is a hazardous spill in the ocean or a bay, everyone should be concerned and know which steps to take to preserve our environment. Even a little spill can cause major problems.
Fish, Birds, and Mammals
According to the National Response Center oil and fuel spills harm fish and wildlife. Fish and shellfish larvae are extremely sensitive to even small amounts of petroleum products. Even one gallon of used oil dumped in one million gallons of water will kill half of all exposed Dungeness crab larvae. Birds impacted by oil spills may suffer long term effects including breeding problems. Otters and other mammals lose their insulation when coated with oil and suffer hypothermia lung, liver, and kidney damage.
Please, no chemicals!
Liquid detergents are often used to "get rid of" spilled oil. This practice is illegal and environmentally damaging. Detergents are dangerous pollutants and can be toxic to fish even at extremely low concentrations.
Oil mixed with detergent can coat the gills of fish and cause respiratory difficulty or suffocation. A small amount of detergent can severely harm birds. They lose their ability to stay warm and dry.
Prevention is the key
To prevent oil and fuel spills, take the following steps:
* Avoid over fuelling your vessel or any spare tanks.
* Keep your engines well tuned. Check fuel and hydraulic lines regularly
* Recycle your used oil and oil filters. Oil spilled from one small engine (4-6 quarts) can produce an 8 acre slick.
Place an oil absorbent pad or pillow (available at most marine supply stores) in your vessel's bilge. Use oil absorbent materials to clean up spills.
Never use detergents.
Report all spills
The National Response Center at (800) 424-8802 (NRC) is the national point of contact for reporting oil, chemical, radiological and biological discharges. They treat each call as a 911 service for environmental incidents. All calls are then communicated to the National Response Team for planning and coordinating the clean up. Finally a Federal on-scene coordinator is called in to assess the damage and make recommendations.