Project Information

Title: LTM Program- Marine Conditions and Injured Resources and Services 14120114

Project Year and Number: 2014: 14120114

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2022: 2222LTRM, 2021: 21120114, 2020: 20120114, 2019: 19120114, 2018: 18120114, 2017: 17120114, 2016: 16120114, 2015: 15120114, 2013: 13120114, 2012: 12120114

Principal Investigator (PI): Molly McCammon

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: None

Project Website: https://gulfwatchalaska.org/

Research Location: Prince William Sound, Gulf of Alaska

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Black Oystercatchers, Clams, Common Murres, Harlequin Ducks, Intertidal Organisms, Killer Whales, Kittlitz's Murrelets, Marbled Murrelets, Mussels, Pacific Herring, Pigeon Guillemot, Sea Otters, Sediments, Subtidal Organisms

Abstract:

In the two decades following the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS), and after extensive restoration, research and monitoring efforts, it has been recognized that full recovery from the spill will take decades and requires long-term monitoring of both the injured resources and factors other than residual oil that may continue to inhibit recovery or adversely impact resources that have recovered. Monitoring information is valuable for assessing recovery of injured species, managing those resources and the services they provide, and informing the communities who depend on the resources. In addition, long-term, consistent, scientific data is critical to allow us to detect and understand ecosystem changes and shifts that directly or indirectly (e.g. through food web relationships) influence the species and services injured by the spill. An integrated monitoring program requires information on environmental drivers and pelagic and benthic components of the marine ecosystem. Additionally, while extensive monitoring data has been collected thus far through EVOS Trustee Council-funded projects as well as from other sources and made publicly available, much of that information needs to be assessed holistically to understand the range of factors affecting individual species and the ecosystem as a whole. Interdisciplinary syntheses of historical and ongoing monitoring data are needed to answer remaining questions about the recovery of injured resources and impacts of ecosystem change. We propose to develop and implement a long-term monitoring program that meets the need for information to guide restoration activities, including data on the status and condition of resources, whether they are recovering, and what factors may be constraining recovery. The ultimate goal of the long-term monitoring program is to provide sound scientific data and products to inform management agencies and the public of changes in the environment and the impacts of these changes on injured resources and services.


Proposal: View (19,995 KB)

Reports:
Annual Report FY14: View (2,788 KB)
Final Report: See Project 16120114

Publications from this Project: None Available