GoM tuna’s habitat damaged by spill

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted the Atlantic bluefin tuna’s spawning habitat in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a joint report from Stanford University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Four million barrels of crude oil was spilled into the Gulf could have near- and long-term impacts on the population. The spill occurred during peak spawning season when eggs and larval fish are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors. The study was published in Nature: Scientific Reports. Although the spill encompassed only a small proportion of those spawning grounds, researchers report the potential for a significant impact on eggs and larval bluefin tuna in the GoM. Researchers concluded that the oil-spill impacts, combined with multiple stressors of ocean warming and fishing pressure, could make it more difficult for this unique population to rebuild. (Undercurrent News 10/12/16)