Modification of NOAA's National Guidelines for Oiled Marine Mammal Response as a Consequence of the Macondo/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Macondo/Deepwater Horizon response was the United States' first Spill of National Significance and, as such, had significant challenges over a “normal” oil spill response effort. One complex issue in this response was the potential for a large numbers of cetaceans (dolphins and whales), manatees, and sea turtles to be impacted by the oil, as these animals were abundant in the area of oil and at great risk because of their life history, including large amounts of time spent at the surface. To address this risk and provide for response for these species, the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle (MMST) Group within the Wildlife Branch officially became operational on April 30, 2010, enhancing the operations of the pre-existing marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response network in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Throughout the response, the Group used previously-developed National Guidelines for Oiled Marine Mammal Response, drafted in 2005, to help focus animal collection and care activities in the field as well as within established facilities and to direct collection of samples and data for assessment of the impacts of the spill, with potential use by resource trustees in criminal and civil litigation. While having pre-existing, reviewed and approved protocols to refer to greatly improved response efficiency, significant gaps became apparent in this protocol document due to the challenges associated with coordination across such a complex response and the lack of previous knowledge on how oil can affect the species impacted. Since the conclusion of the MMST effort, NOAA and associated experts have revised and updated this document to institute a more robust command-and-control system within the Wildlife Branch, to better delineate roles and responsibilities for personnel involved in future oiled marine mammal responses, and to provide more detailed information to allow local regions to better prepare for recovering and caring for pinnipeds and cetaceans should they be affected. This paper will detail these changes to this aspect of the Wildlife Branch, and provide attendees a better appreciation for what readiness and training marine mammal responders will be striving towards for future responses.