Weeks Bay info on the Oil Spill

[Colleen McCue]

Hey Everyone,
Here is an email I recieved from the Ed Coordinator at Week's Bay
that I would like to share with you. I've also uploaded a presentation
from Grand Bay. Hope its helpful!

Colleen

Hi Colleen,
I am sorry to say that there is really nothing that volunteers can
do concerning the oil spill clean-up efforts. What people need to
understand is that BP is in charge/paying for all clean-up activities.
We as Reserve employees had to attend a 4hr. training, put on by a BP
contractor several weeks ago. This training we received only allows us
(environmental professionals) to pick up tar balls (with a shovel) off
beaches. We were told that anyone who does not have the proper
training would not be allowed into the "hot zones" (areas where the
weathered oil is) because they do not want the public to come in
contact with the oil for safety reasons. We took the training so that
we would be allowed in the "hot zones" when/if the oil gets into our
marshes. We were told not to touch any oiled wildlife to call the
1-800 oiled wildlife number which has been shown on TV and in the
every newspaper in our area.
What no one has bothered to explain to the public is the reasons
why they do not want "untrained" people doing anything. #1. BP does
not want any additional law suits filed against them because someone
got injured doing anything that relates to the oil spill clean up.
#2. The number of unemployed people in our area is enormous.
Unemployed people from our area are being trained by BP contractors,
once trained, they are being hired to assist with all aspects of the
oil spill clean up efforts. This is a good thing. #3. It takes weeks
and/or months to be trained to handle and/or clean wildlife of any
kind, not to mention the vaccinations handlers must have. These
animals are extremely stressed and must be captured and handled by
professionals so that additional stress and/or harm is not done to
them. The organizations that are dealing with oiled wildlife are being
coordinated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These animals may be
used as evidence and therefore must be handled in specific ways (even
dead animals). In addition many of the species which are turning up
oiled are federally protected (dolphins, sea turtles, birds etc....)
and anyone caught with a federally endangered species (dead or alive)
in their possession without the proper licenses can be prosecuted.
The only thing that I know of that people from your area can do is
donate to non-profit organizations in our area. Our friends group, the
Weeks Bay Foundation www.weeksbayfoundation.org , is taking donations
that will be used with oil spill efforts as needed. Some of the money
may be used by our Baldwin County Grasses in Classes Program to
purchase salt marsh and dune plants and materials to be used in
restoration efforts. We were doing restoration projects, with high
school students, prior to the oil spill and we will continue our
efforts. There are also other organizations such as the Institute of
Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport MS who are dealing with sea turtles
(not marine mammals) and other marine mammals that have been effected
by the spill. You can find information about what they need at www.IMMS.org.
Unfortunately they have had about a hundred Kemps Ridley sea turtles
that have come in since the oil spill . Most of these turtles were
already dead. Although most did not appear to have oil on them, the
necropsies revealed that many had drowned (shrimp nets without TEDs?)
and many had fish hooks in their digestive system. The abundance of
fish hooks may be due to the turtles coming in shore to try and find
food. Bait on the end of a hook looks very good to a hungry sea
turtle.
Luckily, as of today, no oil has entered Weeks Bay NERR. Even with
the mouth of Weeks Bay triple boomed, I feel that it is only a matter
of time before it enters the Bay. When/if it gets into the marshes
then several methods may be used to clean it up. I recommend that you
Google " Effects of the oil spill on marshes" on YouTube. This is a
very good video (10 minutes in length) that was put together by Dr.
Irv Mendelssohn (sp?) from LSU. The video explains, in an easy to
understand way, the scientifically proven methods that may be used. I
will try to find and send you some frequently as questions and
answers, compiled by Dr. Sharon Walker, about the oil spill, Sharon is
a veteran marine educator and has put together this information just
for teachers. NMEA Scuttlebutt has had some oil spill information and
lesson plans that might be helpful as well.
I am sorry that I do not have more information, but we do not have
any prior experience dealing with such an event and we are learning as
we go. Just keep your fingers crossed that we do not get any tropical
storms or hurricanes this summer. Good luck with your TOTE workshop!

Smiles,
Margaret Sedlecky
Ed. Coordinator
Weeks Bay NERR