Seabird survey on the coast of Kenai Fjords during the Exxon-Valdez oil spill
Vequist GW and Nishimoto M. 1990. Seabird survey on the coast of Kenai Fjords during the Exxon-Valdez oil spill. Natural Resources Final Report. Alaska Region. Anchorage, AK
This report documents the relative abundance, species composition, and local distribution of sea birds immediately before and after arrival of oil from the Exxon Valdez spill of 24 March 1989. Bird and mammal surveys were conducted by boat 31 March-8 April 1989 and 17 April-3 May 1989. The authors found it difficult to accurately determine the percent decrease these populations sustained from the spill as 1) comparisons of the two April counts were influenced by an influx of migratory birds and colonial nesting birds, 2) observed mortality does not reliably indicate actual mortality, and 3) no baseline data exists for April for the Kenai Fjords.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Vequist, Gary; Nishimoto, Mike
- Date of Issue
- 1990
- Publisher
- Alaska Region
- Units
- KEFJ , SWAN
- Keywords
- Abundance, Birds, Chiswell Islands, Distribution, Exxon, Exxon Valdez, Harris Bay, Kenai Fjords, Kenai Fjords National Park, Landbird Bibliography, Marine Mammals, McCarty fjord, Oil Spills, Pollution, Population, Pye Islands, Sea Birds, Seabirds