Gulf deep-pelagic fauna remains at low abundance, study finds
LIFEUnverifiedUpdated:
A study reports persistently low abundance of fish and other deep-pelagic fauna in the Gulf of Mexico. It analyzes more than two thousand net samples without establishing a causal link to the oil spill on its own.
Tracking declines through more than two thousand net samples
Researchers reported that net sampling from 2011 and 2015–2023 showed declines of 63.5% in fish, 62% in crustaceans, and 59.7% in cephalopods. They identified the Deepwater Horizon spill and associated mitigation measures as the most likely explanation after considering temperature, oxygen supply, and food, but the report does not establish causation conclusively.
The researchers collected initial net samples in 2011, shortly after the spill, then sampled again from 2015 through 2023. The supplied report does not provide a separate pre-spill baseline for comparison.
The study reportedly found a sudden, persistent decline and a sustained low-abundance state in deep-pelagic fauna, which its authors characterize as meeting criteria for an ecological regime shift.
Deep-pelagic species live in the deep water column and include animals that support marine food webs and carbon transport. The reported persistent decline would indicate a broad change in this Gulf ecosystem rather than a short-lived fluctuation.
Sources
- ScienceAlert16 Years After Deepwater Horizon Spill, Deep Sea Life in The Gulf of Mexico Shows No Sign of RecoveryRead source →