Florida Sea Grant Oil Spill Resources

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, One Year Later: NOAA Research scientists have taken advantage of opportunities to study and learn from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. What they learned not only helped guide the response to Deepwater Horizon, but also will be applicable to oil spills that may take place in the future.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill had dramatic short- and long-term implications for Florida’s (and the rest of the United States’) coastal resources. Florida Sea Grant assembled this page as a master list of oil spill-related resources relevant to Florida residents, business owners and visitors. This page is updated as new or updated information becomes available, so please bookmark it and come back often. The update dates for each article are listed in parentheses after the article description.

Resources from Florida Sea Grant

Bioremediation of Oil Spill Damage: Workshop held on Aug. 31, 2010, in Pensacola Beach. Scientists and resource managers with expertise in treating coastal wetlands affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will meet to consider multiple aspects of using bioremediation to restore the environment. The report from the workshop is now available online.

A NOAA photo of a band of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

Finding Economic Relief: This page has information on making damage claims with BP and the federal government. The page also has information on State and Federal programs designed to provide economic assistance to those affected by the oil spill. (7/20/2010)

Helping Oiled Wildlife: What Seems Helpful Can Be Harmful: (5/25/2010)

Vessels of Opportunity Program: BP is contracting vessels to help with the response. Vessels are required to be commercial or charter fishing vessels, registered in the state in which they will be put to work, and registered within that state as a commercial vessel prior to March 31, 2010. (6/22/2010)

Exercise Caution when Making Legal Decisions Related to Damages from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Since the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, law firms seeking clients for litigation related to the oil spill have been advertising their services throughout Florida and the Gulf region. This advisory has information that every Florida citizen should know before making any legal decisions related to damages related to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. (6/10/2010)

Frequently Asked Questions about the Oil Spill and Seafood Safety: Many people have questions about the oil spill’s effects on seafood. Sea Grant has put together this page with answers to some of those common questions. You can also call the Florida Seafood Availability Hotline at 1-800-357-4273 for more information, or visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Seafood Information Page: http://www.fl-seafood.com/. (6/11/2010)

Training and Volunteer Opportunities: While only paid, trained workers will be allowed to handle oil, there are still opportunities for citizens to get involved with the recovery efforts. This page has information on reporting oil sightings, volunteering, participating in the Vessels of Opportunity program, finding cleanup-related employment, and offering services as a wildlife professional or paraprofessional. (7/20/2010)

Selected NOAA Oil Spill Fact Sheets: NOAA has produced many fact sheets with valuable information about the oil spill and its effects on (7/21/2010)

Preliminary Vessel Decontamination Information: This page contains preliminary plans for decontaminating vessels.(6/11/2010)