From Seattletimes · · 1m 10s
Marine life drops 60% after BP oil spill
BP oil spill caused marine life to drop 60% in Gulf of Mexico for years.
In brief
BP oil spill caused marine life to drop 60% in Gulf of Mexico for years. Marine life in Gulf of Mexico declined 60% after BP oil spill, with no recovery by 2023. Originally reported by Seattletimes.
Marine life plummeted 60%
A study found marine animals dropped 60% in Gulf of Mexico years after BP oil spill.
“We saw this big decline”
Fish and crustaceans fell 63.5% and 62%
Fish populations dropped 63.5% from 2011 to 2015, crustaceans fell 62%.
No recovery by 2023
Populations haven’t recovered, with slight rises in 2022 and 2023 that weren’t statistically significant.
Twilight zone study
Researchers studied the twilight zone, where most marine life feeds, using nets and sonar.
Oil spill caused decline
Oil spill is the most likely cause of marine life decline, as other factors didn’t change.
“The event that did was the oil spill”
Krill and lanternfish dropped
Krill populations dropped 72%, lanternfish fell to a third of their original numbers.
Deep ocean connections
The Gulf’s ocean is connected from top to bottom, with animals moving between depths.
Whales and dolphins dropped 83%
Whales and dolphins dropped 83% in Gulf of Mexico after spill, according to 2024 study.
In short
Marine life in Gulf of Mexico declined 60% after BP oil spill, with no recovery by 2023.
