Oil Spill Science Seminar: Five years later, what have we learned?

March 18, 2015 from 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm

In this seminar, which is free and open to the public, scientists will present the latest fisheries-related research about the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and dispersant application on Gulf of Mexico habitats, communities, and individual species.

Speakers will include:

• Dr. Steven Murawski, a fisheries biologist and marine ecologist from the University of South Florida and former director of scientific programs and chief science advisor for NOAA Fisheries Service, will talk about health and contamination in Gulf fish. He will also talk about the impacts the oil spill had on the food web and fish populations.

• Dr. Ken Heck, chair of University Programs at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and a professor of marine science at the University of South Alabama, will discuss the impacts of the oil spill on animals inhabiting wetlands of the Alabama coast, as well as its effects on individual fish and their northern Gulf populations.

• Dr. Mandy Joye, a biogeochemist and microbial ecologist with the Department of Marine Sciences at University of Georgia, will talk about dispersants and their impacts on the food web and open ocean and coastal ecosystems.

• Dr. Tracey Sutton, an oceanic ecologist and Associate Professor at the Nova Southern University Oceanographic Center, will talk about NOAA's sampling program shortly after the oil spill which studied offshore pelagic fishes (including juvenile reef fishes), shrimps, and squids.

There will also be a short facilitated discussion to determine what questions are still unknown and to identify future research priorities. The results of the discussion will be shared with the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, which is investing $500 million in oil spill-related research over a 10-year period.

To register: If you would like to attend this seminar, it is free and open to the public. We encourage you to reserve a seat by registering at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fisheriesoilspillseminar.

The seminar will be held in conjunction with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, which has many other events and a registration fee. If you would like to attend the other events at the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, please be sure to register.

Sea Grant is organizing and leading the seminar as part of the new Oil Spill Outreach Science Program. If you have any questions about this seminar, please contact Larissa Graham with Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant at Larissa.Graham@auburn.edu or 251-348-5436.