over 87 days the ruptured BP well spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil
more than 200 million gallons of oil
more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico
into the Gulf of Mexico
into the Gulf of Mexico that’s according to government estimates
that’s according to government estimates
that’s according to government estimates but the true extent may never be known
but the true extent may never be known
but the true extent may never be known throughout the disaster most resources
throughout the disaster most resources
throughout the disaster most resources went to plugging the leak and cleaning
went to plugging the leak and cleaning
went to plugging the leak and cleaning up oil and from the start
up oil and from the start
up oil and from the start scientists have been gathering data on
scientists have been gathering data on
scientists have been gathering data on the spills effects on animals that live
the spills effects on animals that live
the spills effects on animals that live in the Gulf every day biologists spread
in the Gulf every day biologists spread
in the Gulf every day biologists spread out along Mississippi’s Coast and haul
out along Mississippi’s Coast and haul
out along Mississippi’s Coast and haul in special crab traps this is the front
in special crab traps this is the front
in special crab traps this is the front line and finding out what the oil is
line and finding out what the oil is
line and finding out what the oil is doing to blue crabs to try and find
doing to blue crabs to try and find
doing to blue crabs to try and find larval crabs particularly blue crabs
larval crabs particularly blue crabs
larval crabs particularly blue crabs they come in from offshore and when
they come in from offshore and when
they come in from offshore and when they’re ready to molt they’ll be looking
they’re ready to molt they’ll be looking
they’re ready to molt they’ll be looking for a substrate where they can hide and
for a substrate where they can hide and
for a substrate where they can hide and molt so that they’ll be safe when
molt so that they’ll be safe when
molt so that they’ll be safe when they’re soft and not be eaten
they’re soft and not be eaten
they’re soft and not be eaten researchers have been doing these
researchers have been doing these
researchers have been doing these surveys for several decades and daily
surveys for several decades and daily
surveys for several decades and daily for 11 years so they can compare this
for 11 years so they can compare this
for 11 years so they can compare this year’s populations with previous years
year’s populations with previous years
year’s populations with previous years the teams bring dozens of the traps back
the teams bring dozens of the traps back
the teams bring dozens of the traps back to the Gulf Coast research lab they are
to the Gulf Coast research lab they are
to the Gulf Coast research lab they are rinsed to wash out organisms sheltering
rinsed to wash out organisms sheltering
rinsed to wash out organisms sheltering in the fibers of the trap then it’s to
in the fibers of the trap then it’s to
in the fibers of the trap then it’s to the lab for sorting the day’s catch and
the lab for sorting the day’s catch and
the lab for sorting the day’s catch and taking what amounts to a crab census
taking what amounts to a crab census
taking what amounts to a crab census blue crabs are a keystone species which
blue crabs are a keystone species which
blue crabs are a keystone species which means they’re important predators and
means they’re important predators and
means they’re important predators and they’re important prey we may see a
they’re important prey we may see a
they’re important prey we may see a diminished population levels for maybe a
diminished population levels for maybe a
diminished population levels for maybe a year or so but we don’t see fishery
year or so but we don’t see fishery
year or so but we don’t see fishery failure while Perry says it appears blue
failure while Perry says it appears blue
failure while Perry says it appears blue crab numbers are down this year they
crab numbers are down this year they
crab numbers are down this year they can’t be sure until they take their last
can’t be sure until they take their last
can’t be sure until they take their last sample in October Perry says the crabs
sample in October Perry says the crabs
sample in October Perry says the crabs life cycle presents serious risks the
life cycle presents serious risks the
life cycle presents serious risks the animal spawns near shore and then the
animal spawns near shore and then the
animal spawns near shore and then the tiny larvae head out to sea and pass
tiny larvae head out to sea and pass
tiny larvae head out to sea and pass through several stages before returning
through several stages before returning
through several stages before returning to settle along the coast
to settle along the coast
to settle along the coast they were in waters that were heavily
they were in waters that were heavily
they were in waters that were heavily impacted by the oil spill and the spring
impacted by the oil spill and the spring
impacted by the oil spill and the spring spawn was on the larvae grounds and so
spawn was on the larvae grounds and so
spawn was on the larvae grounds and so we’re interested in seeing how they may
we’re interested in seeing how they may
we’re interested in seeing how they may have been affected it appears that they
have been affected it appears that they
have been affected it appears that they did pick up dispersed oil droplets
did pick up dispersed oil droplets
did pick up dispersed oil droplets beneath their shell when they were
beneath their shell when they were
beneath their shell when they were offshore the lab runs a crab hatchery
offshore the lab runs a crab hatchery
offshore the lab runs a crab hatchery and is closely comparing development of
and is closely comparing development of
and is closely comparing development of crab
crab
crab that have and haven’t been exposed to
that have and haven’t been exposed to
that have and haven’t been exposed to oil we’re running a little experiment
oil we’re running a little experiment
oil we’re running a little experiment now where we’re taking some of the mega
now where we’re taking some of the mega
now where we’re taking some of the mega lo P that have the droplets and we’re
lo P that have the droplets and we’re
lo P that have the droplets and we’re holding them in small dishes and and
holding them in small dishes and and
holding them in small dishes and and watching them go through their molds and
watching them go through their molds and
watching them go through their molds and and they are molting and and my guess is
and they are molting and and my guess is
and they are molting and and my guess is that they would lose those droplets back
that they would lose those droplets back
that they would lose those droplets back to the environment when they molt to
to the environment when they molt to
to the environment when they molt to that first crab stage this study is
that first crab stage this study is
that first crab stage this study is coordinated through the University of
coordinated through the University of
coordinated through the University of Southern Mississippi and funded by the
Southern Mississippi and funded by the
Southern Mississippi and funded by the National Science Foundation Perry says
National Science Foundation Perry says
National Science Foundation Perry says scientists likely won’t know the extent
scientists likely won’t know the extent
scientists likely won’t know the extent of the environmental damage for years
of the environmental damage for years
of the environmental damage for years since some impacts can be slow and
since some impacts can be slow and
since some impacts can be slow and subtle and the oil exposure may not end
subtle and the oil exposure may not end
subtle and the oil exposure may not end for a long time I don’t think this is
for a long time I don’t think this is
for a long time I don’t think this is something that’s going to be easily
something that’s going to be easily
something that’s going to be easily discernible and those chronic effects
discernible and those chronic effects
discernible and those chronic effects may not show up for for several years
may not show up for for several years
may not show up for for several years though government officials say Gulf
though government officials say Gulf
though government officials say Gulf seafood is safe for human consumption
seafood is safe for human consumption
seafood is safe for human consumption it’s still unclear how safe the Gulf is
it’s still unclear how safe the Gulf is
it’s still unclear how safe the Gulf is for its animals
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