Study Finds Deep Gulf Ecosystem Still Reeling From Deepwater Horizon
A new study finds that deep-water animal populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico fell by 60 to 85 percent after the Deepwater Horizon blowout and show little recovery. Krill and lanternfish, key food-web species, were among the hardest hit, and genetic bottlenecks may further slow the ecosystem’s rebound. The researchers say the widespread loss could also impair the ocean’s ability to carry carbon dioxide into the deep sea.
The blowout occurred at a BP-operated Transocean rig about 50 miles southeast of the Mississippi Delta on April 20, 2010. The explosion and fire killed 11 workers and led to the biggest accidental offshore oil release in history.
Over 87 days, roughly 4.9 million barrels of oil and 7.7 billion cubic feet of fossil gas escaped from the broken well nearly a mile below the surface. Authorities also permitted 1.84 million gallons of chemical dispersants. The PNAS study tracked a 60–85% drop in deep-water animals over three and a half years, with krill and lanternfish especially affected.
The findings may heighten concern among Gulf fishing and coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on marine food webs, and could inform restoration spending and damage assessments. Because deep-sea organisms help move carbon downward, continued losses may affect how the ocean regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide, with long-term implications for climate and fisheries management. The study could also shape debate over emerging deep-sea mining by showing how little is known about baseline conditions.