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Poole Harbour: Seahorse Trust calls oil spill 'massive disaster' Poole Harbour oil spill: Shellfish sales warning issued
(about 9 hours later)
Seahorses are frequently spotted in Poole Harbour Perenco said previously the leak was "quickly stopped and contained"
An oil leak in Poole Harbour is a "massive disaster" for seahorses in the UK, a conservation charity has said. Shellfish producers in and around Poole Harbour have been advised to halt sales because of possible contamination from oil.
The warning from the Seahorse Trust comes after 200 barrels of reservoir fluid leaked from a Perenco pipeline at an onshore oil field on Sunday. About 200 barrels of reservoir fluid leaked from a pipeline at an onshore oil field in Dorset on Sunday.
The group said the ecological impact would likely be long-term and the matter "should not be taken lightly". Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) said the clean-up operation had so far collected 1.5 tonnes of oil sediment.
Perenco UK said it was aware of its responsibilities to return the area to its original state. The pipeline's owners, Perenco, said approximately 60% of the estimated discharged oil had been recovered.
The harbour in Dorset is home to both spiny and short-snouted seahorses - the only two types of the small marine fish found on UK shores. It said the location of the leak had been identified but the cause was still being investigated.
Neil Garrick-Maidment, executive director of the Seahorse Trust, told the BBC: "There is an east-west drift with the current so, if the oil is coming out of Poole Harbour, it is going to drift west into Studland Bay, which is internationally the most important site for spiny seahorses for breeding." The company stated that the pipeline had been thoroughly inspected fewer than 10 months ago.
He said the biodiversity and ecological network in the area was "phenomenal and all interconnected", meaning higher-than-normal volumes of oil in the water were a "nightmare". PHC, which oversees activities in the harbour, said shellfish harvested there since Sunday should not be sold.
"This oil leak is, to be honest, a massive disaster," Mr Garrick-Maidment added. It said the advice would remain in place until further notice.
The commissioners again urged people to avoid recreational activities in the harbour, including bathing.
They said the clean-up operation had also recovered 14,000 litres (3,000 gallons) of oil-water mix.
Earlier, a conservation charity described the leak as a "massive disaster" for seahorses in the UK.
The Seahorse Trust said the harbour was home to both spiny and short-snouted seahorses - the only two types found on UK shores.
The Seahorse Trust said the leak was a "massive disaster"
Executive director Neil Garrick-Maidment said: "There is an east-west drift with the current so, if the oil is coming out of Poole Harbour, it is going to drift west into Studland Bay, which is internationally the most important site for spiny seahorses for breeding.
"We don't know really to what extent it has caused damage yet but like all oil leaks, once the oil settles down on to the seabed it forms these little pebble things and then every time there is a storm it just re-pollutes basically, it flushes it back up again and you get more pollution.""We don't know really to what extent it has caused damage yet but like all oil leaks, once the oil settles down on to the seabed it forms these little pebble things and then every time there is a storm it just re-pollutes basically, it flushes it back up again and you get more pollution."
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) expressed concern over contamination to migratory fish, particularly young Atlantic salmon and sea trout, which are at the start of their sea-bound migration from the rivers Frome and Piddle that flow through Poole Harbour.
Aerial footage shows a large boom across Poole Harbour the day after the leakAerial footage shows a large boom across Poole Harbour the day after the leak
Aerial footage shows a large boom across Poole Harbour the day after the leakAerial footage shows a large boom across Poole Harbour the day after the leak
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) expressed concern over the contamination on migratory fish, particularly young Atlantic salmon and sea trout, which are at the start of their seabound migration from the rivers Frome and Piddle that flow through Poole Harbour.
The National Trust said it was also "carefully monitoring the situation", citing particular concern for the harbour's largest island.The National Trust said it was also "carefully monitoring the situation", citing particular concern for the harbour's largest island.
"Brownsea Island is a part of an internationally important wetland and marine conservation zone, and is a haven for wildlife, including oystercatchers and sandwich terns," a spokesperson said."Brownsea Island is a part of an internationally important wetland and marine conservation zone, and is a haven for wildlife, including oystercatchers and sandwich terns," a spokesperson said.
"We remain seriously concerned about the impacts of the spill on wildlife populations and the varied habitats they depend on.""We remain seriously concerned about the impacts of the spill on wildlife populations and the varied habitats they depend on."
The harbour is a feeding and breeding ground for seabirds, including avocets
Poole Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and about 5,000 acres of it is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).Poole Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and about 5,000 acres of it is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The clean-up operation is ongoing following Sunday's oil leak
Perenco previously said each barrel contained 158 litres (35 gallons) of fluids that were made up of 85% water and 15% oil.Perenco previously said each barrel contained 158 litres (35 gallons) of fluids that were made up of 85% water and 15% oil.
A containment and clean-up operation was launched by Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC), which regulates activities in the harbour. A PHC spokesperson previously said it had received reports of oiled birds but there had been no known fatalities.
A PHC spokesperson said it had received reports of oiled birds but there had been no known fatalities and that monitoring was ongoing to assess the impact on habitats. The government has said it intends to launch an investigation.
The government has said it will launch an investigation.
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