Oil found on seafloor

Scientists who were aboard two research vessels studying the Gulf of Mexico oil spill's impact on sea life have found substantial amounts of oil on the seafloor. The oil was in samples dug up from the seafloor in a 140-mile radius around the site of the well, said Kevin Yeager, a University of Southern Mississippi assistant professor of marine sciences. He was the chief scientist on the research trip, which ended last week. (Source: USA Today, 10/24/10) Previous story of oil found on seafloor

More federal waters opened

Another 7,000 square miles of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico has been reopened to commercial and recreational fishing. That leaves just four percent still closed as a result of this summer’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the latest opening is 60 miles east of the well site, between the Florida-Alabama state line and Cape San Blas, Fl. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 10/22/10)

Oyster farming finds new importance

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. - Scientists at Auburn University’s Shellfish Laboratory on Dauphin Island find their work has new significance in the wake of this summer's oil spill. Oyster farming is popular in other parts of the U.S., but was never found economically viable in coastal Alabama. Now, Auburn's Shellfish Lab is working with volunteers and leading experiments to see if such farming can be a money maker. A demonstration at Point aux Pines near Bayou La Batre may show a way. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/18/10)

Scientists optimistic about funding

Gulf Coast university researchers are optimistic about getting a fair share of the $500 million in grant money to study the effects of the oil spill. Experts from the Gulf Coast are most familiar with the ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico and could add a lot to the studies, said Denis Wiesenburg, vice president of research at the University of Southern Mississippi. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a consortium of the five Gulf states, will administer $500 million in grants that BP committed over 10 years. A board of scientists will manage the study effort, known as the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. BP and the alliance will each choose half of the board members. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/14/10)

Infinity science center taking shape

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – The Infinity Science Center, an interactive facility begin built near Stennis Space Center along Interstate 10, is beginning to take shape. Work began May 3 near the Welcome Center in South Mississippi not far from the state line with Louisiana. The building is scheduled to be finished in August. About 90 percent of the steelwork is up and 80 percent of the concrete is done. A "topping off" will be celebrated in the next few weeks. Backers are still raising some $2 million for the $12 million interactive exhibits. Infinity will highlight ocean, space and earth science through fun exhibits at the center. It's expected to open in the spring of 2012. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/10/10)

90 percent of federal waters now open

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week reopened to commercial and recreational fishing another 2,927 square miles of Gulf of Mexico waters off eastern Louisiana. This is the eighth reopening in federal waters since July 22 in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. No oil or sheen has been documented in the area since July 31. The remaining closed area now covers 23,360 square miles, or about 10 percent of the federal waters in the Gulf. (Source: NOAA, 10/05/10)

Oil spill impact: Signs looking good?

Some of the researchers most familiar with the northern Gulf of Mexico say the ocean looks like it should as fall begins, but they agree it could be years before any losses related to this summer's Deepwater Horizon oil spill become apparent. "Working from the grand caveat that most of the information we have is anecdotal and suggestive," said Monty Graham, a biologist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, "it does not appear that there are large pools of oil running around on the bottom, wreaking havoc." (Source: Mobile Press Register, 10/03/10) Earlier last week, a NOAA scientist said more than 30,000 samples taken in the Gulf of Mexico show the Gulf is recovering from the spill. Janet Baran, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist who is co-leading the subsurface oil monitoring program, said samples taken in about 10,000 locations in shallow to deep water, as well as the ocean floor, show no visible signs of oil. Oil content of the samples is now being described as being in parts per billion rather than million, representing a thousand-fold decrease in the amount of oil in the water, she said. (Source: Mississippi Press, 09/30/10)