Long term consequences of oil spillage and coastal sensitivity

The investigation of a number of oil spills has led to the development of an index which ranks coastal environments in terms of potential oil spill sensitivity. After the AMOCO CADIZ oil spill, this system [called the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI)] was expanded to include additional data necessary for spill response and contingency planning. The ESI presently incorporates: a) Geomorphic criteria - a ranking of shoreline habitats based on shoreline type, exposure to physical processes, sediment grain size, and relative sensitivity of resident organisms. b) Biological resources - indicating areas of sensitive coastal wildlife, including data on species distribution, ecological type, and seasonality. c) Socioeconomic inputs - identifying areas of high socioeconomic importance. d) Spill response - recommending locations of staging sites, deployment strategies, and equipment needs. This information is presented on a set of easily readable topographic maps, usually 1:64,000 or 1:24,000 scale.