Oil Spill | Sitka, Alaska | March 2022
 

What Happened?

On March 21, 2022, the tug Western Mariner collided with its freight barge Chichagof Provider while traveling through Neva Strait, approximately 18 miles northwest of Sitka, Alaska. The collision pushed the tug onto the beach, resulting in a release of diesel. Within the following eight days, response efforts controlled the spill, refloated the vessel, and removed it from the site. Winds and strong tidal currents moved the released oil throughout Neva Strait and in waters to the north and south of the grounding site. Oil was observed on shorelines in Neva Strait, including on specific beaches where oil concentrated, penetrated the shoreline sediments, and persisted for over a year. Response actions included recovery of oil on water in the vicinity of the grounding, and shoreline flushing and manual agitation on beaches with persistent oiling. 

What Were the Impacts?

The oil spill impacted marine water and shoreline habitats and natural resources. The Trustees observed oil in nearshore and shoreline habitats, and samples of sediment and bivalves from these areas constrained elevated oil concentrations. The oil spill impacted intertidal invertebrates, such as mussels, clams, cockles, crabs, sea cucumbers, and sea stars. The Trustees observed marine mammals and fish swimming in and near oil, and other wildlife that used the impacted habitats may have also been affected. It is likely that the harvest and use of marine resources were disrupted as a result of the spill and associated seafood safety advisory issued by the Alaska Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation. The state and federal natural resource trustees are investigating the extent to which the incident may have harmed fish, wildlife, habitats, and human uses.

What's Happening Now? 

NRDA Preassessment Activities

Natural Resource Trustees, made up of state and federal agencies, are conducting a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) to determine if impacts to fish, wildlife, their habitats, and the human uses of these natural resources have occurred as a result of the spill. They are considering information from the emergency response to the oil spill, NRDA field assessments in March 2022, May 2022, and March 2023, and other sources. The Trustees have posted updates on NRDA preassessment activities and shared the chemistry data from environmental samples. 

The Trustees are preparing to begin the restoration planning phase of the NRDA, where they will quantify injuries to natural resources from the spill and determine the type and amount of restoration warranted to offset those harms. 

Ongoing Call for Restoration Projects

The Trustees invite the public to submit restoration concepts or project proposals that aim to protect, restore, and enhance the resources potentially impacted by the spill. These project submissions will be evaluated based on criteria established by law and the Trustees during the preparation of a draft Restoration Plan. The draft Restoration Plan will be released for public comment. The Trustees request interested entities to submit restoration project concepts or project proposals to sarah.allan@noaa.gov with the subject line “Western Mariner oil spill project proposal.”