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Beached Marine Mammals Beached
whales and schools of porpoises can be particularly disturbing because
we often do not know what has driven these wonderful mammals ashore. There
are a number of marine rescue organizations that have had some success
in recent years in saving these sea creatures, but many are still doomed
to die because of viruses or other diseases. Disposal of dead animals,
especially the large carcass of a full-grown whale, is problematic because
the Coast Guard is only responsible for animals floating in the water
where they are a hazard to navigation. Oil Spills Oils spills result in defilement of beaches and can cause widespread mortality of sea life, including fish and birds. Some of these oil spills are the result of careless ship operators or shipwrecks during storm activity. The Valdez oil spill in 1989 stands out as one of the worst such disasters where a tanker grounded offshore, releasing millions of gallons of crude oil in the Alaskan waters. Fortunately the number of oil spills has greatly diminished in recent years because of a concerted effort by the industry and the Coast Guard to prevent such occurrences. The technology to clean up such spills is also improving, but no beach is immune from this peril.
We would like for you to be a "Beach Buddy" and supply us with information about what's happening along your shoreline. Please send us an email at with pertinent information and include color digital images (if possible) of any occurrences at your beach. |
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Red
tides are a particularly troubling problem for beaches, particularly in
warm-water areas like Florida. Red tides are caused by an explosion in
the population of marine algal, which can cause the ocean water to turn
red or brown because of the sheer numbers of these organisms in the water.
The huge concentration of organisms can deplete the water of oxygen, causing
massive fish kills, which wash ashore and pile up on nearby beaches. Some
red tides are toxic and can infect shellfish, making them poisonous if
eaten. The piling up of such algal material on the beach can release toxins
into the air, which are carried onshore by the sea breezes. They can affect
the health of local residents and vacationers, causing flu-like symptoms
and other breathing problems especially for asthmatics. Red tides seem
to be increasing in their number, and new coastal areas are being subject
to these dreaded occurrences. While pollution, especially nitrogen and
phosphate enrichment of coastal waters from urban and agricultural runoff,
is often blamed for this increasing trend, definitive cause and effect
relationships have still not been scientifically established.