Recursos Marinos y Pesquerías

Scientific response to the Prestige oil spill (Marine Policy)

07/05/05 ,

J Freire, L Fernández & R Muiño (2005). Role of the
Spanish scientific community in the initial assessment and management of the
environmental damages caused by the Prestige oil spill. Marine Policy (in press, May 2005). [pdf]

The role of the Spanish scientific community in the initial
assessment of the environmental and socioeconomic damages caused by the Prestige
oil spill is analyzed. A discussion of the reasons for the failures in the
response of the scientific community is presented, highlighting that despite
the existence of adequate human capital and infrastructures, failures were
related to the weakness of the structures and organisational capacity of the
scientific institutions and the public administration. Some developments for an
effective response to future catastrophes are proposed: 1) oceanographic and
ecological models, including scientific and local knowledge; 2) management
systems for scientific information; 3) organisational and incentive systems to
allow the creation of temporary, large and well-organised multidisciplinary
teams; 4) protocols for rapid, “real-time”, damage assessments; and 5)
participation of different social groups (NGOs, fishers’ organisations,
aquaculture industry or volunteer groups) in plans for the assessment and
management of crises.