PREFACE 



An Oil Spill Response Workshop was held in Metairie (New Orleans), Louisiana, 

 from 15 to 17 February 1977 to improve the Service's capability and effective- 

 ness in responding to oil spills. The workshop was cosponsored by the Office 

 of Migratory Bird Management and the Office of Biological Services, Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. 



This workshop was designed for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel, 

 primarily our regional and field-level oil spill coordinators, who are called 

 upon to make sound decisions on oil spill incidents. The objectives of the 

 workshop were: 



• To discuss overall Service responsibilities, capabilities, and 

 procedures in responding to spills; 



• To disseminate current information concerning biological impacts 

 of oil on wildlife, techniques for minimizing impacts, and other 

 information essential for developing an effective response by the 

 Service to oil spills; 



• To present views of other agencies and organizations on their role 

 in responding to oil spills and their relationship to the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service; and 



• To critique the recently drafted oil spill contingency plan of the 

 Service and assist in preparing a final plan. 



The Proceedings are papers presented at the workshop. Most of the papers 

 were prepared from the author's manuscripts, while some were adapted from 

 edited transcripts. In all cases, the content of the papers reflects material 

 presented at the workshop. 



Following the technical sessions, the participants were divided into 

 six smaller groups to more effectively review and to make recommendations 

 on various sections of the Service's preliminary draft of the oil spill con- 

 tingency plan. Later, the group leaders presented their findings and recom- 

 mendations to the entire audience for discussion. Because of the lengthy 

 discussions and space limitations, their comments were not included in the 

 Proceedings, but the group's recommendations were incorporated in the Service's 

 final plan. The Office of Migratory Bird Management was responsible for 

 developing the updated plan for the Fish and Wildlife Service. 



Administrative assistance for the workshop and for preparing the Proceedings 

 was provided by Robert H. Harwood and staff, Gulf South Research Institute, 

 Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 



Workshop coordinators were Wilbur N. Ladd, Office of Migratory Bird 

 Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C; and Paul L. 

 Fore, National Coastal Ecosystems Team, Office of Biological Services, U.S. 

 Fish and Wildlife Service, NSTL Station, Mississippi. 



Editor 

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