(4) directed or opportunistic studies should be done to: 

 (a) test and evaluate possible alternative methods for 

 avoiding oiling and for capturing, handling, cleaning, and 

 rehabilitating oiled sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, 

 and fur seals; (b) determine how various species behave in 

 the vicinity of spilled oil and containment/clean-up 

 operations; and (c) determine whether various species are 

 more or less likely to eat oil-contaminated or 

 uncontaminated prey; and 



(5) long-term (5-, 10-, 20-year) studies must be designed and 

 carried out to determine: (a) the chronic, long-term 

 effects of the spill on various species and key components 

 of their habitat; (b) how the spill affected the demography 

 and reproductive capacity of the various species; and 



(c) the manner and rate that the affected species and 

 habitats recover from the impacts of the spill and 

 associated activities. 



While these comments were deemed applicable to all marine 

 mammals, the Commission noted that the species most likely to be 

 affected by the oil spill was the sea otter, which depends on fur 

 for insulation. The Commission noted that research carried out 

 in 1985 by a Minerals Management Service contractor indicated 

 that oil-contaminated sea otters can be effectively immobilized 

 for cleaning. However, because cleaning removes natural as well 

 as foreign oils, cleaned otters must be dried, kept warm, fed, 

 and given veterinary care to prevent or treat hypothermia, shock, 

 and secondary disease, particularly pneumonia. The Commission 

 further noted that these study results suggest that animals must 

 be kept in holding facilities for at least one to two weeks 

 before release to insure a reasonable probability of survival. 



In addition to the fact that the restraint and cleaning 

 techniques being used had not previously been tested under field 

 conditions, the Commission pointed out there were other 

 uncertainties as well. It was not known, for example, whether 

 oiled otters were likely to remain in oil-contaminated areas, 

 haul out on land, or attempt to find and move to oil-free areas. 

 It also was not known whether oiled otters could be captured 

 effectively using standard capture techniques before they were so 

 debilitated that successful rehabilitation would be unlikely; 

 whether there was some critical time period after which 

 rehabilitation efforts were likely to be unsuccessful; and 

 whether otters that died as a result of oil contamination were 

 likely to be found hauled out on remote beaches, floating in the 

 water, or not found at all. Consequently, the Commission pointed 

 out that there was no basis for predicting what proportions of 

 oiled otters were likely to be found, either dead or alive, or 

 for predicting what capture, cleaning, and rehabilitation 

 techniques most likely would be successful. 



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