PREFACE 



The grounding of the kvgo Merchant on Nantucket Shoals off the coast of 

 Masachusetts on December 15, 1976, and the subsequent discharge of oil during 

 the breakup of the vessel resulted in one of the largest oil spills off the 

 shores of the United States. The resulting oil spill occurred in one of the 

 most productive fishing grounds of the world and threatened to be a major 

 disaster not only to the marine ecosystem but also to the livelihood of our 

 fishermen. In response to this potential disaster were brought to bear the 

 talents and resources of Federal and State organizations and private institu- 

 tions in an unprecedented effort to determine the movement and behavior of the 

 spilled oil and to assess its impact upon the marine ecosystem. 



We are just now establishing the initial assessment of the oil spill upon 

 the area of Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals and the resources of that area. 

 It is a complex ecosystem. 



This report presents the available results from the investigations 

 carried out to date by the many groups involved in the initial assessment of 

 the distribution of the Argo Merchant oil spill and its impact. For the many 

 Federal, State, and private activities requiring information about the oil 

 spill and its consequences the report is intended to provide a unified summary 

 of the studies that are being or have been carried out, the types and distri- 

 bution of data, and such analyses and results as are now available. 



The results which are included within the report are mostly those of the 

 individual investigators and groups that responded to the Argo Merchant 

 incident. Many of them must be considered preliminary, particularly with 

 respect to the impact upon the fishery resources of the area, and must await 

 further study. However, we already have gained a much greater understanding 

 of the behavior of oil spills and their impact upon the ecosystem so as to be 

 better able to respond to such incidents in the future. 



I would like to express my appreciation to the many individuals who 

 dedicated long and hard hours, often under extremely adverse conditions, 

 addressing this serious threat to our environment and valuable resources. 



