impacts, if they occur, are likely to be the result of oil adsorbed on 

 the particles accumulating on the bottom over a long period of time. 



Major short-term impacts will occur in the sea-surface layer, 

 especially at the shelf water/slope water front. 



For major short-term impacts, planktonic eggs and larvae of 

 canyon fauna, especially commercial species, would be most vulnerable; 

 however, the magnitude of the impact is too dependent on a specific 

 situation to quantify. 



Insufficient information exists to evaluate the possibility of impacts 

 from gas blowouts.* 



Canyons represent a large fraction of the fishing grounds for some 

 species. The 500-m setback should minimize a portion of this space 

 conflict. Anchor lines could occupy a large fraction of the preferred 

 fishing area near a canyon; however, some accommodation could be 

 achieved by industry-to-industry cooperation. 



*See also reviewer comments in Appendix A. 



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