Deepwater Horizon spill linked to 60-85% drop in Gulf deep-sea species
A study finds that deep-sea animal populations in the Gulf of Mexico have fallen between 60% and 85% since 2011, likely tied to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
A team led by Tracey T. Sutton of Nova Southeastern University analyzed deep-sea fauna in the northern and eastern Gulf of Mexico, uncovering a dramatic reduction of 60% to 85% in animal numbers between 2011 and 2015. The findings, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, link the decline to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, ruling out natural phenomena as primary causes. Key groups such as krill (Euphausiacea) and lanternfish showed the steepest drops, threatening the carbon cycle and the food supply for tuna, whales, dolphins, and seabirds.
Genetic assessments of three lanternfish species indicated a loss of genetic variation, confirming both population and genetic impacts. The study incorporated data up to 2023, highlighting that low abundances of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods have persisted for more than a decade.
Why it matters
The collapse of foundational deep-sea species threatens marine ecosystems and the larger food web dependent on them.
In this story
