Did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect growth of Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico

摘要: Abstract The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil platform in 2010 released more than 200 million gallons crude into northern Gulf Mexico (GoM). Elevated levels carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were abundant upper water column throughout event. Previous research suggests that PAHs may have negatively affected fishes GoM. Our objective was to test whether contamination from DWH spill correlated with changes growth rates adult Red Snapper, Lutjanus campechanus. We fit von Bertalanffy curves and back-calculated length-at-age using data collected 2011–2013 during long-line surveys GoM on West Florida Shelf. No significant variation parameters existed among catch years; a combined-years model gave L∞, k, t0 values 82.91, 0.20, 0.43, respectively. difference between pre- (back-calculated) post-DWH curves. However, annual widths fourth, fifth, sixth increments (the dominant cohorts population) declined significantly (2010–2012) by 13%, 15%, 22%, respectively, smaller mean width each respective increment pre-spill years (2006–2009). While event related temporally declines age groups, other environmental factors (winds, temperature, river discharge) also affect growth. Accordingly, meridional (V) zonal (U) winds, sea level height anomalies (a proxy for temperature variation), Mississippi River discharge compared but none strongly age-specific (maximum Pearson’s r = 0.47). Therefore, we are unable reject hypothesis resulted rate as opposed climatic variation.