The Effects of Oil and Chemical Spillages at Sea

At sea around England and Wales, in an average year there can be 10–12 oil and chemical spillage incidents which require action to be taken, and occasionally a major spill may trigger monitoring studies and local controls on fishing activity. This paper discusses the scope of such incidents and their consequences by reference to two particular incidents; the loss of a container of the pesticide lindane from MV Perintis in the English Channel in 1989, and the grounding of the oil tanker Sea Empress in Wales in 1996 and the consequent oilspill. The latter of these incidents is also compared with the loss of the tanker Braer in Shetland in 1993.