Offshore Drilling’s Indelible Mark - by Oceana/Jon Frank

It’s been a sad couple of weeks since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. There was a tragic loss of marine life and there are indications that the subsequent oil spill will be the largest environmental disaster in our nation’s history. Fish species like Atlantic bluefin tuna, snapper and grouper spawn in the Gulf and the spill could seriously impact the next generation of fish. Marine mammals like whales and dolphins are vulnerable too as they must continually rise through the oil-slicked surface to breath. At this time all marine life in the gulf is in serious jeopardy.

However, in the face of all this adversity, there is hope. Volunteers are flocking to the Gulf Coast to help organizations like Mobile Baykeeper, the Audubon Society, and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Others are going to www.oilspillvolunteers.com and some people are donating hair for oil-absorbing hair-booms through www.matteroftrust.org.

Make a difference in our world’s oceans by joining a wave of change or creating your own wave. Visit Nautica Tides of Change or 360blog.nautica.com for more information about Oceana and how you can get involved.