OIL SPILLS DAMAGE more than the ocean, beaches, and marshes. Any type of wildlife caught in an oil spill is affected in some way. Some animals simply die since there is no way to help them.

Fish

Fish are severely injured during water-based oil spills. Often, these life-forms suffer the most damage of all creatures affected by an oil spill. Whether the spill occurs in fresh- or saltwater, hydrocarbons either kill or severely injure fish. Humans are helpless to save fish that are injured in an oil spill.

Petroleum will usually kill fish outright by interfering with their ability to extract oxygen from the water. But even low concentrations of oil that may not kill them outright will harm fish enough that they eventually die. Low concentrations of oil in water may harm a fish's vision, retard its growth, and damage its...