Public Affairs Detachment |
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| Press Release | Date: 18 January, 2005 Contact: PADET LA |
| Coast Guard Assists in Cleaning Oiled Grebes (Feature Story) |
| Los Angeles- As the torrential rain subsided in Southern California, the first of over a thousand lifeless Western Grebes began washing up on the shores of Ventura County, Calif. Marine Safety Office Detachment Santa Barbara, MSO L.A./Long Beach and the California Department of Fish and Game joined forces to recover the birds that remained oiled, yet alive, and investigate the source that oiled them. “We worked with the MSO and the Coast Guard Auxiliary in doing over flights and shoreline assessments as well as taking samples for testing from natural seeps located at sea,” said Chief Petty Officer John Lazader. “So far the oil from the birds has matched, but that oil has not matched any known natural seeps or other reported incidents.” Along with the investigation, there is still a need to rehabilitate the birds that are recovered alive. “All together we had a terrific volunteer turn out, over 125 people volunteered at the peak of the incident and we have 30 people remaining to wrap things up,” said Rob Hughes, a Department of Fish and Game public affairs officer. Members from Integrated Support Command San Pedro also volunteered time cleaning and rehabilitating the oiled birds. “We volunteered to help clean birds because we felt the need to lend a hand and to assist in the efforts to helping these animals and their environment,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Claude Bovell, a food service specialist at ISC San Pedro who assisted in the cleanup and recovery efforts. “They are in need of our help and we plan on volunteering more of our time if needed in the future.” The California Department of Fish and Game has recovered over 1,500 oiled Grebes. “Unfortunately the turn around for the bird has not gone so well, out of the 1,500 birds recovered, 1,172 of them have been found dead and only 158 birds have been released into the wild alive,” said Hughes. Some of the Grebes released back into the wild were outfitted with bands to check and monitor the mortality rate of the previously oiled birds. “We’ll be able to check on the birds as they are re-gathered or in worse case scenarios die and monitor their progress in their own habitat,” said Hughes.
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