Texas’s Coastal Bend bird population can barely flap its wings after a barge and ship collided in Galveston Bay two weeks ago, coating the bay and its birds in 100,000 gallons of heavy fuel.
The Coast Guard has —an overwhelming majority of them dead—from the bay thus far. Coastal Bend Bay research scientist David Newstead? on (just southwest of the initial spill site) this week.
strong winds and high seas shifting northwest later tonight, which could be detrimental to Mustang Island’s bird population—especially the local piping plover, which is classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
“Particularly troubling [is] the ecologically sensitive area in which the birds have already been in peril from human activity,”?. Officials say residents, fisherman, and wildlife still have “at least several weeks” before the spill is entirely contained.
The Houston Ship Channel is open, and fishermen have gone back to work, but entire catches covered in oil.