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FV Juan Gabriel

Resources at Risk for Cape Charles & Vicinity, Chesapeake Bay, VA  
I.	Spill Source Information
This report was prepared at 14:00 EDT on 1 July 1998.  Information in the report is based
on the assumption that up to 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel could be released during
salvage of the sunken F/V JUAN GABRIEL, located just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge &
Tunnel at 37 03.3 N and 76 05.6 W.

II.	Geographic Region Covered
The area covered in this report includes roughly a four mile radius around the vessel
location, and extends eastward to the Cape Charles shoreline.  Shoreline areas from Old
Plantation Creek south to Fishermans Island, as well as the lower portion of Magothy Bay
(up to Skidmore Island) are also covered in this report.  This area does not necessarily
correspond to actual or potential oil locations.  Consult other Hotline reports for oil
location information.

III.	Expected Behavior of the Spilled Material
Diesel is considered a light oil, and has the potential to stain shorelines it comes into
contact with, physically contaminate biological resources such as birds occurring at or on
the water surface, and cause acutely toxic water column impacts to fish, invertebrates,
and other marine and estuarine resources.

IV.	Shoreline Resources at Risk
Outer exposed shorelines from Old Plantation Creek to Smith Island are mainly coarse-
grained sand beaches, many of which are fronted by exposed tidal flats. Exposed shorelines
of Fishermans Island, located at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, are mainly fine-grained
sand beaches. In more protected waters, fringing and extensive tidal marshes occur, and
both sheltered and exposed tidal flats are present, along with smaller areas of coarse-
grained sand beach.  Specific areas with marshes include Old Plantation Creek, Elliots
Creek, and Magothy Bay, including the sheltered sides of Cape Charles, Fishermans Island,
and Smith Island.

The diesel may stain or form greasy high tide rings on the sand beaches , and could also
penetrate beach sediments. Oil may move back and forth across the flats with the tides,
but water saturated sediments on the flats may prevent oil penetration.  Oil may stain or
form greasy bands on the marsh vegetation, and could stress or even kill the plants if
enough oil were present.  Marsh vegetation impacts would be greater if diesel penetrated
or became mixed into the marsh sediments.  The tidal flats, and especially the marshes,
have the greatest oil sensitivity due to high biological use and the difficulty of
protection and cleanup.

V.	Biological Resources at Risk
	Fish
Fish present in the area include shad, alewife, herring, Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose
sturgeon, striped mullet, menhaden, bluefish, spot, weakfish, sea trout, black sea bass,
drum, American eel, croaker, striped bass, flounder, and various other species. Many of
these fish are commercially or recreationally important, and the shortnose sturgeon is
listed as threatened or endangered.  Spawning activity may be occurring at this time of
year, and certain marine and estuarine species may spawn along the edges of deeper
channels, such as where the vessel is located. Juveniles of many of the estuarine fish use
shallow nearshore areas with marshes, flats, and submerged aquatic vegetation as nursery
areas.  Fish kills would be expected in the vicinity of the vessel should an instantaneous
release occur, and could be more severe if spawning adults are in the area.  Diesel which
accumulated in shallow nearshore nursery areas could also injure or kill large numbers of
juvenile fish.

	Shellfish
Commercially and recreationally important invertebrates and shellfish in the area include
blue crabs, hard clams (quahogs), soft-shelled clams, and oysters.  Critical Habitat areas
for blue crabs are located just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel (Hwy. 13) and
in the vicinity of Smith Island Inlet and adjacent waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  Major
shellfish beds for oysters and soft-shelled clams are located in Magothy Bay.  Impacts to
shellfish would be similar to those described for the fish, with kills likely in the
vicinity of the vessel during a release, and possible impacts in juvenile nursery areas.
Sessile shellfish (oysters, clams) can concentrate contaminants when feeding and may
experience sublethal impacts or tissue tainting, even if severe contamination does not
result.

	Birds
Birds present in the area include black ducks, blue-winged teal, mallard ducks, double-
crested cormorants, brown pelicans, wading birds (herons, egrets, ibis, etc.), shorebirds
(including piping and Wilsons plovers), gulls, and terns (including black skimmer, gull-
billed terns, least terns), bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and osprey.  Specific nesting
sites or areas include: Fishermans Island (herring gulls, royal tern, various wading birds
and shorebirds); Smith Island (gull-billed terns, royal tern); and Skidmore Island (common
tern).  Bald eagles also nest somewhat inland from the coast from Old Plantation Creek
south to "Pond Drain".  Osprey may also nest in the area, possibly on Smith Island or in
other locations.  Several of these birds are state and or federally listed species.
Threatened and endangered (or otherwise protected) species may include: brown pelicans,
piping plovers, Wilsons plovers, black skimmer, gull-billed terns, least terns, bald
eagle, and peregrine falcon.

Birds such as pelicans, cormorants, and some types of waterfowl may be at greatest risk
during oil spills because they spend a large amount of time on the water surface or in the
water.  Other types of birds can also become oiled, especially if oil comes ashore or into
shallow nearshore areas.  Waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and other species can also
become contaminated through contact with oiled marsh vegetation. Other species such as
bald eagles, peregrine falcon, and gulls may be attracted to sick or injured prey and may
feed on oiled fish, shellfish, birds, etc.  Terns and osprey can be oiled when diving for
prey.

Oiling of birds reduces the buoyancy, water repellency, and insulation provided by
feathers, and may result in death by drowning or hypothermia.  Preening of oiled feathers
may also result in ingestion of oil resulting in irritation, sickness, or death.  Bird
oiling, particularly waterfowl and wading birds, may continue even after the floating oil
slicks have been removed, depending on the extent of oiled vegetation.  Oiled adult birds
can often contaminate their nests, eggs and/or young, resulting in complete nest failure
or reduced nesting success.

	Mammals
It is not known if marine mammal concentration areas occur in the region covered in this
report. It is very possible that dolphins occur in the area.  It is not known if dolphins
would be at risk during a spill of this size, but impacts would not be likely to be
severe.  Semi-aquatic fur-bearing mammals such as muskrat, river otter, mink, and raccoon
likely occur in marsh areas.  Oil contamination of the fur of these species results in
impacts similar to those described for the birds.

	Reptiles
The threatened and endangered loggerhead sea turtle can occur throughout the area covered
in this report.  Oil impacts to sea turtles are not well known, although irritation and
infections of the skin and mucous membranes are reported to occur following oiling.
Severe impacts to sea turtles would not be expected unless turtles were present in the
vicinity of the vessel during a release, or if they surfaced through a major slick to
breathe.

	Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) consisting of eelgrass, shoal grass, wigeon grass
and/or other SAV beds may occur  in shallow areas covered in this report.  SAV is reported
to occur specifically in and around Old Plantation Creek.  Intertidal grass beds are at
greatest risk during spills.  Diesel could stress or kill SAV it came in contact with,
although it is possible that only the above-ground portions of the plants would be lost,
and that these would resprout from below-ground rhizomes.  In addition to the plants,
large numbers of small invertebrates and fish are usually associated with SAV, and may be
at high risk from acutely toxic components of the oil, whether or not the grass beds are
directly impacted.


VI.	Human-Use Resources at Risk
Management areas occurring in the vicinity include Fishermans Island National Wildlife
Refuge (USFWS), Smith Island Nature Conservancy Preserve (TNC), and further into Magothy
Bay, the Mockhorn Island Wildlife Management Area.