Effects of Dispersed Oil on Larval Sheepshead Minnows

The sheepshead minnow is a good indicator species to access the impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on the Mississippi estuarine community. Studies using the water accommodated fraction retrieved from mixtures of water, COREXIT® 9500 and crude oil found decreases in hatching success and larval growth rates in sheepshead minnows. This presentation will discuss the impact of the dispersed oil on growth and reproduction dynamics in sheepshead minnow.