Age dependent sensitivity of oil on fish larvae, used in assessment of potential oil pollution damages on fish resources

Abstract

Oil exploration in Norwegian waters will probably be extended further north into the Barents Sea. The Barents Sea is the nursery ground for important fish stocks spawning outside the norwegian coast, north of 62°N. Fish eggs and larvae are transported with the current systems northwards ending up as 0-group fish no longer dependent of the transportation provided by the currents. Some place between the egg/larval stage and mature fish, the fish is not longer vulnerable for oil pollution. This paper discuss the thoughts behind and the use of experiments to establish borderlines for the areas where oil pollution are likely to damage fish resources.