Decision trees to select best response strategies after oil spill in aquatic ecosystems

Abstract

The response to spills in aquatic system include decisions that must be taken almost
immediately after the accident has been noticed, Choosing the wrong strategy can result in
larger and sometimes irreversible environmental impacts, which in turn may result in severe
socio-economic consequences, such as suspension of fishing practices in the affected areas,
impacts on tourism and recreation, etc, Every hour that passes after the accident count, since
the oil spreads and the weathering processes to begin, This process changing physicalchemical properties and limits the effectiveness of containment, chemical dispersant and in
situ burning. If the response is slow to start, dependent on the oil properties, it may sink or
reach coastal zones making the impacts even greater, including the generation of larger
amounts of oily residues to be dealt with, This paper presents strategic responses that can be
undertaken under the format of decision trees, having as the starting point the type of the oil
that has been spilled, Since the most appropriate options are dependent on various variables,
including oceanographic and meteorological conditions, the decision trees are seen as one of
many useful tools that can support decision processes after an incident takes place,