Oil pollution toxicity to marine fish increased scientific knowledge on the specific effects of oil pollution toxicity to marine fish. Focused research on oil pollution toxicity to fish began in earnest in 1989, after the "Exxon Valdez" tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska and spilled approximately 11 million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding water. At the time, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was the largest in the history of the United States. There were many adverse ecological impacts of the spill including the loss of the loss of billions of Pacific herring and pink salmon eggs. Pacific herring were just beginning
SS Wafra oil spill SS Wafra oil spill The SS "Wafra" oil spill occurred on 27 February 1971, when SS "Wafra", an oil tanker, ran aground while under tow near Cape Agulhas, South Africa. Approximately 200,000 barrels of crude oil were leaked into the ocean. The larger part of the ship was refloated, towed out to sea, and then sunk by the South African Air Force to prevent further oil contamination of the coastline. "Wafra" left Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia on 12 February 1971 bound for Cape Town, South Africa, with a cargo of (63,174 tonnes) of Arabian crude oil on board. Half