Environmental impact

From an environmental point of view, given the oil spilt during the treatment operations and the importance of the beaching location as a natural heritage site, it was decided that a water, sediment and marine organism monitoring study would be conducted, as well as a study of the observable effects on the local flora and fauna. The results of this monitoring, summarised in summer 2008 by the Cefas Burnham Laboratory, indicate that the contamination of the water column, fish and marine invertebrates was relatively low, localised and temporary.
 
In terms of birdlife, around 1,900 birds were recovered on the shores from Dorset to Devon. The CEFAS report announces 306 dead birds of which 88% were guillemots (Uria aalge) and razorbills (Alca torda).  Meanwhile, oiled birds arrived on the French coasts and the Sept-Iles bird reserve was affected: 250 birds, mainly guillemots, were collected at the Ile Grande rehabilitation centre.