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Action Group on Antarctic Fuel Spills (AGAFS)

The stricken MV Explorer sinking in Antarctic waters

MV Explorer sinking in Antarctic waters, November 2007.
Picture courtesy of IAATO.

By far the largest quantity of potential pollutants imported to the Antarctic region by people is fuel (hydrocarbon-based refined products) used by station and science operations continent-wide. Therefore, SCAR has established the Action Group on Antarctic Fuel Spills (AGAFS) to coordinate scientific advice on the fate and effect of releases of fuel in polar environments. Stimulated by the sinking of the MV Explorer, AGAFS brings together oceanographers, ecologists and other specialists to respond to requests from the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat and/or Antarctic Treaty Parties for assistance or advice related to fuel spills. AGAFS will address issues that might arise related to the fate and effects of fuel releases in Antarctica. By design, the Action Group is small in membership and it will co-opt expertise as needed, depending on the issues under discussion. AGAFS will direct, facilitate and coordinate SCAR's responses in this arena. It is expected that its activities will be largely quiescent until a specific need arises. When a need is identified or a request for advice is received,a Terms of Reference specific to the issue at hand will be developed.

Members of the Action Group

Dr Ian Snape (Petroleum hydrocarbons in Cold Regions) (Chairman)

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Coordinator - Environmental Risk and Remediation
Environmental Protection and Change Program
Australian Antarctic Division
Channel Highway
Kingston, Tasmania, 7050
Australia
Phone: +61 3 6232 3591
Mobile: 0407 532610
Email: ian.snape@aad.gov.au

Dr Michael Meredith (Physical Oceanography)

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Head of Atmosphere and Ocean Group
British Antarctic Survey
High Cross
Madingley Road
Cambridge CB3 0ET
UK
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/staff-profiles/template.php?user=mmm
Email: mmm@bas.ac.uk

Dr Marthán N. Bester (Marine Mammals)

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Mammal Research Institute
Department of Zoology & Entomology
School of Biological Sciences
University of Pretoria
Pretoria 0002
South Africa
Phone: +27-12-420-2067
Fax: +27-12-420-2534
Email: mnbester@zoology.ac.za

Dr Jon Coosen (Environmental Impacts)

Netherlands
Email: JonCoosen@proses2010.nl

Dr Kathleen E. Conlan (Environmental Impacts, Human Impacts)

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Section Head, Life Sciences
Research Scientist
Research Services
Canada
Phone: 613.364.4063
Fax: 613.364.4027
Email: kconlan@mus-nature.ca

Dr Jan A. van Franeker (Avian Biology)

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Wageningen IMARES
POBox 167
1790 AD Den Burg (Texel)
The Netherlands
Phone: +31-317.487.085
Email: jan.vanfraneker@wur.nl

Walter MacCormack (Marine Microbiology)

Argentina
Email: wmac@ffyb.uba.ar

Dr Lucia S Campos (Marine Benthic Organisms)

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Depto de Ecologia
CCS-BL "A", Av. Pau Brazil 211
Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Phone: +55 21 2562 6362/6361
Fax: +55 21 2560 5993
Email: campos-lucia@biologia.ufrj.br

Dr Vivianna Alder (Environment, Phytoplankton Ecology)

Instituto Antártico Argentino
Cerrito 1248
1010 Buenos Aires
Argentina
Email: viviana.alder@fibertel.com.ar

Dr Mercy Borbor-Cordova (Environmental Impacts)

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National Center for Atmospheric Research
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307
USA
Phone: (303) 497 8110
Fax: (303) 497 8125
Email: mcordova@ucar.edu mjborbor@syr.edu

Dr Mahlon (Chuck) Kennicutt (Oil Spill Response, Damage Assessment, Contaminant Analyses, Study Design)

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Director Sustainable Development
Team Leader, Sustainable Coastal Margins Program
Professor of Oceanography
Office of the Vice President for Research
318 C Admin Bldg., 1112 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-1112
USA
Phone: 979-458-0115
Fax: 979-845-1855
Email: m-kennicutt@tamu.edu
http://ocean.tamu.edu/Directory/ocean/kennicutt/index.html

Dr Alison Lane (Environmental Analyst)

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Maritime New Zealand
Level 10, Optimation House
1 Grey Street
PO Box 27006
Wellington
New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 494 1278
Fax: +64 4 494 1263
Email: Alison.Lane@maritimenz.govt.nz

COMNAP Secretariat

International Cooperation

The International Fund for Animal Welfare, an international charity with expertise in managing large-scale oiled wildlife events, has proposed cooperation with SCAR. IFAW offers to provide assistance and expertise to AGAFS in developing plans for oiled wildlife in the Antarctic and Subantarctic regions.

IFAW Contact: Dr. Ian Robinson, Emergency Relief Program Director (email: irobinson@ifaw.org)



Selective Bibliography

A list of publications relating to the Bahia Paraiso Incident.