dr. boesch. >> i couldn't agree kumar. we need better information batter ocean to make good decisions about it. since the commission did focus on the goals, i make just a few comments. first of all, we were shocked to see that it industry moved into deepwater over the last 20 years, really quite spectacular new technology. it was not the investment where government and understanding that environment. so at a time this is taking place, the investment in studies of the gulf of mexico environment were actually declining. to redress that, we recommend not only for oil and gas development, but for all kinds of energy developments around our coast, whether it's oil and gas in the alaskan arctic or wind power in the atlantic, we should have a capacitor capacity since we were just talking about energy issues to understand the environment. so our recommendation is that there should be a really modest fee if you will, recognizing the federal deficit problem to the industry, much like it would have a severance would pay for appropria

dr. boesch. >> i couldn't agree kumar.we need better information batter ocean to make good decisions about it. since the commission did focus on the goals, i make just a few comments. first of all, we were shocked to see that it industry moved into deepwater over the last 20 years, really quite spectacular new technology. it was not the investment where government and understanding that environment. so at a time this is taking place, the investment in studies of the gulf of mexico environment were actually declining. to redress that, we recommend not only for oil and gas development, but for all kinds of energy developments around our coast, whether it's oil and gas in the alaskan arctic or wind power in the atlantic, we should have a capacitor capacity since we were just talking about energy issues to understand the environment. so our recommendation is that there should be a really modest fee if you will, recognizing the federal deficit problem to the industry, much like it would have a severance would pay for appropriat

dr. boesch said that and i emphasized it. one, the seafood from the gulf now is not contaminated by oil or dispersants, but at the same time, we still don't know the full impact of the spill on the animals and on the ecosystem of the gulf, and we won't know that for some time, and even those little tiny droplets of oil that were in the water while the oil was flowing, those, even very, very small droplets can be very toxic to a fish egg or fish larva in the juvenile stages, and there's very real concern that there were impacts that we won't be seeing for a number of years. it's very hard to quantify, document, see a fish egg that was dead, and one of the legacies of the exxon-valdez spill was new knowledge about the impacts of oil on the development of fish larva, and we know they are very sensitive to oil, and so i'm putting a marker down and flagging that there are some very real concerns about long term impacts that we won't know for awhile, and that's part of the natural resource damage assessment process is to evaluate t

dr. boesch indicated that eat that up annually. i was raised in southern california but with a name like voisin, most people don't know that. but i would go to the beach in southern california and i would get tar balls on my feet because there's oil of that coast as well and there's a lot of leakage there and i've gotten them in the atlantic as well. >> yeah. yes. absolutely. the numbers mean a lot. but it's also true that the natural seeps are fairly low rate and there's a natural ecosystem around them that kind of deals with it so clearly the biologists i've talked to said this was a big hit all at once and it depends on how it sorts out. >> i agree with you. >> let me say to don, i imagine people not only care whether their safe as we all do but whether it's sustainable. and what is the overall health of seafood from the gulf. and i wonder in answering that question if you could remind us this is not the only insult that has ever happened to the gulf of mexico. >> that's exactly right, richard. we have talked thus far about the

dr. boesch said that. i think we're saying two things. one, the seafood from the gulf is not contaminated by oil or dispersants. at the same time, we still do not know the full impact of the spill on the animals and the ecosystem of the gulf. we will not know that for some time. even those tiny droplets of oil that were in the water while the oil was flowing, even very small drops can be very toxic to a fish egg or fish larva. there is very real concern that there are impacts that we will not see for a number of years. it's hard to quantify, document, see. one of the legacies of the exxon spill was a new knowledge about the impact of oil on developments of fish larva. we know that they're very sensitive to oil. there are some real concerns about long-term impact that we will not know for a while. that's part of the natural resource damage assessment, to try to evaluate that and not to say that everything is fine now because it looks ok. there's a lot we do not know. >> there were fish populations that looked just fine for a couple of year

dr. boesch said that. i think we're saying two things. one, the seafood from the spiguf is not contaminated by oil or dispersants. at the same time, we still do not know the full impact of the spill on the animals and the ecosystem of the gulf. we will not know that for some time. even those tiny droplets of oil that were in the water while the oil was flowing, even very small drops can be very toxic to a fish egg or fish larva. there is very real concern that there are impacts that we will not see for a number of years. it's hard to quantify, document, see. one of the legacies of the exxon spill was a new knowledge about the impact of oil on developments of fish larva. we know that they're very sensitive to oil. there are some real concerns about long-term impact that we will not know for a while. that's part of the natural resource damage assessment, to try to evaluate that and not to say that everything is fine now because it looks ok. there's a lot we do not know. >> there were fish populations that looked just fine for a couple of ye

dr. lubchenko. so there we are. let me turn to done boesch and say, ok, it's been a year since the oil spifment how do things look? when we saw the videos that brought back all the memories of how horrible everything looked a year ago, what's the state of the gulf right now from the position of an ocean nothing grapher? >> well, nature is a wonderful thing and it treated the oil in the organic substrait, a lot of it grew and devoured much of that oil. so as dr. lubchenko said earlier, it's no longer there. a number of issues that we need to resolve about linger effects and she also mentioned there's damage assessment, to very carefully quantify the impact. and there are lots of ongoing studies to see the degree to which those impacts are long term and are going to quickly recover. but i think in general scientists think that the gulf handled this remarkably well. specifically, though, with respect to why everyone's here tonight to enjoy is gulf seafood. as a scientist when this spill was happening and all the concern about this contamination

dr. lubchenco. so there we are. and let me start actually by turning first to don boesch and saying, okay, it's been a year since theil spill, how do things look? i mean, when we saw the videos that brought back all those memories of how horrible everything looked a year ago, you know, what's the state of the gulf right now from the position of an oceanographer? >> well, nature is a wonderful thing. and it's treated oil in the organic substrate and micro grew and devoured that oil. and as professor will you be chen co said it's no longer there. there's a number of issues that are no longer there about lingering effects and she indicated there's the natural resources damage assessment to very carefully quantify the impact and there's lots of ongoing studies and agree to which those impacts are long term. we're going to quickly recover but i think in general, as scientists thinks the gulf handled this remarkably well. significantly with respect to what everyone is here tonight to enjoy is gulf seafood. as a scientist, when this spill was happening and all the concern about this contamination problem and potential risk

dr. boesch, know what the long-term issues. it looks like as this is moving forward there is sensitivity that the final assessments include monitoring to make sure that we carry out the intended restoration that we thought. so it looks like we have made process, at least since her first hearing on the issue that that was raised immediately that they would be damaged for a long time too, that may not be quite as well defined by the time agreement are reached. but it seems like there is sensitivity among the trustees to make sure that is included in the long-term solution. so let me can complement all of you for your work, and we will look forward to continuing to work with you. with that the subcommittee will stands adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> a quick reminder that you can watch this hearing in its entirety any time online by visiting our website, c-span.org. go to the video library. going live now to capitol hill as the senate returns to resume work o on the measure is emanatg the confirmat