THE BRAER OIL SPILL

ABSTRACT The Braer oil spill caused little lasting damage to the environment. The reasons for this were the dispersability of the oil and the severe weather at the time of the spill. The bird population was relatively unscathed, and the principal economic effect was on the salmon farms in the affected area. Dispersants were used. This decision was a correct one, for, although the oil dispersed naturally, this was not known at the time. Lord Donaldson's report supported their use as the first line of defense in the UK. The command arrangements worked well, with good cooperation among all the agencies involved. Although media pressure was intense, it was generally handled very well.