American Trader

Summary

• LOCATION: Huntington Beach, Orange County
• DATE: February 7, 1990
• INCIDENT SUMMARY: The oil tanker American Trader ran over its anchor, puncturing its hull and spilling an estimated 416,598 gallons of crude oil.
• RESPONSIBLE PARTY: British Petroleum, Attransco, Golden West Refining Co.
• NATURAL RESOURCE TRUSTEES:
  • Recreational Component: California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Department of Parks and Recreation; City of Newport Beach, City of Huntington Beach; Orange County.
  • Biological Component: California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife; United States Fish and Wildlife Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• RESOURCES IMPACTED: Birds (3,400 estimated killed); fish; recreational beach use.
• SETTLEMENT DETAILS: The case was divided into two components: recreational impacts and biological impacts. The recreational component of the case went to trial, where a jury award was eventually settled for $11.6 million. The biological component of the case was settled out of court for $3.45 million for bird and fish-related injuries, plus an additional $360,000 for water monitoring projects.
• STATUS OF RESTORATION:
  • Recreational Component: Projects completed. Select the Back Bay Science Center link below to see one of the completed projects.
  • Biological Component: Projects completed.

Available Documents

• Final Restoration Plan (PDF)(opens in new tab)

Administrative Record

• NOAA DIVER Site(opens in new tab)

Restoration Project Monitoring Reports

• Grebe Colony Protection
  • Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for Breeding Western and Clark's Grebes in California. Gary Ivey, 2004(opens in new tab)
  • 2005 Grebe Colony Protection Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2006 Grebe Colony Protection Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2007 Grebe Colony Protection Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2008 Grebe Colony Protection Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2009 Grebe Colony Protection Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2010 Grebe Colony Protection Report - Clear Lake (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2010 Grebe Colony Protection Report - Thermalito Afterbay (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2010 Grebe Colony Protection Report - Lake Almanor/Eagle Lake (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2012 Grebe Colony Protection Report – Clear Lake (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2012 Grebe Colony Protection Report – Lake Almanor/Eagle/Davis/Antelope Lakes (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2012 Grebe Colony Protection Report – summary of all lakes (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • Grebe Protection at Clear Lake 2012 Video (part 1)(opens in new tab)
  • Grebe Protection at Clear Lake 2012 Video (part 2)(opens in new tab)
  • 2013 Grebe Colony Protection Report – summary of all lakes (PDF)(opens in new tab)
• Pelican Roost Site Atlases
  • Northern and Central California Atlas (PDF)(opens in new tab) and Appendix (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • Southern California Atlas(opens in new tab)
• Sandpiper Pier (Bird Island), Santa Barbara
  • 2006 Sandpiper Pier (Bird Island) Report (PDF)(opens in new tab)
• Anacapa Island Rat Eradication Project
  • 2003 Final Report Xantu's Murrelet Radar Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2005 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2006 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2007 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2008 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2009 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • 2010 Final Report Xantus's Murrelet Nest Surveys (PDF)(opens in new tab)
  • Overall Final Report Xantus’s Murrelet Response to Rat Eradication (PDF)(opens in new tab)

External Links

• Back Bay Science Center(opens in new tab)
• Achieving Balance: Anacapa Island Ten Years After the Removal of the Black Rat, 4 minutes (YouTube)(opens in new tab)
• Achieving Balance: Anacapa Island Ten Years After the Removal of the Black Rat, 15 minutes (YouTube)(opens in new tab)
• Restoring Balance: Removing the Black Rat from Anacapa Island, Part 1, 10 minutes (YouTube)(opens in new tab)
• Restoring Balance: Removing the Black Rat from Anacapa Island, Part 2, 10 minutes (YouTube)(opens in new tab)
• Restoring Balance: Removing the Black Rat from Anacapa Island, Part 3, 8 minutes (YouTube)(opens in new tab)

Contact

Michael Anderson
Michael.Anderson@wildlife.ca.gov
(916) 375-6672