US Gulf 'Dead Zone' To Expand This Year; BP Spill Effect Unclear

28th Jun 2010 16:31

CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone" is expected to be larger than average this year, although scientists said it's unclear what effect the BP (BP, BP.LN) oil spill will have. The dead zone, technically called the "hypoxic zone," is an area with little or no oxygen that scientists say is largely caused by agricultural fertilizer runoff, which fuels rapid algae growth that ultimately chokes off the oxygen supply. A team of scientists supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the area could measure between 6,500 and 7,800 square miles, an area roughly the size of New Jersey. That would be higher than the average of 6,000 square miles during the past five years, but below the 2002 record of 8,484 square miles, NOAA said in a press release. The scientists said it was unclear what impact, if any, the BP oil spill would have on the dead zone. Bacteria will break down the oil, consuming oxygen in the process, which could make the zone larger. But at the same time, the oil could limit algae growth, said R. Eugene Turner, professor of oceanography at Louisiana State University. "It is clear, however, that the combination of the hypoxic zone and the oil spill is not good for local fisheries," Turner said. -By Ian Berry, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-341-5778; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 28, 2010 11:31 ET (15:31 GMT)