The Observer, March 2004

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Tabletop exercise in Valdez reveals a crewing gap in the fishing vessel program

A drill early this month turned up a problem with the program that relies on fishing vessels to help out with booming, skimming and other chores during oil-spill cleanups.

The problem: fishing vessel crews were contracted to work 12 to 16 hours a day, while contingency plans for cleaning up spills assumed they would work around the clock. As a result, Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. might have been unable to maintain a full-strength, 24-hours-a-day response effort during the crucial period immediately after a spill.

The gap appears to date back five or six years, from the time Alyeska revised the operating manual laying out fishing crew requirements. The problem was discovered during a three-day “tabletop” drill that ran from March 2-4. In a tabletop drill, no on-water activities take place. Instead, the participants review procedures and methods indoors, on the tabletop.

After the discovery, Alyeska contacted the regional administrators of the fishing vessel program and identified 20 alternate captains who will now be on call for spill cleanup. This means the fishing vessels can provide round-the-clock response, as required, according to Alyeska.

The state will review Alyeska’s actions to make sure its response plans comply with state law, according to Betty Schorr, a manager with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

“We’re glad they found the problem,” said John Devens, executive director of the citizens’ council. “This shows why we need drills.”