M/V Kuroshima

State TrusteeState of Alaska
Federal TrusteeDepartment of Commerce
AO Bureau

Also Known As

Incident Type

Oil

State

Alaska

Case Status

Restoration

Location

Summer Bay, Unalaska Island

Authority

OPA

Contaminants of Concern Include

Oil

Affected DOI Resources Include

Migratory Birds, Threatened and Endangered Species, Anadromous Fish

Case Description

On November 26, 1997, the M/V Kuroshima, a 370-foot refrigerated cargo vessel owned by Kuroshima Shipping, S.A., broke away from its anchorage in Summer Bay on Unalaska Island, near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. While the vessel was attempting to move to a safer anchorage, winds reported to be in excess of 100 knots blew the freighter into Second Priest Rock, damaging several of the vessel's fuel tanks. The vessel subsequently ran aground on the shore of Summer Bay. Two crewmen were killed in the incident and approximately 39,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil were spilled. Much of the oil was blown upstream into Summer Bay Lake, which borders Summer Bay, with the remainder stranding along the shoreline of Summer Bay Beach and nearby Humpy and Morris Coves. High winds also blew oil onto the dunes and contaminated vegetation and an archaeological site. It was estimated that at least 2,000 birds were killed. Other natural resources impacted included shellfish, other intertidal biota, and several species of salmonid fish. Recreational uses of these natural resources were also impaired. Cleanup activities continued for approximately two years.

M/V Kuroshima hard aground at Summer Bay Beach, December 1997, Credit: US Coast Guard


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 Document TypeDocument NameDocument Date

Agreement

 MOA/MOU T/V Kuroshima MOA  

Assessment

 Restoration Monitoring Report POST-FOX REMOVAL WILDLIFE SURVEYS AT AVATANAK ISLAND, ALASKA IN 2007 10/31/2007
 Restoration Implementation Report Pre-Fox Removal Wildlife Surveys at Avatanak Island 06/01/2002
 Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment Restoration Plan 04/01/2002
 Assessment Plan Shellfish Sampling 02/01/1998

Settlement

 Consent Decree Consent Decree 05/22/2002
 

No publications have been entered for this case.

Map View

Case Contact

Alaska FWS Regional Office

1011 East Tudor Road, MS 361, Anchorage, AK, 99503 | (907) 786-3866 | https://www.fws.gov/alaska/

Case Trustees

AO Bureau
Federal TrusteeDepartment of Commerce
State TrusteeState of Alaska

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