Halichoerus grypus around Skomer Island have been oiled, but none has been found dead or significantly distressed. Although there have been strandings of seals and cetaceans, none of these has directly been associated with the oil spill. There does not seem to have been any significant effect on the greater horseshoe bats Rhinolophus serrumequinum in the Castlemartin sea caves. The fate and behaviour of the oil, and the effectiveness of the clean-up A significant percentage of the oil, at least one third, will have evaporated from the sea surface. The ultimate fate of this dispersed oil needs to be assessed.
Recent samples show very low levels of total hydrocarbons in water.
The quantity of oil removed at sea and from beaches is estimated to have been a relatively small percentage of the oil that was spilled. The amount of oil trapped in inaccessible parts of the coastline and in sand and shingle beaches needs to be estimated. An independent expert will be appointed to assess the effectiveness of the clean-up operation.