Heavy tar ball deposition along Veraval coast in July, 1985

Abstract

During late June, 1985, tar balls were seen washed ashore and in the first week of July, after the spring tide, the entire coast line of Veraval was strewn with large quantity of tar balls. large sized lumps were found with dense growth of epizoic goose barnacle Lepas sp. (60-135 Lepas/tar balls) ranging from 2 to 14.5 mm suggesting that these tar balls have been around long enough to become a substratum. Interestingly, associated with the tar balls were white. Since no tanker accidents were reported along Gujarat coast and the quantity of tar balls is too large to account for any intertidal discharges or natural seepages, it is probable that these tar balls had arisen as a consequence of increased tanker traffic which passes from the Persian Gulf across the Arabian Sea and thus causing an environmental concern to the people associated with the marine activities at Veraval.