Assessment and analysis of the shoreline sensitivity to oil spills in the north-west coast of Morocco (Assilah-Larache)

Abstract

The marine ecosystem is controlled by complex and interdependent biogeochemical and biophysical mechanisms with a high species biodiversity and distribution. The marine parts of coastal areas is characterized by a high concentration of activities such as fishing, aquaculture, maritime transport, exploitation of renewables and leisure activities. Considering the increasing humans interests in using energy and also their dependence on them, there is high risk of an oil spill occurrence. This act can be qualified as accidental or intentional. After an oil spillage, it‟s frustrating to decide which region should be protected first and which one is more sensitive to oil. The NOAA‟S ESI is an efficient tool for the shorelines classification basing on their sensitivity to oil. Since coastal vulnerability assessment is important to anticipate oil spills. It involves environmental and socio-economic parameters. The purpose of this work is to elaborate both an environmental sensitivity index (ESI) map and a global vulnerability map by applying a multidisciplinary approach to assess, analyze and identify areas most sensitive to oil spills in a pilot region located between Assilah and Larache with the objective of a future application in the Strait of Gibraltar and surroundings. The identification of the different factors that influence and control the degree of sensitivity in the study area provides to possibility to build a map by combining the use of remote sensing and GIS. The obtained results shows a huge different in terms of sensitivity to oil depending on each geomorphological units characteristics.