title: The iconic Torrey Canyon oil spill of 1967 - Marking its legacy.
abstract: March 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the SS Torrey Canyon oil spill and cleanup, off the Cornwall coast in the English Channel. It was the world's first major supertanker disaster. It was a signature event in the marine pollution field, especially related to oil spill response and the initiation of scientific studies of monitoring and researching the fate and effects of oil in the sea. This paper recalls this event, notes our growing understanding of marine pollution and global efforts for cleaner seas, and encourages further work on both oil and the many emerging environmental issues affecting the marine environment.
authors.affiliation: International Ocean Institute, Dalhousie University, 6414 Coburg Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: Oceans2@ns.sympatico.ca.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D004190:Disasters / Q000266:history*; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010578:Petroleum; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000266:history*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum
keywords: Coastal pollution; England; Oil pollution; Tankers