Growth and biochemical responses of the offspring of mussels directly affected by the "Prestige" oil spill

We investigated whether perturbations to growth and biochemistry, detected in Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel seed cultured after the "Prestige" oil spill (2003), were evident in its offspring (2004). Sublethal effects in the 2003 mussels or, alternatively, direct exposure to remobilization of fuel on the seabed, might have detrimental effects on mussel juveniles in 2004. However, the absence of differences in lipid composition and growth performance between mussel seed gathered from the area most affected by the spill (Pindo) and the reference population (Miranda) seems to indicate the absence of sublethal effects related to hydrocarbon exposure in the offspring of mussels directly exposed to the "Prestige" oil spill.