A ship spilled oil in San Francisco Bay today south of the Bay Bridge, and the Coast Guard is attempting to contain it before it reaches any shorelines to minimize the risk to wildlife. But the Oiled Wildlife Care Network will respond to any reports of sea birds fouled with the oil. Just call them at 1.877.UCD.OWCN. (Thanks, @kmieszkowski)

The incident took place almost two years after the Cosco Busan struck the Bay Bridge on Nov. 7, 2007, releasing over 58,000 gallons of heavy “bunker fuel” and fouling beaches around the bay and up and down the coast from San Mateo County to Sonoma County.

His career in ruins and facing charges and a state investigation, John Cota, the pilot of the freighter Cosco Busan that struck the Bay Bridge on Nov. 7, will retire rather than try to retain his pilot’s license.

The collision spilled 53,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil and fouled the shoreline around the bay and up and down the coast.

Cota had a 1999 DUI conviction, was taking sleep medication, and misread a nautical chart though he had been a ship pilot for 27 years.

Flickr photo by Anna L. Conti