the formation of mousse might have been prevented. At the time, the Amoco Cadiz incident resulted in the largest loss of marine life ever recorded from an oil spill. Mortalities of most animals occurred over the two months following the spill. Two weeks following the accident, millions of dead molluscs, sea urchins, and other bottom dwelling organisms washed ashore. Diving birds constituted the majority of the nearly 20,000 dead birds that were recovered. The oyster mortality from the spill was estimated at 9,000 tons. Fishermen in the area caught fish with skin ulcerations and tumors. Some of the fish caught in the area reportedly had a strong taste of petroleum. Although echinoderm and small crustacean populations almost completely disappeared, the populations of many species recovered within a year. Cleanup activities on rocky shores, such as pressure-washing, also caused habitat impacts. The Amoco Cadiz spill, the largest in history at that point, was one of the most studied; many studies remain in progress in the early 21st century. It was also the first spill in which estuarine tidal rivers were oiled. No follow-up mitigation existed to deal with asphalt formation and problems that resulted after the initial aggressive cleanup. Additional erosion of beaches occurred in several places where no attempt was made to restore the gravel that was removed to lower the beach face. Many of the affected marshes, mudflats, and sandy beaches, were low-energy areas. Evidence of oiled beach sediments can still be seen in some of these sheltered areas. Layers of sub-surface oil still remain buried in many of the impacted beaches. Culture The Amoco Cadiz and its spill features in one of Steve Forbert's songs about oil pollution. Speedy J has a song named "Amoco Cadiz" on his album A Shocking Hobby. French popstar Alain Barriere had a disco hit in France with a song called "Amoco". Footage of the incident appeared in the film Days of Fury (1979), directed by Fred Warshofsky and hosted by Vincent Price. Legal claims In 1978, it was estimated to have caused US$250 million in damage to fisheries and tourist amenities. The French government presented claims totalling 1.9 billion French francs to US courts (using the 1978 exchange rate and with interest added this came to at least US$1.6 billion). In 1984, US District Court Judge Frank J. McGarr held that Amoco was liable for damages when he issued his trial verdict,