The largest oil spill in United States history (40 million liters) occurred when the Exxon Valdez super tanker struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska in the spring of 1989. The oil spread throughout the Western portion of this 8,800 km 2 costal marine ecosystem before spreading to the Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak Island, and along the Kenai and Alaska Peninsulas. It covered rocky shorelines and beaches, and initially killed large numbers of birds, mammals, and marine invertebrates, including endangered and declining species. In addition, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill severely jeopardized the health and food-gathering activities of indigenous communities and commercial fishing communities of the region.