Preparedness for oiled wildlife incidents is best achieved by having in place:

• a national oil spill response plan or pollution response plans at all relevant administrative levels that allow an immediate effective and centrally coordinated response to an oil pollution incident at sea.
• a dedicated oiled wildlife response plan that is optimally integrated in the oil spill response plan(s), which allows for the unfolding of specific activities that aim to prevent the oiling of animals where possible and deal responsibly with animals if and when they arrive on the shores. Equipment, facilities, expertise and manpower are pre-identified so that they can be quickly mobilised as part of an oiled wildlife response.
• a well designed training and exercise programme that aims to train key individuals for the specific roles that have been identified in both plans, and to practice and improve these plans.