Fish assemblages at oil and gas platforms, compared to natural hard/live bottom areas in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

From the Abstract: “There are approximately 3,000 oil and gas platforms in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Estimates of platform contribution to hard surface substrate in this region run as high as 28 percent. Natural hard-bottom areas in the northwestern region comprise one-third of the natural hard substrate within the entire Gulf of Mexico. Comparisons of fish assemblages between natural hard-bottom reefs and oil and gas platforms are difficult due to natural variaility of the fishes associated with each habitat. The density and deiversity of fishes associated with either natural structures or platforms are large determined by location and influenced by environmental factors. In general, fishes are classified as transient or resident. Resident fishes depend directly upon hard substrate communities for food and/or cover. Transient fishes use reefs or platforms as reference points and may feed upon resident fish associated with the structure…Increases of commercial fish landings from the central and wetern Gulf are in part attributable to the increase in hard substarte provided  by oil and gas platforms. It is estimated that oil and gas platform constitute 11 perent of the snapper habitat now being fished in the central and wester Gulf.”