Predicting recreational fishing use of offshore petroleum platforms in the central Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

With ever-increasing recreational fishing demands on natural habitats, artificial reefs provide an effective means for delivering additional opportunities for marine and freshwater fishermen. The study is based on the premise that properly to site artificial reefs for optimal human recreational use, a predictive model based upon the marine travel patterns and behaviour of marine recreational fishermen is needed. The study investigated the recreational user patterns of selected petroleum platform structures in the Central Gulf of Mexico. The petroleum structures offshore from the Louisiana coastline provide a unique research tool. Although intended to facilitate the exploration and recovery of hydrocarbons, petroleum platforms also serve as artificial reefs, providing habitat for numerous species of fish and other marine life. Petroleum platforms were found to be the principal fishing destinations within the study area. On-site findings were used to assist in the development of a model to predict the number of recreational craft at a study platform. Several variables were found to be useful. They include: distance between the closest launch site and a study platform; the number of platforms associated with the study platform; the number of platforms situated between the closest launch site and the study platform; and the number of launch sites likely to be used in reaching offshore platforms. The age, size, colour and depth of water at a platform were found to be poor predictors of platform visitation.”