Rigs and reefs: a comparison of the fish communities at two artificial reefs and a production platform

Abstract

From the Discussion: “This project again demonstrates the utility of dual beam hydroacoustics coupled with visual survey techniques to study fish assemblages associated with standing platforms and artificial reefs…. Our results provided direct evidence that fish densities and biomass around standing oil and gas platforms are the highest per unit area of their artificial sites studied to date. We found fish density around a standing platform to be greater than the two artificial reef sites. Fish were not only more abundant around standing platforms, but also they were larger than those found in the open water habitats. Our results are in support of the findings reported by Stanley and Wilson (2000), that when a platform is converted into a artificial reef by toppling in place or by partial removal, it loses a significant portion of the fish community. Most of this “lost” portion is pelagic planktivores such as blue runner and Bermuda chub.”