In 1996 we surveyed the fishes living on and around seven offshore oil platforms in the Santa Barbara
Channel area. We conducted belt transects at various depths in the midwater and around the bottoms of each
Between 1995 and 2002, we surveyed fish assemblages at seven oil platforms off southern and central California using the manned research submersible Delta. At each platform, there is a large horizontal beam situated at or near the sea floor.
Platforms were important fishing locations for the
sportfishing party vessel surveyed. About 18% of its
total fishing time and 17% of the total catch occurred
around the platforms. This compares with about 21%
Temporal and spatial (depth) patterns of shell growth were studied in the mussel Mytilus edulis in relation to water temperature and potential food availability, at an offshore oil platform, Holly (ARCO), in the Santa Barbara Channel, Californ
Van der Stap, T., J. W. P. Coolen, and H. J. Lindeboom
From the Abstract: "Offshore platforms are known to act as artificial reefs, though there is on-going debate on whether this effect is beneficial or harmful for the life in the surrounding marine environment.
