Influence of Offshore Platforms on Marine Fish Ecology

Moderator: Ann Scarborough Bull
Email: ann.s.bull@mms.gov

Date: Monday, September 12, 2005
Time: 1:20 pm to 5:40 pm
Location: Hilton Denali

The symposium presents research on the influence that offshore platforms may exert on the ecology of marine fish. There are more than 7,000 offshore platforms found on continental shelves throughout the world. It is hypothesized that platforms increase, improve, and/or diversify habitat, enhance and protect resources where fishing is limited, modify regional assemblages of organisms, or concentrate existing resources. Sixteen platforms are active in Alaskan State waters and research is on-going to observe trends in Arctic cisco abundance and to evaluate factors that influence their population variation. Remote sensing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in conjunction with modeling is being used to identifying overwintering habitat for several Alaskan amphidromous species. In the Gulf of Mexico where platforms have the longest history and the highest density, their number now exceeds 4000 in Federal waters alone. Their large numbers and the habitat that they provide are thought to play a role in fisheries production within the Gulf. Off the coast of California there are 27 platforms with some standing in record depths. It is surmised that west coast platforms provide a protected environment for depleted rockfish species and that some rockfish remain at platforms throughout their lives acting as an important source for local, if not regional, populations. The emplacement of offshore platforms has likely influenced marine communities and the objective of this Symposium is to connect recent information as to the how and why these structures may be influencing marine fish ecology across the United States. The symposium is valuable to AFS members and participants in that it will present on-going research and greatly expand our knowledge of the impacts and relationship between man-made offshore structures, the marine ecosystem, and fisheries.

Link to list of presentations in this symposium

Sponsor(s):

US Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service