| MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES | ||||||
| MMS OCS Region: | Pacific | |||||
| Title: | Fish Assemblages Associated with Platforms in Areas Where Data Are Non-Existent or Limited | |||||
| Actual Costs: | $670,000.00 | Period of Performance: | FY2005-2008 | |||
| Conducting Organization: | University of California-Santa Barbara (Contact: Milton Love) | |||||
| MMS Contact: | Dr. Ann.S.Bull | |||||
| Description: | ||||||
| Background | ||||||
| It is recognized that knowledge of fish assemblages inhabiting OCS facilities is fundamental to determining the effects of decommissioning on fish populations. Since 1995 the Biological Resources Division (BRD) of the U. S. Geological Survey, the Minerals Management Service, and most recently the California Artificial Reef Enhancement Program, have provided funding to conduct research on the fishes that live around the platforms and on natural rock outcrops of central and southern California. The goal of this research was to determine the patterns of fish assemblages around both platforms and outcrops. A major synthesis of this work was published in 2003 and has been well received. The MMS Decommissioning Workshop recommended this present study to build upon the prior MMS/BRD work using the same methods but concentrating on the geographic areas where data is non-existent or limited. Regional data gaps exist for platforms in the Santa Ynez and Beta Units and for the platforms off Summerland. Perhaps the largest data gap exists for pipelines which have not been examined for their associated fish or invertebrate assemblages. Information from the unknown platform and pipeline sites would provide a broader understanding of the regional populations so that specific requirements can be identified for industry for their individual facilities. The goal of this investigation is to determine the patterns of fish assemblages around pipelines, platforms, and outcrops where data is non-existent or limited. Permission has been obtained from the operators to perform this research at platforms off Summerland and preliminary discussions with the operator concerning the Santa Ynez Unit are favorable. MMS will initiate discussions with the operators in the Beta Unit as soon as possible. Permission has been obtained from operators to perform this research on pipelines in multiple locations within the Santa Maria basin and the Santa Barbara Channel. | ||||||
| Objectives | ||||||
| This necessary research involves broad scale surveys at numerous oil/gas platforms and natural reefs concentrating on facilities in the Santa Ynez and Beta Units and off Summerland CA. Research objectives include 1) characterizing the fish assemblages around platforms where data is limted or non-existent and on nearby natural reefs, and 2) describing the spatial and temporal patterns of fish diversity, abundance and size distribution among habitat types. | ||||||
| Methods | ||||||
| A multiple-year fish survey of
platforms and nearby natural outcrops concentrating on geographic areas
where data is non-existent or limited. At Platforms and Natural Outcrops within SCUBA Depth: 1. Conduct scuba surveys of the upper 30 m of these platforms, along with surveys of relatively shallow natural outcrops. At Platforms and Natural Outcrops below SCUBA Depth: 1. Conduct fish surveys using the Delta submersible, a 4.6 m, 2-person vessel, operated by Delta Oceanographics of Oxnard, California along belt transects about two meters from the substrata. 2. Make transects around the bottom of the platform and around each set of cross beams to a mini-mum depth of 20–30 m (66–100 ft.) below the surface. 3. Conduct belt transects to sample the shell mounds and natural rock outcrops. During all transects document (1) species (if known); (2) estimated total length; (3) the habitat it occupied (e.g., rock, sand, mud, cobble, boulder); (4) its position relative to the substrate (e. g., in crevice, on reef crest, on slope, above structure); and (5) the distance of the fish from that substrate. |
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| Importance to MMS | ||||||
| The fate of spent offshore platforms and pipelines off California has been a subject of considerable debate, much of which is focused on the potential importance of the fish populations at these facilities. Data gaps concerning the fish assemblages exist at some of the oldest facilities yet these facilities may be the first to be decommissioned. Knowledge of the potential importance of the population at pipelines and platforms to the depleted Pacific rockfish stocks is essential for fully evaluating the various options proposed for decommissioning California’s offshore oil platforms. | ||||||
| Current Status: | ||||||
| On-going. The second field effort using the Delta Submersible (October 2006) was extremely successful with 100% of the objectives attained. | ||||||
| Final Report Due: | 08/05/2008 | |||||
| Publications: | Love, M.S. and A. York. 2006. A
comparison of the fish assemblages associated with an oil/gas pipeline and
adjacent seafloor in the Santa Barbara Channel, southern California bight.
Bulletin Of Marine Science, 77(1): 101–117, 2005. Love, M.S. and A. York. 2006. The relationships between fish assemblages and the amount of bottom horizontal beam exposed at California oil platforms: fish habitat preferences at man-made platforms and (by inference) at natural reefs. Fish. Bull. 104: 542–549. Love, M.S., D.M. Schroeder, W. Lenarz, A. MacCall, A.S. Bull, and L. Thorsteinson. 2006. Potential use of offshore marine structures in rebuilding an overfished rockfish species, bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis). Fish. Bull. 104:383–390. |
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| Affiliated WWW Sites: | http://www.lovelab.id.ucsb.edu/index.html | |||||
| Revised date: | November 30, 2006 | |||||
| ESPIS |
ESPIS - All completed
ESP Studies: |
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