4489
MMSReefish Study Databases from 1993-1999 field collections (SEC7-95-11 Fish Mortalities From Explosive Removal of Petroleum Platforms)
MMSReefish Study (SEC7-95-11 Fish Mortalities From Explosive Removal of Petroleum Platforms)
Project
Published / External
4484
Galveston Fisheries Management Projects
Project
Completed
Impacts of the Explosive Removal of Offshore Oil and Gas Structures
on Fish Stocks in the Gulf of Mexico
Offshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) function as artificial reefs attracting a wide variety of marine life. Explosives are frequently used to remove these structures. These data describe the first comprehensive study to quantitatively assess impacts of the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas structures on fish. Between August 1993 and May 1999 surface and underwater sampling was conducted at nine explosive oil and gas platform removals in the GOM to estimate fish mortality. Water depth ranged from 14-36 m. After explosives were detonated, field personnel operating from inflatable boats used dip nets to collect all dead fish that floated to the surface while divers manually sampled dead fish that sank to the sea floor. The most severely impacted fish species at explosive structure removals in order of abundance were Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber), blue runner (Caranx crysos), red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), and sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus). These four species accounted for 86% of estimated mortality. Numbers of all other impacted species were far below those of the top four. Mortality estimates for red snapper were incorporated into stock assessment analyses. The impact of including explosive platform removal data was that abundance estimates were almost indistinguishable from the original assessment. The differences were well within the statistical estimation variances for the original assessment.
Quantify the impacts of explosives used in the removal of offshore petroleum production platforms on fishes residing near these artificial reefs. Provide information for FMPs and offshore technology groups.
Theme
artificial reefs
Theme
explosions
Theme
marine mammals
Theme
mortality
Theme
petroleum platforms
Theme
protective species
Theme
turtles
Spatial
Gulf Of Mexico
National Centers for Environmental Information - Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring
MD
NCEI Archive
Project
Data Steward
1987-01-01
Person
Gitschlag, Gregg
Gregg.Gitschlag@noaa.gov
4700 Avenue U
Galveston
TX
77551
409-766-3517
8927
Data Set
MMSReefish Study Databases from 1993-1999 field collections (SEC7-95-11 Fish Mortalities From Explosive Removal of Petroleum Platforms)
gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:4489
Lee Weinberger
2007-07-10T08:44:56
SysAdmin InPortAdmin
2022-08-09T17:10:59
2021-05-07
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
SEFSC
75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami
FL
33149
USA
(305)361-5761
www.sefsc.noaa.gov
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST
1001
Public
No
2021-05-07
1 Year
2022-05-07