Content Details
Economic Impact of Recreational Fishing and Diving Associated with Offshore Oil and Gas Structures in the Gulf of Mexico
- Branch
- Executive
- Category
- Executive Agency Publications
- SuDoc Class Number
- I 72.
- Government Author
- Interior Department, Minerals Management Service
- Personal Author
- Hiett RL; Milon JW
- Series Title
- BOEM Environmental Studies
- Publication Title
- Economic Impact of Recreational Fishing and Diving Associated with Offshore Oil and Gas Structures in the Gulf of Mexico
- Date Issued
- 2002
- Subject
- Fisheries and Aquaculture
Commercial & Recreational Fisheries;Employment & Income
Recreational Fishing; Recreational Diving; Economic Impact
- Obligation Number
- 1435-01-97-CT-30868
- Geographic Scope
- Gulf of Mexico
- Report Number
- 2002-010
- CSE Reference
- Hiett RL, Milon JW (QuanTech, Inc., Rosslyn, VA). 2002. Economic impact of recreational fishing and diving associated with offshore oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans (LA): US Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service. 3 p. Obligation No.: 1435-01-97-CT-30868. Report No.: OCS Study MMS 2002-010. URL: https://espis.boem.gov/Technical%20Summaries/3059.pdf
- Abstract
- There are more than 5,000 oil and gas structures located in state and federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, primarily in Louisiana and Texas waters and on the adjoining outer continental shelf. More than 100 older structures are being removed annually, and the Minerals Management Service expects that these numbers will continue to decline. Because oil and gas structures provide shelter and, indirectly, contribute food for benthic, demersal, and pelagic fish, the behavior of Gulf of Mexico fishermen and divers has been influenced by their presence. A study conducted in the 1980s, for example, found that oil and gas structures were used by 70 percent of Louisiana fishermen. In order to guide decision-making about the removal of older structures, the Minerals Management Service needs current information on the extent of recreational use of offshore structures and the economic impact associated with that use. There were three study objectives addressed by this research. First, QuanTech was asked to assess the recreational demand for fishing and diving associated with offshore oil and gas-related structures and with artificial reefs resulting from the “rigs to reef” programs in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Secondly, the study was to assess the economic impacts resulting from this recreational demand on the economies of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Finally, an objective was to analyze the incremental expenses associated with recreational fishing and diving that would not have been incurred if anglers had no offshore structure fishing or diving opportunities.