Blue Latitudes Foundation Reaches out to Anglers Through Coastal Conservation Association for Oil Rig Survey

Blue Latitudes Foundation is conducting stakeholder surveys through the end of September to gather feedback from recreational anglers about the fishing scene off of Southern California’s oil rigs. There are 27 offshore oil rigs off Southern California’s coast, and there have been multiple discussions recently about what to do with the platforms, many of which are set to be removed in the next 5 to 10 years. Thoughts have run towards removing the rigs and restoring the habitat to its original state or utilizing the oil rigs as man-made reefs for California’s natural marine life. The Blue Latitudes Foundation released information showing over 79 fish species have been identified in the midwaters of offshore platforms, including sculpin, rockfish, sea bass, and sheepshead. Research has also found that some strawberry anemone have made their home by attaching to the rigs and shell mounds, consisting of fallen rock scallops and mussel shells, have been found at the bottom of the rigs creating a unique habitat that acts as a nursery ground for juvenile fish. “California’s platforms have been named some of the most productive globally, and so there is a lot of incredible habitats there for fish and invertebrates, and the Blue Latitudes Foundation is exploring the...