Potential impacts of oil production platforms and their function as fish aggregating devices on the biology of highly migratory fish species

Distance-Based Sampling Methods for Assessing the Ecological Effects of Offshore Wind Farms: Synthesis and Application to Fisheries Resource Studies

“…Although rare in the OWF literature, pelagic species have been the frequent focus of research at other manmade offshore structures including oil and gas platforms and artificial reefs where clear evidence of an aggregation effect has been demonstrated (e.g., Munnelly et al, 2020). The spatial and temporal patterns of finfish including pelagic species at manmade structures other than wind turbines is the subject of many recent reviews (Bolser et al, 2020;Munnelly et al, 2020;Paxton et al, 2020;Snodgrass et al, 2020). Much more research is needed in order to understand the scope, scale, and magnitude of effect that OWF development has on pelagic fish and invertebrate species and distance-based methods could aid these efforts.…”

Considerations for Offshore Wind Energy Development Effects on Fish and Fisheries in the United States: A Review of Existing Studies, New Efforts, and Opportunities for Innovation

“…Platforms provide essential fish habitat (e.g., breeding, feeding, recruitment, shelter) for diverse assemblages of large pelagic and demersal fish (Love et al, 2012;Krone et al, 2017). In the Gulf of Mexico, platforms furnish local and regional benefits to highly migratory species (Snodgrass et al, 2020) and serve as spawning habitats for other types of fish (Heyman et al, 2019). In some instances, platforms expanded particular fish populations in an otherwise habitat-limited bottleneck (i.e., red snapper Lutjanus campachanus; Gallaway trophic shifts.…”

Attraction of an artificial reef: a migratory demersal flounder remains in shallow water under high temperature conditions in summer

“…Human activities affect the movement and migration of wild marine animals. Offshore manmade structures, such as manmade islands, wind farms, oil platforms, and aquaculture cages, form artificial reefs that provide new habitats for feeding and shelter from predators for wild animals, including invertebrates, site-specific fish, pelagic fish, sea birds, and marine mammals (Reubens et al 2011(Reubens et al , 2014Claisse et al 2014;Uglem et al 2014;Barrett et al 2019;Degraer et al 2020;Snodgrass et al 2020). The attraction of animals to artificial reefs leads to their faster growth, superior body condition, and increased reproductive output; however, concerns have been raised about the impact of artificial reefs on the movement and migration pattern of at least a portion of each migratory population (Snodgrass et al 2020).…”

“…Offshore manmade structures, such as manmade islands, wind farms, oil platforms, and aquaculture cages, form artificial reefs that provide new habitats for feeding and shelter from predators for wild animals, including invertebrates, site-specific fish, pelagic fish, sea birds, and marine mammals (Reubens et al 2011(Reubens et al , 2014Claisse et al 2014;Uglem et al 2014;Barrett et al 2019;Degraer et al 2020;Snodgrass et al 2020). The attraction of animals to artificial reefs leads to their faster growth, superior body condition, and increased reproductive output; however, concerns have been raised about the impact of artificial reefs on the movement and migration pattern of at least a portion of each migratory population (Snodgrass et al 2020). Migratory pelagic (e.g., Scombridae) and benthic (e.g., Gadidae) fish are known to utilize artificial reefs as feeding areas and for spatial reference (landmarks for their navigation) or as meeting points (Bergström et al 2013;Claisse et al 2014;Reubens et al 2014;Degraer et al 2020;Snodgrass et al 2020); however, there is limited knowledge on the effects of artificial reefs on migratory demersal flatfish.…”

“…The attraction of animals to artificial reefs leads to their faster growth, superior body condition, and increased reproductive output; however, concerns have been raised about the impact of artificial reefs on the movement and migration pattern of at least a portion of each migratory population (Snodgrass et al 2020). Migratory pelagic (e.g., Scombridae) and benthic (e.g., Gadidae) fish are known to utilize artificial reefs as feeding areas and for spatial reference (landmarks for their navigation) or as meeting points (Bergström et al 2013;Claisse et al 2014;Reubens et al 2014;Degraer et al 2020;Snodgrass et al 2020); however, there is limited knowledge on the effects of artificial reefs on migratory demersal flatfish.…”