Coexistence of fishing and oil and gas industries in the Gulf of Mexico

Fishing and oil production coexist in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Oil and gas activities on its Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) have increased from 890,000 acres under lease, less than 100 platforms and 6.7 million barrels of oil produced in 1955 - to 21 million acres under lease, 3,350 platforms and 340 million barrels of oil produced in 1986. In the same period, commercial fish landings rose from 850 million pounds to 2,400 million pounds. The majority of the 2.2 million sport fishermen who fish the GOM visit oil platforms, taking advantage of the artificial reefs they create. At least four oil spills have contacted the shoreline of Louisiana or Texas. The effects of these spills were never investigated. Modem oil spill prevention programs and technologies make such accidents unlikely in the future. Accidental oil spills throughout the OCS from 1971 through 1987 totaled about 69,000 barrels while the tanker "Alvenus" lost 45,000 barrels over a two or three day period after it ran aground off Galveston in 1984. Drilling fluids used in the GOM have low acute and chronic toxicities in light of the fluids expected to be used and rapid dilution and dispersal after discharge. Space competition, even cumulatively, is not a significant issue. OCS operations are responsible for less than 5 percent of all the direct wetland losses that occurred between 1955 and 1978. Finally, laws and regulations play a major role in reducing adverse impacts on fisheries and in compensating fishermen for loss or damaged gear, as well as for consequent loss catches due to OCS oil and gas activities.