Petroleum production has been a part of the southern California economy since the Nineteenth Century. The first offshore oil platform was constructed off Summerland in 1958. Currently, there are 19 platforms in operation in the Santa Barbara Channel and off central California. However, oil and gas platforms have finite economic lifespan and a number of them are becoming uneconomical to operate. In 1996, four platforms were removed, though not without controversy. There is considerable debate regarding the fate of these structures. Some interest groups would like to leave them in place, while others favor complete removal. Understanding biological communities on the platforms is crucial in making rational decisions regarding the fates of these structures.

In 1995, we began a thorough survey of the fishes of seven of these platforms. The surveys were of two types: a scuba-based study in the surface waters (to 100 feet) of the platforms and a submersible survey that examined the deeper sections (down to 740 feet) of these structures. In general, there are large numbers of fishes, particularly the economically-important rockfishes, around these structures. We have found that each platform harbors somewhat different fish communities. This probably relates to the bottom depth around the structure and its distance from shore. Some platforms, particularly those north of Pt. Conception, appear to act as nursery grounds for some rockfish species. We have also conducted surveys of the mussel-shell strewn bottoms around the platforms and have found that these habitats contain large numbers of juvenile and other small fishes.