The CCA of California has recently partnered with the Blue Latitudes Foundation (BLF), a 501(c)3 non-profit seeking opportunities for ocean conservation at the intersection of industry and the environment. The BLF recently launched a Southern California Recreational Fisheries Survey. The goal of this project is to better understand how recreational anglers value the fisheries habitats at California’s 27 offshore oil and gas platforms.
California’s platforms are among the most productive marine habitats globally and provide critical habitat for overfished species, such as rockfishes, allowing them to reach maturity in greater numbers when compared to natural reefs. Recreationally targeted species, such as sculpin, whitefish, and sheephead, can also be found seeking refuge on the platforms. Many of these platforms are scheduled to be removed in the next 5-10 years. As part of the regulatory process, regulators will be evaluating how various stakeholders, including recreational anglers, might be impacted by their removal.If you have fished at California’s platforms, consider participating in this anonymous survey and contributing to research that may inform future fisheries management decisions. The survey link can be found here! For more information about the Blue Latitudes Foundation, visit their website at www.bluelatitudesfoundation.org.
