**STUDY TITLE**: Texas Barrier Islands Ecological Characterization.

**REPORT TITLE**: Texas Barrier Islands Region Ecological
Characterization: A Socioeconomic Study. Vol. 1, Synthesis Papers;
Vol. 2, Data Appendix.

**CONTRACT NUMBER(S)**: BLM: MU9-14; MMS: 14-12-0001-29011.

**SPONSORING OCS REGION**: Gulf of Mexico.

**APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA(S)**: Western Gulf of Mexico.

**FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING**: 1979; 1980; 1981.

**COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT**: August 1980.

**COST(S)**: FY 1979: \$427,000; FY 1980: \$250,270; FY 1981: \$150,000;

**CUMULATIVE PROJECT COST**: \$827,270.

**PROJECT MANAGER(S)**: J. Johnston.

**AFFILIATION**: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

**ADDRESS**: 1010 Gause Boulevard, Slidell, Louisiana 70458.

**PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)\***: C. Allday‑Bondy, V. Arnold, K. Butler,
G. Ford, T. Kahn, M. Klein, E. Liebow, V. Parker, T. Plaut.

**KEY WORDS**: Western Gulf; Texas; biology; characterization; barrier
islands; socioeconomics; socioeconomic characterization; recreation;
tourism; commercial fishing; transportation; agriculture; exploratory
drilling; development.

**BACKGROUND**: The area considered within the Texas Barrier Islands
Ecosystems (TBIE) Characterization Study comprises some of the nation\'s
more pristine coastal landscape and some of the more intensely developed
urban industrial areas found in the United States. Rapid development and
public interests must be balanced to manage coastal area resources and
establish effective resource management policies for the future.
Socioeconomic data collection and synthesis will be important tools to
identify what is known about the TBIE study area and the range of
consequences attributable to alternative resource management practices
in the area.

**OBJECTIVES**: (1) To compile and synthesize information from existing
sources concerning the natural, physical, and social components of the
ecosystems within the 24-county study area along the coast of Texas.

**DESCRIPTION**: The 24‑county study area contained approximately
22,500 mi^2^, encompassing several distinct resource zones and many
overlapping governmental jurisdictions. It was divided into four
subregions, corresponding to the regional council of government
jurisdictions in the area. The subregions from northeast to southwest
included the Gulf Coast, Golden Crescent, Coastal Bend, and Lower Rio
Grande Valley.

Four general tasks were completed in the course of the study. The first
task involved a series of meetings with Federal, State, regional, and
local agency representatives to identify specific data requirements and
to specify the form in which study results would be presented. The
second task involved data collection and evaluation. The third and
fourth tasks involved the data synthesis and final report production.
The topics of the socioeconomic papers included oil and gas production,
recreation/tourism industry, commercial fishing, transportation,
industrial and residential development, and agricultural production.

**SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS**: Concentration of oil and gas operations in
the form of refineries, petrochemical plants, transport facilities, and
petroleum service industries within the TBIE area is attributable to the
long standing productivity of oil and gas reservoirs in the immediate
area. The finding rate of new petroleum per meter of well drilled has
declined over the years; this could result in unprecedented investments
in exploration over the next 20 years if the region is to retain its
stature as a viable and major producing area. Accelerated future
activity may pose even more severe hazards for the environment and other
sectors of the economy. Overlapping State and Federal policies and
programs in Texas could be significantly improved with more
coordination.

Those parts of the TBIE area that are experiencing rapid economic growth
are also growing rapidly in terms of recreation/tourism activities.
Ongoing industrial, commercial, and residential development may not
necessarily be in conflict with growth in the recreation/tourism
industry. As the demand for space in the TBIE area increases, so does
the probability of further degradation of some environmentally sensitive
areas. It appears that, on the whole, attempts have been to achieve a
relative balance between the environment, development, and
recreation/tourism demands. Commercial fishing within the TBIE area
involves species that are estuarine dependent during some stage of their
life cycle. Human activities place diverse demands on the Texas coast
which directly and indirectly affect yields. All of the major coastal
areas are used by commercial fishermen. Natural factors, resource
management, costs, and human habitat modification all influence
commercial fish production and harvests in Texas coastal waters.

Transportation is probably the most important support industry in the
study area. Petroleum refining, petroleum production, and agriculture,
three of the four leading economic sectors of the area, are heavily
dependent on transportation for their value.

Much of the recent growth in the study area is due to rapid expansion in
the energy related sectors (upper coastal areas) and the location and
expansion of low wage industries in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Industrial and residential development have had significant
environmental impacts in the study area.

The future of agricultural production in the study area is likely to be
determined by three factors: (1) the degree to which urbanization
contributes to an agricultural land shortage; (2) the extent of
government support for productions in the form of price supports, loan
guarantees, and international cooperative agreements; and (3) the
institution arrangements around which water uses are organized.

**STUDY RESULTS**: Oil and gas production activities in Texas have
created an industry of national and global significance during the past
eight decades. In 1978, crude oil production in the TBIE area accounted
for 16% of the statewide total, with natural gas production having a
similar magnitude. In addition to the development and production
concerns, the TBIE petroleum industry complex includes refineries,
petrochemical plants, and a vast array of logistic support facilities.
There is a greater exploration activity for natural gas compared to
crude oil in the TBIE area. Well drilling is the most important
exploratory activity, as indicated by the very sizeable investments
involved. The highest concentrations of crude oil production are found
in the Gulf Coast (northeast) planning region, whereas natural gas
production is highest in the Gulf Coast and Coastal Bend regions.
Literally every oil and gas related activity has the potential to cause
adverse environmental impacts.

The recreation/tourism industry was studied in its context with the
area. The TBIE area population is growing at a faster rate than the
State as a whole, with higher corresponding recreation/tourism industry.
The activities offered are fishing, hunting, boating, swimming,
sunbathing, camping, hiking, amusement parks, convention facilities, and
participation sports. The question of recreation access versus
environmental protection, regulatory practice within issues such as park
facilities, commercial versus recreation fishing, and land use were
discussed. Socioeconomic considerations of commercial fishing in the
TBIE area were investigated. Species of major economic importance
included shrimp, oysters, blue crab, red drum, spotted seatrout, black
drum, flounder, and Gulf menhaden. Factors influencing commercial
fishing harvests were discussed, as well as the fishing industry
perceptions of management issues.

Demand for different types of transportation services in the TBIE area
was found to vary with the mix of industrial activity and urban
concentrations. The major types of transportation include waterways
(both ocean and inshore modes), pipelines, railborne commerce, highway
and motor freight, and air transportation.

Industrial and residential development of the TBIE area was discussed as
it related to changes in economic structure, manufacturing, petroleum
refining development, age structure of the general population, and
housing construction. Environmental effects of the upward growth of
development include loss of rural lands and activities, increased human
susceptibility to natural hazards, loss of water sources, air pollution,
and waste disposal.

The contribution of agriculture to the region and local economy was
presented, along with a discussion of local agricultural products and
farmland quantity and value. Farms have decreased in number, increased
in size and specialization, and have become more productive albeit more
expensive to operate. The Federal government has increased its role in
agricultural production whereas the political influence of agriculture
has declined with urbanization.

**STUDY PRODUCT(S)**: Liebow, E. B., K. S. Butler, T. R. Plaut,
V. L. Arnold, G. H. Ford, T. D. Kahn, M. A. Klein, C. Allday‑Bondy, and
V. Parker. 1980. Texas Barrier Islands Region Ecological
Characterization: A Socioeconomic Study. Vol. 1, Synthesis Papers. A
final report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Gulf of Mexico OCS
Office, New Orleans, LA. FWS/OBS-80/19. Contract No. 14‑12‑0001‑29011.
277 pp.

Liebow, E. B., K. S. Butler, T. R. Plaut, V. L. Arnold, G. H. Ford,
T. D. Kahn, M. A. Klein, C. Allday‑Bondy, and V. Parker. 1980. Texas
Barrier Islands Region Ecological Characterization: A Socioeconomic
Study. Vol. 2, Data Appendix. A final report by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management Gulf of Mexico OCS Office, New Orleans, LA. FWS/OBS-80/20.
Contract No. 14‑12‑0001‑29011. 548 pp.

**\*P.I.\'s affiliation may be different than that listed for Project
Manager(s).**