ACCESS NUMBER: 31011 

STUDY TITLE: Deepwater Program: Bluewater Fishing and Deepwater OCS Activity, 

Interactions Between the Fishing and Petroleum Industries in Deepwaters of the Gulf of 

Mexico 

REPORT TITLE: Deepwater Program: Bluewater Fishing and Deepwater OCS Activity, 

Interactions Between the Fishing and Petroleum Industries in Deepwaters of the Gulf of 

Mexico 

CONTRACT NUMBER(S): 1435-01-99-CT-31011 

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Gulf of Mexico 

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREAS: Eastern, Central, and Western Gulf of Mexico 

FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING: 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002. 

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: June 2003 

COST(S): FY 1999: $10,286; FY 2000: $36,892; FY 2001: $91,279; FY 2002: $23,570; 

CUMULATIVE PROJECT COST: $192,000 

PROJECT MANAGER: D. Snyder 

AFFILIATION: Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. 

ADDRESS: 759 Parkway Street, Jupiter, Florida 33477 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)*

: D.B. Snyder, L. De Wit, P. Arnold, L. Lagera, C. Friel, 

G.H. Burgess, A.D. Hart 

KEY WORDS: Eastern Gulf; Central Gulf; Western Gulf; California; North Sea; Canada; 

Australia; deepwater; oil and gas; fisheries. 

BACKGROUND: Recent years have seen a great increase in oil and gas industry 

interest in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Deepwater development involves a number of 

environmental, socioeconomic, and technological issues. A “Deepwater Workshop” 

was held by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) in 1997. Workshop participants 

identified potential conflicts between bluewater fishing and deepwater oil and gas 

activities as a major concern. 

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this project were to 1) determine bluewater fishing 

endeavors and practices and deepwater outer continental shelf (OCS) energy 

development activities; 2) describe and map bluewater fishing and deepwater OCS 

energy development activities; 3) describe current Gulf of Mexico and relevant 

worldwide interactions and predict future situations that may occur in the Gulf of Mexico 

between bluewater fishing and deepwater OCS energy development activities; and 4) to 

recommend proactive mitigation measures for MMS and for the fishing and OCS energy 

industries. 

DESCRIPTION: This report focuses on the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, defined as 

extending from a depth of 200 m to the border of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. 

 
ACCESS NUMBER: 31011 

The first two objectives were addressed by gathering descriptive information and 

spatially oriented data from a variety of sources for the two industries. Past and current 

information on the OCS energy industry was obtained from MMS data sets that contain 

active leases, filed Plans of Exploration (POEs), existing development facilities, and 

existing pipelines. Existing facility descriptions came from filed Development 

Operations Coordination Documents (DOCDs) or POEs, U.S. Coast Guard files, and 

industry operators. Descriptions of exploratory drilling rigs came from various drilling rig 

contractors. Future OCS activity was projected from the MMS data sets that included 

active leases with filed POEs or DOCDs, announced discoveries with filed POEs or 

DOCDs, and future pipelines. In addition, an analysis of lease bonuses paid on existing 

leases was made to determine which lease blocks received high bids. 

The bluewater commercial fishing industry was described from data obtained from 

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) data sets. Several data sets were examined, 

including the longline logbook data set, the shrimp data set, and the reef fish logbook 

data set. These data sets provide varying levels of spatial resolution, ranging from 

latitude/longitude (degrees and minutes) to large scale (kilometers) NMFS statistical 

grids. Catch and effort information was extracted from the data sets to characterize 

spatial and temporal patterns in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Recreational fisheries 

were characterized using NMFS survey data gathered during billfish tournaments held 

at northern Gulf of Mexico ports. Species composition and life history characteristics 

were described for primary deepwater fisheries species. 

Spatially oriented data from oil and gas and fishing industries were mapped using 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Areas of potential overlap (conflict) also were 

identified using GIS. 

Current domestic conflicts are being gathered from the U.S. Coast Guard, Fishermen's 

Contingency Fund, and California Fisheries Liaison Office. Information on international 

interactions was compiled from a variety of sources, including the Canada-Nova Scotia 

Offshore Petroleum Board, Fisheries and Offshore Consultative Group (North Sea), and 

United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association Compensation Fund. 

SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS: The primary deepwater commercial fishery in the Gulf 

of Mexico is pelagic longlining for tunas. This is followed by bottom longlining and, to a 

much lesser extent, bottom trawling and trapping. Conflicts have not been well 

documented in the deep waters of the Gulf, but anecdotal information indicates that 

interactions between longline fishers and geophysical survey vessels have been 

frequent and will be the most important interactions in the future. Measures to help 

avert or lessen the severity of future conflicts between the fishing and energy industries 

include the following: prepare an educational guidebook, improve contingency fund, 

appoint a liaison committee, regulate geophysical surveys, and improve communication. 

STUDY RESULTS: Commerical deepwater fishing practices in the northern Gulf of 

Mexico include trapping for golden crab, trawling for royal red shrimp, bottom longlining 
ACCESS NUMBER: 31011 

for groupers and tilefishes, and surface longlining for sharks and tunas. Of these gear 

types, the pelagic longline presents the greatest possibility for interactions or space-use 

conflicts with the oil and gas industry. Recreational fishers in the northern Guf of 

Mexico target primarily epipelagic fishes such as tunas, dolphin, and billfishes. These 

fishers currently use deepwater platforms as fishing areas for epipelagic species. 

Another concern is the potential for interference with migratory routes due to attraction 

of epipelagic fishes (e.g., tunas, dolphin, billfishes, and jacks) to surface structures and 

mooring lines. Because of the highly migratory nature of many epipelagic species, 

these effects could extend to the regional scale (hundreds of kilometers). 

The areal extent of deepwater fisheries in the northern Gulf of Mexico varies greatly, 

from widespread to localized. The royal red shrimp fishery appears to be concentrated 

in the area south of Alabama/Mississippi corresponding to statistical grid 10, with 

minimal effort expended in areas off the Florida Keys and Texas. Golden crab trapping 

is most prevalent off of southwestern Florida and the Florida Keys, with very few fishers 

actually participating in this fishery. There is some speculation that the deepwater crab 

fishery will expand in the future. The bottom longline fishery occurs near the shelf 

break, and is legislatively mandated to remain offshore of the 102-m depth contour. 

Most effort by reef fish permit holders for deepwater groupers and tilefishes occurs 

offshore of west Florida; however, appreciable effort has been expended offshore of 

Louisiana and Texas as well. The pelagic longline fishery is widespread in the open 

Gulf of Mexico and, of the gear types examined, presents the greatest possibility for 

interactions or space-use conflicts. 

All phases of the deepwater offshore energy industry--geophysical surveys, exploratory 

drilling, development/production, and abandonment--could conflict with current 

deepwater fishing practices. 

The most common facilities used in deepwater operations are fixed platforms, 

semi-submersible floating production systems, compliant towers, tension leg platforms, 

spars, and subsea completions. The spatial preclusion of seafloor or water column by 

these facilities depends upon the type of mooring system used and the water depth. 

Anecdotal information suggests that interactions between the geophysical surveying 

and pelagic longlining have been and will continue to be a problem. 

Presently there are about 3,800 active leases in waters greater than 200 m deep, with 

approximately 42 platforms currently operating in these water depths. Areas expected 

to have high future activity are in Mississippi Canyon, Green Canyon, Garden Banks, 

and Viosca Knoll lease block areas. This was determined by analyzing the value 

structure of bonus bids offered on individual leases. 

International conflicts between fishing and petroleum industries assessed from 

information obtained from Australia, Canada, Nova Scotia, and the United Kingdom 

indicated that most conflicts had occurred in water depths shallower than 200 m. In 

addition, most of the reported conflicts were associated with bottom founded gear such 

as otter trawls and traps. California has a history of space use conflicts mostly 
ACCESS NUMBER: 31011 

associated with trawling and gill net fisheries. California established a liaison between 

the fisheries and oil and gas industries to mediate or avert conflicts. Other areas, 

including the United Kingdom and Nova Scotia, have established groups to oversee 

interactions between fisheries and oil and gas activities. 

STUDY PRODUCT(S): Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. 2002. Deepwater Program: 

Bluewater Fishing and OCS Activity, Interactions Between the Fishing and Petroleum 

Industries in Deepwaters of the Gulf of Mexico. A Final Report for the U.S. Department 

of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Metairie, LA. 

OCS Study MMS-2002-078.