GEI: Disentangling ecological impacts of marine artificial structure installation, decommissioning, and management scenarios on Gulf of America reef fish communities

While marine artificial structures (MAS; e.g., oil and gas (O&G) infrastructure, artificial reefs) are on the rise globally, their ecological costs and benefits are poorly understood. This – coupled with recent Executive Orders to build energy security through O&G development and other forms of energy that would increase MAS buildout – creates a pressing need to synthesize how MAS affect ecological communities. The Gulf of America – with over a century of MAS use associated with ecologically and economically valuable reef fish communities – offers a unique study system to address this need. The proposed project aims to understand ecological effects of MAS installation on Gulf reef fish communities to inform decision-making processes regarding decommissioning and spatial management scenarios. Our cross-sector team composed of MAS researchers and managers will: 1) document the distribution and abundance of published evidence on MAS ecological functions for reef fishes (method: systematic mapping), 2) assimilate piecemeal datasets to determine long-term trends in reef fish communities on and around MAS (method: time series analysis), and 3) predict the influence of MAS management strategies on reef fish production and community dynamics (method: ecosystem modeling). Project outcomes will provide the best-available science and recommendations to inform MAS management decisions.