# Thousands of Dead Red Snapper



## jackedup (Jan 17, 2008)

Wow they just showed a rig demolition on channel 15 news that killed 10,000 lbs of fish, mostly red snapper, all because this old rig was an "eyesore" so pathetic


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## Fletch Lives (Dec 12, 2011)

*Local 15 news*

Local 15 just aired a story about removing old oil rigs and how the demolition kills 10's of thousands of ARS at each removal. Called out the Feds about reducing our catch while intentionally killing so many fish. 

We shall see if it gets anywhere.


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

Its sad...what a waste.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

They have to make their statistics true somehow!


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

Most likely it won't go anywhere.


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## BlaineAtk (Jun 8, 2010)

Wirelessly posted

Nope nowhere. The oil business makes too many contributions where rec fisherman make too few.


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## Hopin4aboat (Jul 5, 2009)

BlaineAtk said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> Nope nowhere. The oil business makes too many contributions where rec fisherman make too few.


I think your missing it... Big oil would love to leave the structure there but .gov says its bad practice so they'll pay a few mil to demo an old platform and we'll get to see it at the pump.


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## cablechris (May 3, 2011)

Yeah I did not understand why they dont just leave it there if they become homes for fish.


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## Hydro Therapy 2 (Sep 11, 2008)

There's no way that there's even 10,000 RED SNAPPER in the gulf.


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## BlaineAtk (Jun 8, 2010)

Wirelessly posted

Once the platform no longer produces (makes money) it costs more than demolition to maintain and keep it lit and not turn into a nav hazard. They are always demoing them out here when we are running drilling equipment to the drillships.


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## SteveFL (Aug 2, 2010)

Well, there goes our recreational quota for this year....no season for 2013. Now we know the real reason why they're removing the rigs. Sickening.....

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local...-Thousands-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I worked with explosives in the water when in the Navy. If they saw 10,000 lbs of fish on the surface there were twice as many that didn't float and are dead on the bottom.


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## Tomslick66 (Mar 16, 2011)

*Red snapper demolition?*

Anyone see this video anywhere?

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local...ds-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx?rss=217

:thumbdown:


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## cuzmondo (Oct 1, 2007)

Disgusting!


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## realstreet (Dec 8, 2008)

Just seen it on WEAR makes me sick


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

*Federal Killing of Red Snapper!*

I'm glad the local news is finally catching on to this! Pass the link along! This story needs as much exposure as we can get!!!

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local...-Thousands-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx


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## BlackJeep (Jun 13, 2010)

Thank you for posting that. Hopefully the right people see it.


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## dobs (Sep 28, 2012)

Now that is a crime.... How much does a state spend in putting down an Artificial Reef...and these idiots are blowing one up...or in this case 3 a week!

Sheesh...


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Dang man, that is 1.5 million pounds a year at a rate of three rigs a week killing 10,000 lbs per demolition. Anyone know the current red snapper quota as a state annually?


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

ha, not that much, this is the kind of thing thats destroying the fishing around here, not us, the gubbberment.


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## jbs_bama (May 24, 2010)

How dare them try to mandate limits on us on any fish when they are out there causing a "genocide" of red snapper and other reef fish. This is terrible and someone needs to bring this to light. Maybe some of the politicians will step up and do the right thing.


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## Online CurrentSea (Jan 31, 2012)

slap in the face


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

What's the Gulf Council girl's name on here? I would like to see her comment on this!!


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Gandygirl


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

Gandygirl, Are these fish being killed being added to our annual catch quota??? Is this why we're reaching the limit so quickly??


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

after seeing this i cant help but ask.

what would happen if the recreational fishing community at large displayed a protest sign and ignored a select manifesto of regulations (i.e. general snapper limits and such, details would obviously need to be hammered out) and refused to pay the fines, theres not enough enforcement to get us all, and it will get the message across that everyone needs to be responsible, not just the recreational guys.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

rufus1138 said:


> after seeing this i cant help but ask.
> 
> what would happen if the recreational fishing community at large displayed a protest sign and ignored a select manifesto of regulations (i.e. general snapper limits and such, details would obviously need to be hammered out) and refused to pay the fines, theres not enough enforcement to get us all, and it will get the message across that everyone needs to be responsible, not just the recreational guys.


You go first.


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## Jet fishin (May 5, 2012)

stauty trout said:


> Gandygirl, Are these fish being killed being added to our annual catch quota??? Is this why we're reaching the limit so quickly??


Don't add them to my limit. Fishing with dynamite has been outlawed for years. 
What a senseless waste.
How many people in this country could this feed. Wait we can't do that it will glut the market. Then it will appear there is a abundance of Red Snapper in the gulf.
Now, I know why they don't consider the artificial reefs in the count every year. 
Because they are systematically destroying this habitat. 
BP has got nothing on "We The People" when it comes to destroying fish in the gulf.
"A little revolution is a good thing now and then"


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

rufus1138 said:


> details would obviously need to be hammered out)



this is the key statement here, you cant get a message across without clearly defined objectives. :no:


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

There are many different options, but first and foremost, we need to get the states on board. The feds will have a hard time enforcing if the states aren't on the same page. First thing that needs to be done is all states need to have at least 9nm. It does no good to go non compliant with a whopping 3 statute miles. Extend the waters, fight the feds later on this, and then go non compliant.


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

I agree with MrFish. We need to push to extend our state waters. I promise you I can easily limit on snapper within 9 miles. I speared a 25 LBS snapper last year within 6 miles of the coast.


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

thanks fish, im not knowledgeable about how to tackle these issues, just a grease monkey, but something has to happen, its the same story with our guns, the feds are being allowed to work too little for us and suppress way too much.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

rufus1138 said:


> thanks fish, im not knowledgeable about how to tackle these issues, just a grease monkey, but something has to happen, its the same story with our guns, the feds are being allowed to work too little for us and suppress way too much.


I'm in the process of contacting almost every state senator and representative right now. Some claim that something is in the works, but I have yet to find it. I have talked with Chris Blankenship at DCNR. He says he is in support of it. I'm hoping to have someone lined up soon to sponsor a bill for this. And then we can proceed from there.


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

cant thank you enough man, its good to know there are people on here that know how to work the system in our favor sometimes.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

In the meantime, sign the petition and help us out. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-our-Snapper-Season/359330284159838


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## Nat-Light (Oct 9, 2007)

What a crock of shi*!


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

Didn't see you had this posted, but get on this thread and click on the link to the petition that MrFish posted. 

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/federal-killing-red-snapper-143757/


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

Didn't see you had this posted, but get on this thread and click on the link to the petition that MrFish posted. 

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/federal-killing-red-snapper-143757/


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

Didn't see you had this posted, but get on this thread and click on the link to the petition that MrFish posted. 

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/federal-killing-red-snapper-143757/


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

*Unbeliveable ! Stop this*

This has got to be STOPPED at all cost .. Damn Government Hippocrates

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local...ds-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx?rss=217


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## delta dooler (Mar 6, 2008)

yes, its a shame that a large amount of fish was "wasted", and yes our seasons and limits suck but......

this has been going on for years, as far as taking away their habitat, the habitat is still there, it just dont extend all the way to the surface. its laying at the bottom of the gulf. 

theres more snapper in the gulf now than there has been in years.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Reefs are eye sores? Lets cut down all the trees, too. I like the look of dirt.


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## FL Marine Plastics (Feb 7, 2013)

They can get away with killing that many and everyone looks the other way but have an extra one on your boat and you're screwed. 

John

Facebook FL Marine Plastics
www.flmarineplastics.com
[email protected]


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

First of all nothing truely goes to waste. Although it is a shame that we weren't allowed to go out and catch/kill all those fish one at a time for our own consumption, something will eventually benifit from eating them. 

The obvious point here is if that many red snapper are killed just blowing up one rig, what does that say about the overall population of ARS in the Gulf?


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Play'N Hooky said:


> First of all nothing truely goes to waste. Although it is a shame that we weren't allowed to go out and catch/kill all those fish one at a time for our own consumption, something will eventually benifit from eating them.
> 
> The obvious point here is if that many red snapper are killed just blowing up one rig, what does that say about the overall population of ARS in the Gulf?


The boats that are taking the explosives out there are scooping up and bringing in coolers upon coolers of ARS fillets.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Play'N Hooky said:


> First of all nothing truely goes to waste. Although it is a shame that we weren't allowed to go out and catch/kill all those fish one at a time for our own consumption, something will eventually benifit from eating them.
> 
> The obvious point here is if that many red snapper are killed just blowing up one rig, what does that say about the overall population of ARS in the Gulf?


Yes, the fish will be consumed by something, but what's going to waste here is the habitat.


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## hoppinjon (Dec 28, 2012)

*Explosive Fed. Mandate Killing Thousands of Red Snapper*

WOW!

And the Fed has the freaking audacity to limit the number of Reds we catch??

WTF?

Read more here:
http://www.local15tv.com/mostpopula...-Thousands-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx

Who do we :whistling: blow this to so it can get stopped???


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

I think there are 3-4 other threads on this.


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## hoppinjon (Dec 28, 2012)

Hydro Therapy 2 said:


> There's no way that there's even 10,000 RED SNAPPER in the gulf.


Read this: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/pdfs/Red_Snapper_2012_Final_Rule_FAQs.pdf

The 2012 commercial quota for Red Snapper was 4.121 Million Pounds. Recreational Allocation was 3.959 Million Pounds.

So yes there are way more than 10,000 Red Snapper in the Gulf


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## Matt Mcleod (Oct 3, 2007)

hoppinjon said:


> Read this: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/pdfs/Red_Snapper_2012_Final_Rule_FAQs.pdf
> 
> The 2012 commercial quota for Red Snapper was 4.121 Million Pounds. Recreational Allocation was 3.959 Million Pounds.
> 
> So yes there are way more than 10,000 Red Snapper in the Gulf


I guess you didn't catch the sarcasm.....


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## flickerjim (Sep 17, 2012)

It kinda makes sense on both standpoints. But I find it hard to believe that it was just Red Snapper killed and 10000 seems like an extravagate number. my 2 cents.. Now will the demo make for some rubble for bottom fishing?


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## Fairwaterfishing (Mar 17, 2009)

flickerjim said:


> It kinda makes sense on both standpoints. But I find it hard to believe that it was just Red Snapper killed and 10000 seems like an extravagate number. my 2 cents.. Now will the demo make for some rubble for bottom fishing?



No they will clean it up, like it was never there.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

It was 10,000 lbs. Not 10,000 fish.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

> Now will the demo make for some rubble for bottom fishing?


THAT would be the definition of "irony". Destroying a fish and the reef they live on to build a reef out of the former reef!


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## Contender (Apr 4, 2012)

Two different Fed Agencies in two different departments involved. Marine Minerals (Dept of Interior) requires oil companies to remove all signs of their operation as a part of the lease. NOAA (Dept of Commerce) is setting fish quotas. The oil companies would rather leave them or drop them for habitat though the Coast Guard requires them to be a certain distance under the surface. One more complication is the rare and sensitive coral that colonizes rigs -- this would come under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Oh I almost forgot about the Council on Environmental Quality and the National Environmental Protection Agency requirements for Environmental Impact Statements.

I think a law suit is the only way to get it sorted out, which will take lots of $$ and time.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

On the other hand... when this demolition occurs fish are not really counted, I'd guess, though sometimes they are. Perhaps it adds at least anecdotal evidence that the population is beginning to thrive.


Then, the rig does not go away... it sinks to the bottom. In smaller pieces though for sure

Jim


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## Valhalla (Dec 26, 2008)

First off, I will admit I know nothing of the laws or regs on this subject. But if this is going to happen all over on an a continuous basis - how bout this? the demo of a rig is scheduled and approved way in advance - well give a bunch of commercial skippers heads ups on the demo - they roll out, the rig gets blasted and the capts scoop to their hearts delight and dont have to work for a damn thing - they go to market and live like big dogs -- take it out of their commercial share quota and that will eliminate the waste and still leave pllenty of fish for us lowly rec dudes


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## catfever24 (Dec 26, 2011)

This video needs to get out on CNN, MSNBC, etc. Show this to a freakin national audience. I bet we`ll get one helluva response.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Jo Bonner is calling for them to stop until something is figured out.

http://www.local15tv.com/content/Re...-Wildlife/4oMWynEsWEqeNLfgiyGe0Q.cspx?rss=217


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## catfever24 (Dec 26, 2011)

MrFish said:


> Jo Bonner is calling for them to stop until something is figured out.
> 
> http://www.local15tv.com/content/Re...-Wildlife/4oMWynEsWEqeNLfgiyGe0Q.cspx?rss=217


Good news, bring this all out into the open. See ya later CRAPTREE. FU :thumbdown:


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## cape horn 24 (Sep 29, 2007)

The spotted owl stopped logging in areas, why couldn't endangered coral stop the demolishing of the rigs. What we need is the EDF and Pew research to do a study of this.

Oh wait, they already have.

BA


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## Nat-Light (Oct 9, 2007)

Well if the "law" is that they have to remove the rigs, or at least the surface structure, it would seem to me it could be done in other ways besides blowing the rig up...I'm sure it is the most cost effective way for the oil companies to accomplish this, but that is beside the point.


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## PoolBoy074 (May 2, 2012)

the drudge report online has also picked it up guys..... spread the word!!!


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Nat-Light said:


> Well if the "law" is that they have to remove the rigs, or at least the surface structure, it would seem to me it could be done in other ways besides blowing the rig up...I'm sure it is the most cost effective way for the oil companies to accomplish this, but that is beside the point.



I'd bet they could take them down with torches incrementally down to a safe depth.

Certainly it would cost more.

But it would also add a lot more to the reef structure at the bottom as bigger parts dropped over the side.

Jim

And it would add "JOBS"


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## Jaybird (Apr 27, 2010)

catfever24 said:


> This video needs to get out on CNN, MSNBC, etc. Show this to a freakin national audience. I bet we`ll get one helluva response.


 
Might better go with Fox News. CNN and MSNBC are all about big government and its insane and reckless agendas.


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## SteveFL (Aug 2, 2010)

How bout' they start putting these things together with dis-assembly plans in place to make them an even better reef when they're decommissioned.


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## Catchinem (Dec 19, 2008)

Ban explosives in the Gulf. Make them find another way to dismantle them.


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## Chet88 (Feb 20, 2008)

Keep up the pressure. Keep posting and commenting on their Facebook page also.

https://www.facebook.com/GulfCouncil


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## evacuee (Oct 16, 2007)

*Fed Mandate Killing Thousands of Red Snapper...*

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local...-Thousands-of-Red/xj8T4zPamkOGc8fuT40W_Q.cspx

What can I add to this. It's really sickening.


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## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

Makes me feel sick also. There is another post about this on the forum from one of the news channels a few days ago.


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## SlingShaft (Apr 25, 2010)

This is ridiculous.......can't they be cut to the 55ft depth level required for artificial reefs? Seems like common sense to me.


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## Bullgat0r (May 13, 2012)

I hope I don't ever become an eyesore to the federal government.


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## coin op repair man (Aug 28, 2012)

Well you'll know if you see a drone "cruising" by.


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## Chasin' Tales (Oct 2, 2007)

*Platform removal*

Ok, here's the federal regulations concerning facility removal:

*30 CFR 250.1728 To what depth must I remove a platform or other facility?*

(a) Unless the Regional Supervisor approves an alternate depth under paragraph (b) of this section, you must remove all platforms and other facilities (including templates and pilings) to at least 15 feet below the mud line.
(b) The Regional Supervisor may approve an alternate removal depth if:
(1) The remaining structure would not become an obstruction to other users of the seafloor or area, and geotechnical and other information you provide demonstrate that erosional processes capable of exposing the obstructions are not expected; or
(2) You determine, and BSEE concurs, that you must use divers and the seafloor sediment stability poses safety concerns; or
(3) The water depth is greater than 800 meters (2,624 feet).


*30 CFR 250.1730 When might BSEE approve partial structure removal or toppling in place?*

The Regional Supervisor may grant a departure from the requirement to remove a platform or other facility by approving partial structure removal or toppling in place for conversion to an artificial reef if you meet the following conditions:
(a) The structure becomes part of a State artificial reef program, and the responsible State agency acquires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and accepts title and liability for the structure; and
(b) You satisfy any U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) navigational requirements for the structure.


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## captdeb (Feb 11, 2013)

OMG with the season being only 26 days...this is unconsionable

with our luck...they will count these dead snapper into some calculation as "effort" or "discard" and reduce the ACL.


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## Chasin' Tales (Oct 2, 2007)

I work in the abandonment business. I'm on the well abandonment side, but work closely with the folks in our office that remove the platforms. 

It sucks that many snapper might die when a platform is removed. There's no doubt about that. However, over the life of the platform, the structure has provided habitat and allowed to exist many, many, many times the number that die when one of these structures is removed. When you consider the number of platforms out there and the number of snapper alone these structures have provided the gulf, 10,000 lbs is like a grain of sand on Casino beach. A lot of the platforms on which I'm working have been in the gulf since the 60's. How many snapper does one platform crank out in 50 years? When snapper season is whittled down to nothing, it's easy to jump on a bandwagon such as this. Understand though that stopping the oil industry from using explosives is not going to solve this problem, it will only add to the cost of facility removal. Which will add to the cost of oil. Which will add to the cost of gas. 

There is a rigs to reefs program. It's not as simple as just cutting the platform off and letting it sink where it's at. The gulf has many designated reef sites, much like we have off the coast of Pensacola. The platforms have to be placed in a designated reef area. Often times, the platform jackets will still need to be severed 15'+ below the mudline, and then towed to a reef site. There's lot's of shrimpers in the gulf. They don't like their nets to snag. Shrimpers have a little bit of pull in LA.

If you absolutely want to keep another platform from being removed from the gulf by explosive methods, just train a couple dozen Kemp's Ridley turtles to continuously swim laps around all the platforms in the gulf .


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

I worked as a commercial diver a few years and was involved in one of these projects about 4 years ago. This type of abandonment project involves capping the wellhead, and removing the structure 15 ft below the mudline. We did use cutting torches and hydraulic shears as well as diamond wire saws to remove the platform down to the sea floor, and once at the seafloor level the legs are jetted out and an ROV usually places the explosives at the base of the legs. I agree its terrible to see all those fish floating, it's not just red snapper, it's sharks, grouper, you name it, whatever lives on the reefs. 

I asked one of the supervisors why it had to be blown up below the mudline, and he said it was because of the Mineral Management Services (MMS) regulations. They had an officer on board and he said the platforms created navigational hazards and (get this!) SNAGS ON SHRIMPERS NETS. Boom, there you go, commercial fishing interests held at a high priority. 

The MMS is now called the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and if you want someone to contact, contact them! They make the regulations and it says right here http://www.bsee.gov/Exploration-and-Production/Decomissioning/index.aspx that they work hand in hand with NOAA (shocker) to decommission and abandon these platforms.

The entire thing is a joke, NOAA and everyone else knows that killing a thousand fish off a rig is no big deal when there are 15 more active platforms within a mile of that location loaded with fish and approx 3,000 off of Louisiana alone. Blowing up a rig isn't destroying the reef fish population or even denting it, but its definitely a slap in the face to fishermen everywhere when you consider the current, ridiculous, regulations we face.


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Chasing tales is spot on, hire a bunch of turtles and dolphins to swim laps around the proposed abandonment site... the turtle girl scientists were always so hot! Haha they fly around in the helos and won't let you blow up a thing.


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## TOBO (Oct 3, 2007)

The cost of sinking a rig may make the cost go up, but I don't think we would feel the hit too hard at the pump. It more like a grain of sand a casino beach for all the money they make.


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

+1 on that tobo, its not like we would suddenly be getting screwed....we wouldnt even notice.....hell i stopped looking at the price of my gas a long time ago, i just note how much the total is and balance my account accordingly, nothing we can do about it yet.


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## Chasin' Tales (Oct 2, 2007)

TOBO said:


> The cost of sinking a rig may make the cost go up, but I don't think we would feel the hit too hard at the pump. It more like a grain of sand a casino beach for all the money they make.


You are correct. This one item wouldn't really make a difference. Thing about it is that it won't make a difference with the snapper population either. The population and government has these knee jerk reactions to everything. While no, increasing the decommissioning cost a bit probably won't be realized at the gas pump, but you keep adding up all these small things and it becomes a bigger deal. 

Banning the use of explosives to decommission a platform is not going to make a difference in the snapper population in the Gulf.


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## SteveFL (Aug 2, 2010)

FenderBender said:


> I worked as a commercial diver a few years and was involved in one of these projects about 4 years ago. This type of abandonment project involves capping the wellhead, and removing the structure 15 ft below the mudline. We did use cutting torches and hydraulic shears as well as diamond wire saws to remove the platform down to the sea floor, and once at the seafloor level the legs are jetted out and an ROV usually places the explosives at the base of the legs. I agree its terrible to see all those fish floating, it's not just red snapper, it's sharks, grouper, you name it, whatever lives on the reefs.
> 
> I asked one of the supervisors why it had to be blown up below the mudline, and he said it was because of the Mineral Management Services (MMS) regulations. They had an officer on board and he said the platforms created navigational hazards and (get this!) SNAGS ON SHRIMPERS NETS. Boom, there you go, commercial fishing interests held at a high priority.
> 
> ...


Geeez! So the shrimper dudes can't mark a do-not-go-near waypoint on their machines?? This has got to be stupidity in it's finest hour.


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## captdeb (Feb 11, 2013)

Geez the video said an estimated 10,000 pounds.... then Dr. Ship said it happens up to 3 x a week....

Lets see what the worst case could be and go from there.

10,000 lbs x 3 per week x 52 weeks = 1,560,000. pounds worst case

Isn't that getting close to close to half of our recreational quota?

Again that the worst case but I'm still concerned even if its the least case .

Think of all the fish fry's and people it could feed.

Seems like the loss of a natural resource by blatant force as this is not the way a rig should be removed when it becomes an eyesore? 

LOL at least let us fish the rig off without restrictions before it goes "poof". 

What a waste?


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## Chasin' Tales (Oct 2, 2007)

captdeb said:


> Geez the video said an estimated 10,000 pounds.... then Dr. Ship said it happens up to 3 x a week....


There may be an average of 3 structures removed per week from the gulf this year. The past few years has seen an unusually high number of structures being removed. This trend will likely continue for the next couple years due to the maturing age of the facilities in the gulf. 

When you think that ~150 structures it seems like an awful lot. However, you need to consider that there are a lot of very small structures in shallow water (i.e. too shallow to hold snapper). There are much more of these being removed than the big structures that hold thousands of pounds of snapper. While these fish have some trout/redfish/sheepshead, the populations of those don't seem to be as critical as snapper. Not sure what the limit of trout is in LA, but it's a bunch. If you go west of the delta, you usually have to go out many miles before it's deep enough for the structures to hold snapper. So with that said, of the ~150 or so structures being removed, most of them will not result in a large number of snapper dying. Also, not all of the platforms that do hold snapper are severed with explosives. 

It's very easy for many things to be taken out of context. I'm a fisherman. I love to fish. I love to fish for snapper. If I thought for one second that the removal of these platforms with explosives had a detrimental effect on the snapper population in the gulf, I would be the first one to do something about it. 

People see one video of a platform being explosively severed resulting in the death of some snapper and it results in an 8 page thread on this website. You really want to make a difference? Really? Boycott gulf shrimp. The bycatch that shrimpers kill each year dwarfs the number of snapper being killed by the oilfield. You want another bandwagon to jump on??? This will be a good one that nobody talks about??? How come nobody has started a thread about the largest source of pollution in the gulf??? Cleaning up the Mississippi River will do more good than anything. Google "Gulf of Mexico dead zone" and then you will see that a few snapper being killed from the removal of a offshore platform is really just not that big of a deal.


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

Sounds like these are commercial companys doing the blasting. They should take those fish off of the commercial quota!!


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

there was a thread posted recently about the overfishing of minheaden that i thought was a huge issue needing to be dealt with, i wonder if there has been any more developments there,


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## frydaddy (Oct 1, 2007)

*One reason snapper season is short*

I'VE SCANNED OVER THE FORUM AND DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE SNAPPER THAT'S BEING KILLED EVERY WEEK WITH THE DEMOLISHING OF THE RIGS IN THE GULF. CHANNEL 15, WPMI, EXPOSED THE FISH KILLS WITH A HIDDEN VIDEO PROVIDED BY A CONCERNED WORKER ON ONE OF THE DEMOLITION RIGS.

THE VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND SHOWS THE DEAD FISH. WE CAN'T KEEP FISH BUT IT'S OK TO BLOW EM UP AND KILL EM.

GO TO WPMICHANNEL 15 UNDER THE SPECIAL REPORTS AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR HAS APPROVED THE PROGRAM AND OBVIOUSLY IS NOT INTERESTED IN STOPPING IT. I'LL TRY TO PROVIDE A LINK, BUT I'M NOT THE BEST WITH A COMPUTER.

http://www.local15tv.com/news/custom/special reports/default.aspx

CLICK ON THE TWO VIDEOS BY REP. BONNER. 

I'M REALLY CONFUSED AS TO WHY DR. SHIPP HASN'T EXPOSED THIS AND THE OTHERS THAT ARE " IN THE KNOW". LIKE I SAID, THEY CAN BLOW EM UP BUT WE CAN'T CATCH EM?

FRYDADDY


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

There were two threads last week on this topic.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

its all about money. Not anything else.:no:


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

At least two threads. You need to scan again my friend. We've seen and complained a ton


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## 706Z (Mar 30, 2011)

BE on the lookout for a tv special to show soon,saw ad for it ,didn't catch the details.Not the one above,differant show same subject!My cousin in grand bay is a professional hard hat diver that works on the rigs,this has been going on forever!!


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

There has been 7-8 threads on this. They were combined to one.


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