This post is for anyone who isn't convinced that artificial reefs provide a benefit. Recently, scientists have demonstrated something that many other people -- especially Louisiana's spearfishers -- have long known: oil and gas platforms serve as critical nursery habitat for some species of fish. Working in California, the researchers have concluded that a species of rockfish called bocaccio -- whose population has declined more than 90% due to overfishing -- are rebounding, thanks to the platforms.

One group of researchers surveyed fish populations around 8 (of the area's 27) oil and gas platforms off Southern California. From the surveys, the research team estimated that roughly 20% of the total population of juvenile bocaccio lived at the structures. Moreover, through regional scuba surveys, the researchers found that the population of juvenile bocaccio using natural reefs as nursery grounds was small compared to the populations at the platforms. If you're the kind of person who likes visual evidence to go along with your statistical analysis, however, check out this interesting video documenting the surveys. (Cool sub! Vibrant reef!)

Additionally, a separate but similar study indicated that about 3/4 of the young bocaccio settling around "Platform Irene" would not survive if Irene did not exist. Rather, the currents would sweep the little guys offshore where they would have a very low probability of survival.