Explosive Fed. Mandate Killing Thousands of Red Snapper

[A Turtle Named Mack]

A federal mandate to remove old, abandoned oil and gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico is blowing up a lot more than just the rigs.

Undercover video obtained by Local 15 shows thousands of pounds of dead fish, mostly red snapper, floating to the surface after one of the controversial demolitions in the Gulf.

http://www.local15tv.com/news/local/...8fuT40W_Q.cspx

I assume there is a reason for the demolitions - possibly to prevent leaks, though exploding the rigs would seem much more likely to cause leaks than leaving them alone.

[nonnieyrissa]

Yes and no. There is a reason, becuase the rigs will eventually topple and have in the past caused deaths when boats hit the toppled remains, but there are several other answers to the problem. Unfortunately they are more expensive. This should be one of the times that trying to get the job done cheaper isn't the answer. They are destroying ecosystems with this method.

[hambubba]

Red Snapper will recover, the Gulf is HUGE and literally full of fish. Rigs, unfortunately, are a place fish love. Destroying abandoned rigs will in no way reduce the environment for fish. There's thousands of existing rigs that still have plentiful amounts of fish. ETA: sharks will take care of the dead fish, there's no shortage of THOSE either.

Regarding demolition - prior to demolition, the wells are plugged with cement, and abandoned at the sea floor, or below it! Rigs are usually stripped down first, leaving only a platform and no equipment. There won't be any effects from spilled oil at all.

[zerocool]

Rigs are often decommissioned (all the oil contaminated equipment removed) and destroyed in place to make new reefs. It is the the MMS's Rigs to Reefs program, and requires the structure to be brought down to at least 85 feet below the surface. While the process may harm the existing undersea residents of the rigs structure, the idea is to make more reef by sinking the rest of the rig in place rather than removing it completely. It is also cheaper for the oil companies, and they pass on half the saved costs to a fund to maintain the reef once it is created. It should be win-win for everybody.