Santa Barbara Channel fish and invertebrate surveys at oil and gas platforms

Dataset contains occurrences of fish and invertebrates at nine oil and gas platforms between 1995 and 2011 in the southern California (Pt. Arguello to Long Beach). Observations were collected using a manned submersible at depths ranging from 29 – 224 meters (95 - 739 feet). Data are organized into two tables: (1) the fish count (1995-2000) and (2) the invertebrate count (1997-2011). Fish surveys were conducted primarily at nine Platforms (Irene, Hidalgo, Harvest, Hermosa, Holly, Gilda, Grace, Gina, Gail) in the Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Maria Basin. Invertebrate surveys were collected at these nine platforms plus Platform Edith, located off Long Beach (1998) and partial submersible surveys were completed around Platforms C, B, A, Hillhouse, Henry, Houchin, Hogan, and Habitat (2000). See additional methods under “Methods” and citations therein. The Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Maria Basin are situated in a dynamic marine transition zone between the regional flow patterns of central and southern California. The Santa Barbara Channel is about 100 km long by about 50 km wide (60 x 20 miles) and is bordered on the south by the Northern Channel Islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa). The smaller Santa Maria Basin is located off Pt. Arguello to the northwest. The entire area is bathed in a complex hydrographic system of currents and water masses. The convergence of different water masses in the Santa Barbara Channel results in relatively large scale fluctuations in physical parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nutrient concentrations) and biotic assemblages (e. g., flora and fauna).