Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 2001 The Across-Shelf Distribution of Larval, Postlarval and Juvenile Fishes Collected at Oil and Gas Platforms and a Coastal Jetty Off Louisiana West of the Mississippi River Delta. Frank Joseph Hernandez Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Hernandez, Frank Joseph Jr, "The Across-Shelf Distribution of Larval, Postlarval and Juvenile Fishes Collected at Oil and Gas Platforms and a Coastal Jetty Off Louisiana West of the Mississippi River Delta." (2001). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 407. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/407 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. 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THE ACROSS-SHELF DISTRIBUTION OF LARVAL, POSTLARVAL AND JUVENILE FISHES COLLECTED AT OIL AND GAS PLATFORMS AND A COASTAL JETTY OFF LOUISIANA WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty o f the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment o f the requirements for the degree of Doctor o f Philosophy in The Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences by Frank Joseph Hernandez, Jr. B.S., Louisiana State University, 1993 M.S.. University o f North Carolina at Wilmington, 1996 December 2001 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number. 3042623 UMI* UMI Microform 3042623 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. For my dad, Frank J. Hernandez, Sr., my sisters. Peep and Meek, nieces, Dabber and Winky, and great-nieces. Mac and Aubrey. Thanks for the love and support In memory o f my mother, Mary A. Hernandez, Sr. (1940-1993), who's love and support 1 still feel today. Also, in memory o f my MS degree mentor, Dr. David G. Lindquist for his guidance, encouragement and friendship. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my major professor, Dr. Richard Shaw, for his assistance and guidance throughout the course o f this project. I am also grateful for the assistance and encouragement I have received from my committee members, Drs. Chuck Wilson, Larry Rouse and Jay Geaghan. This has been a rewarding experience and it was a pleasure to work with such a knowledgeable and helpful committee. This was a very large research effort and there are many others to thank. I would like to thank Joe Cope, Jim Ditty, James Tolan and Dr. Mark Benfield for all o f their efforts, advice and guidance. I would especially like to thank Joe for his experimental design and SAS help when needed, as well as all the fun times at the jetties down in Fourchon. I would like to thank Talat Farooqi for helping me identify the most troublesome o f larval fishes. I am also indebted to Dr. Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz. Denice Drass and David Hanisko (NMFS, Pascagoula lab) for assistance with SEAMAP data acquisition and analyses, as well as advice and encouragement throughout. This project could not have been accomplished without field and laboratory assistance from our trusted student workers: David Bunch, Nathan Craig, Robin Hargroder, Gregory Lavergne, Bradley McDonald, Cory New, Nick Ortega, Paul Rogers and Christopher Whatley. Other students, RAs and lab siblings were there to lend a hand or an ear when needed, including Heather Haas, Ross Horton, Dave Lindquist, Brian Milan and John Plunkett. I also want to thank my many Red Stick and LSU friends, all o f which have encouraged me along the way. or at least bought me a beer when I was tapped for cash. I owe you. The list is long, but I'll be brief, and just mention a special thanks to Scott Baker, Kelly Blessinger, Tim Coker, Costa Dimitriades, Andy Fischer, Will Patterson, Elena and Myrto Prakoura, Jimmy Tam and all the Greeks (Efharisto). Finally, I gratefully acknowledge funding by the Minerals Management Service-Louisiana State University-Coastal Marine Institute (Contract Number 14-75-0001-30660, Task Order Number 19926) and by the Louisiana Sea Grant Program, part o f the National Sea Grant College Program maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I would also like to thank the Louisiana Board o f Regents fellowship program for their support. Logistically, I owe a great deal o f thanks to John Mackler, i ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Mark Miller and Wilton Delaune. I am further indebted to Exxon USA, Inc. and Mobil USA Exploration and Production, Inc. for access to their offshore oil and gas platforms and logistical support, and to the crews o f Mobil's West Cameron 352, West Cameron 7 ID, Green Canyon 18, and Grand Isle 94 and Exxon's South Timbalier 54 platforms for their hospitality. iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION.................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................. iii LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................................. x ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................ xiv CHAPTER 1. THE ACROSS-SHELF DISTRIBUTION OF REEF FISHES AND THE POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE OF OIL AND GAS PLATFORMS AS ARTIFICIAL HABITAT FOR FISHES IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO............................ 1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 2 Across-Shelf Ichthyofaunal Zonation ................................................................................... 3 Ichthyoplankton Collected at Oil and Gas Platforms ........................................................... 3 Study Objectives .................................................................................................................. 4 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 2. EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES COLLECTED ACROSS THE SHELF AT OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS PLATFORMS AND A ROCK JETTY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA............................................................. 8 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 9 MATERIALS AND METHODS............................................................................................... 11 Study Sites ....................................................................................................................... 11 Sampling Procedure ............................................................................................................. 14 Analyses o f Data .................................................................................................................