a serious economic impact. Secondary impacts could harmfully affect the 

 fishing industry throughout the region. 



2. Tourism and Recreation . The California Department of Commerce 

 estimates that the California coast recreation and tourist trade totals 

 $2.5 billion annually and sustains over 280,000 jobs. The Southern 

 California Visitors Council estimates that 8.6 million out-of-state 

 tourists spent over $2 billion in the Southern California region alone. 

 "A Study for the Methodology for a Continuous Tourism Research Program," 



reported that the California coastline is a major attraction to visitors 



g 

 from around the world. Additionally, 85% of the state's population 



lives within 30 miles of the coastline, and the heaviest concentration 



of beach users and beach residents is in the Southern California counties. 



Disruption of coastal recreation by oil and gas development is pos- 

 sible through oiling of beaches, removal of land for oil-related uses, 

 pollution from offshore operations, visual blight caused by platforms 

 and onshore treatment plants, and disruption of coastal ecology and 

 subsequent reduction or disappearance of birds and sea mammals that are 

 closely associated with coastal waters. 



BLM catalogued the various operations that could cause adverse impacts, 

 but they did not identify specific sites because of a lack of knowledge 

 on final development of Sale 35. However, the possible construction of 

 up to 120 platforms in the Sale 35 area and those in the Santa Barbara 

 Channel, along with the related onshore facilities, will alter and may 

 degrade the beauty of the Southern California coast and impair its global 

 reputation. The negative impacts may adversely affect the tourist indus- 

 try in the region and thus, affect the economy of the entire state. 



86 



