Lead: George Sedberry

This project will analyze ROV video recorded from deep-sea coral habitats off South Carolina and Georgia during a cruise aboard the NOAA Ship Pisces in 2010. Videos will be analyzed by substrate type, and fishes and sessile invertebrates enumerated within each type. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses will be used to determine associations among fish species and between fish species and habitat types.

Several managed and unmanaged fishery species (Snowy Grouper, Blueline Tilefish, Blackbelly Rosefish, Big Roughy and sharks), forage species (Yellowfin Bass), and other fishes occur in association with corals and different substrates. The habitat associations and importance of different habitats to various fish species are poorly known, even for economically valuable or vulnerable fishery species.

Videos will be analyzed by substrate type, and fishes and sessile invertebrates enumerated within each type. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses will be used to determine associations among fish species and between fish species and habitat types. This work will be performed by a graduate student at Savannah State University (SSU), the oldest public historically black college in Georgia, under direction from the Principal Investigator.