coral reef ecology; deep sea corals; management; marine ecosystem management; research; sponge

On July 7-8, 2009, scientists and resource managers met in Wilmington, North Carolina to further
define the exploration and research priorities laid out in the NOAA Strategic Plan for Deep-Sea Coral
and Sponge Ecosystems, and to identify critical information needs for deep-sea coral and sponge
ecosystems in the U.S. South Atlantic. The ultimate goal of the workshop was to identify steps to
improve the understanding, conservation, and management of these ecosystems.