coral reef ecology; deep-sea corals; management; marine ecosystem management; sponges

On January 20-21, 2010, scientists and resource managers met in Portland, Oregon 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 off the U.S. West Coast. The ultimate goal of the workshop was to identify steps to improve the understanding, conservation, and management of these ecosystems.