Publications

NOAA and its partners initiated CAPSTONE expeditions aboard Okeanos Explorer in July 2015. In addition to providing valuable information on the habitats and species in these MPAs, CAPSTONE also aims to contribute publicly accessible baseline data and critical information needed to respond to emerging regional issues such as deep-sea mining, sustainable deep-sea fisheries, and potential US ECS designation.

coral reef ecology; planning; research; sponges

In September 2016, the science team for the Southeast Deep Coral Initiative met in Charleston, South Carolina to refine priorities of the initiative, and build the framework for a science plan. The purpose of this science plan is to outline a general strategy for the execution and completion of the most important research activities conducted under the Southeast Deep Coral Initiative. 

deep-sea fishes; deep sea corals; habitat; sponges; underwater photography

The 2012 and 2014 underwater camera surveys of the Aleutian Islands conducted by NOAA Fisheries were the first comprehensive underwater camera surveys of corals and sponges in the Aleutian Islands. Survey results presented in this report include fish and crab composition and density, coral, sponge, sea pens, and sea whip density and height, and substrate composition for each transect. 

fishes; fish populations; fish surveys; habitat; underwater photography

Two sites were selected off of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska and 40 underwater camera transects were deployed to assess benthic habitat and fish density. The data extracted from the images included substrate classifications as well as coral, sponge, and fish counts and identification.

This report presents the results of 15 projects conducted using Program funds from 2012–2015.

This report updates information on deep‐sea coral ecosystems and management efforts to protect them over the last decade, and presents a first summary of information on U.S. deep‐sea sponge ecosystems.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to gather biogeographic information in support of this evaluation around the Main Hawaiian Islands . The complexity of products from this assessment range from simple animal distribution maps to mathematical models depicting the predicted distributions of animals.

Chapter 3 pertains to benthic habitats and corals. An understanding of the distribution of marine benthic habitats and associated biota in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) is necessary in order to assess potential direct and indirect effects of renewable energy development.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to gather biogeographic information in support of this evaluation around the Main Hawaiian Islands . The complexity of products from this assessment range from simple animal distribution maps to mathematical models depicting the predicted distributions of animals.

Chapter 3 pertains to benthic habitats and corals. An understanding of the distribution of marine benthic habitats and associated biota in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) is necessary in order to assess potential direct and indirect effects of renewable energy development.

bycatches (fisheries); conservation; deep sea coral; marine resources conservation; monitoring; sponges

This report details the process and outcomes of this workshop, which will provide background to the science implementation team and guide the development of a science plan for the upcoming Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program Southeast Regional Research Initiative in 2016-2019.

cruise report; canyons

Beginning on August 24, 2016, a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers, aboard NOAA Ship Pisces, spent 12 days-at-sea exploring three deep-water canyons off the coast of North Carolina. Specifically, the team targeted Keller, Pamlico, and Hatteras canyons.