The Pourtalès Terrace is an exposed hard-bottom platform located south of the Florida Keys in 200–450 m depth with a diverse deep-sea coral ecosystem dominated by stylasterid hydrocorals, octocorals, and sponges that supports recreational and commercial fisheries.
Florida; Lophelia; Commercial Fisheries; Habitat Areas of Particular Concern; Desmophyllum pertusum
The purpose of this study is to document the occurrence and distribution of golden crab, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and royal red shrimp in deep-water habitats (200 meters to 900 meters) off eastern and southern Florida, within the jurisdiction of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
The continental margin off the northeastern United States contains numerous, topographically complex features that increase habitat heterogeneity across the region. However, the majority of these rugged features have never been surveyed, particularly using direct observations. During summer 2013, 31 remotely-operated vehicle dives were conducted from 494 to 3271 m depth across a variety of seafloor features to document communities and to infer geological processes that produced such features.
The effort has greatly improved our understanding of deep-sea corals and sponges off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, particularly within na
In 2023, a series of expeditions will help NOAA and partners to better understand the diversity and extent of ecologically important seafloor communities in
A multiyear, international study is using innovative technology to shed light on what red corals need to reproduce and sustain their populations, and how the