Sustainable Seas Expedition

The Sustainable Seas Expeditions (SSE) is a five-year project of underwater exploration and discovery of the marine world with special emphasis on the national marine sanctuaries of the United States.

The mission will explore protected and non-protected coral and hard bottom communities of Belize, Mexico, and the United States, as well as the currents that connect the different habitats. During this fourth year of the program, researchers will integrate many different scientific disciplines to create a picture of this large ecosystem, which includes coastal areas in the Gulf of Mexico, plus the southeast coast of the United States. Underlying geology, biology, and ecology will be studied, and the current patterns that function as the pathways for dispersal of invertebrate larvae and the migratory routes of marine mammals, fish species, and sea turtles will be assessed. Oceanographic measurements will help researchers assess water quality conditions entering and exiting marine protected areas. Both deep and shallow water habitats will be examined.

The GORDON GUNTER spent June 12 - July 11th on the second phase of the 2001 SSE mission. This segment of the mission focused on the exploration of coral reef and hard bottom ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico off the western coast of Florida and continuing to the Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys. Operations off the NOAA vessel utilized two DeepWorker 2000 single person submersibles, which are depth-rated to dive to 2000 ft. For details on the success of this cruise, visit NOAA's Sustainable Seas website.