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Deep–Sea Coral Research at OCNMS
A research team led by scientists from the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) successfully completed a survey in June 2006 to document deep–sea coral and sponge assemblages within sanctuary waters and to look for any related environmental risks due to commercial bottom trawling or other human activities. The survey is a follow–up to an earlier pilot study conducted in June 2004, during which the first record of the reef–building stony coral, Lophelia pertusa, was observed for the region. Effective management and protection of deep–sea corals has been the subject of recent legislation within the U.S. and other countries and has become a high priority for NOAA’s sanctuaries. The work has been funded primarily by NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration (OE), with additional support from NCCOS, OCNMS, and the National Undersea Research Program (NURP). Preliminary results of the June 2006 survey, including many high–quality photo–images of corals and associated fishes and invertebrates (e.g, photo of red tree coral, Primnoa, with rockfish, courtesy of OCNMS), are now available through the following OE and sanctuary website links:
- NOAA Ocean Explorer research feature: Exploration for Deep–Sea Coral Communities in Washington
- Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary’s Featured Program: "Deep Sea Corals"
- National Marine Sanctuary, Sanctuary Science: "Survey of Deepwater Coral/Sponge Assemblages and their Susceptibility to Anthropogenic Impacts in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary"
