Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
(From the Environmental Impact Statement) The U.S. Outer Continental Shelf consists of the submerged lands, subsoil, and seabed in a specified zone up to 200 nautical miles or more offshore from U.S. coasts.
The Ecosystems Program funds outer continental shelf research primarily through its partnership with the Minerals Management Service (MMS).
Listed below are examples of research projects available online and general information from USGS about outer continental shelves.
- Outer Continental Shelf Ecosystems Program: The Pinnacles Project. Download the File. (336 KB, PDF) (Gulf of Mexico) (FISC)
- Benthic Habitat and Geologic Mapping of the outer Continental Shelf of North-Central California (USGS Publications)
- Multibeam Mapping of Selected Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico--Data, Images, and GIS (U.S. Geological Survey -Open-File Report 02-411)
- Williams, S.J., Arsenault, M.A., Buczkowski, B.J., Reid, J.A., Flocks, J.G., Kulp, M.A., Penland, S., and Jenkins, C.J., 2006, Surficial sediment character of the Louisiana offshore Continental Shelf region: a GIS Compilation, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1195.
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Research Highlight
 Characterization of Northern Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Hard Bottom Communities with Emphasis on Lophelia Coral - Lophelia Reef Megafaunal Community Structure, Biotopes, Genetics, Microbial Ecology, and Geology (2004-2006) - The project focuses on understanding community structure, function, trophodynamics, genetics and microbial ecology within Lophelia (coral) communities and adjacent deep water habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. These efforts are being initiated at the request of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and were designed to complement an anticipated MMS-funded competitive procurement titled "Continued Investigation of Northern Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Hard Bottom Communities with Emphasis on Lophelia Coral." The separate but integrated USGS and MMS studies will collectively and cooperatively address important ecological issues including resilience, connectivity, and diversity of deep-sea coral communities.
For product and ordering information, visit the final report at the
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/coastaleco/OFR_2008-1148_MMS_2008-015/index.html.
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In the Spotlight
 USGS DISCOVRE Expedition:
Diversity, Systematics, and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems -
The 4-year multidisciplinary research program will focus on understanding the physical oceanography, biology, ecology, genetic connectivity, and trophodynamics of deep coral environments in the Gulf of Mexico (300-1000 m depths), both within natural and artificial (shipwreck) sites. Cruise 2008 is Underway - Read Daily Ship's Blogs
Additional Resources
 Publications in .PDF format require Adobe Reader. Go to the Adobe website to Download the latest version of Adobe Reader
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
Outer Continental Shelf 