Deep-Sea Benefits - Outcomes of Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community Restoration
Implementing Organization
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$7,650,000
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Monitoring and Observations
Targeted Resources
Other
Project Description
This project will collect and analyze data to directly assess benefits to Fish and Water Column Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, and Sea Turtles that can be attributed to Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community restoration under the Natural Resources Damages Act (NRDA) funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To achieve this, this project will use three years of new data collection to quantify Marine Mammal, Sea Turtle, and Fish and Water Column Invertebrate vertical connectivity to Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community habitats by looking at their distribution, abundance, habitat use, community composition, and/or trophic dynamics at select locations in the Gulf of Mexico. A better understanding of Fish and Water Column Invertebrate distribution would also indirectly benefit Sea Turtle, Marine Mammal, and higher trophic level Fish and Water Column Invertebrate predators by better characterizing their prey. This monitoring will inform project planning and assessment of benefits to multiple resources from restoration activities by providing reference conditions. This Monitoring and Adaptive Management Activity will also contribute to future efforts quantifying cross-resource and ecosystem benefits associated with Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community habitat restoration through modeling.
Contact
Ian Zink(843) 259-3918
ian.zink@noaa.gov
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/