Deep Sea Research and Technology Program: 2016 Report to Congress

This Magnuson-Stevens Act-required biennial report to Congress and the public summarizes the steps taken by NOAA to identify, monitor, and protect deep-sea coral areas, including the Program’s research activities and results. The Program consults with the nation’s eight Regional Fishery Management Councils and collaborates on research with other federal agencies, international partners, and non-governmental and academic scientists.

The Program collaborates with other NOAA programs and offices, such as National Marine Sanctuaries, Ocean Exploration and Research, Fisheries Science Centers, Fisheries Regional Offices, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and National Centers for Environmental Information. These programs and offices support exploration, research, and management activities critical to understanding and managing deep-sea corals and other ocean resources. The Program actively works to leverage their expertise.

This report describes the 2014 and 2015 research activities partially or fully funded by the Program to meet NOAA’s mandate to identify, study, and monitor deep-sea coral areas. Additional data and details of these activities are available. The report also briefly describes progress during this period in MSA-related management actions that contribute to protecting deep-sea coral areas. A subset of deep-sea coral research activities funded and carried out by NOAA programs and offices other than the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program are briefly acknowledged in the report but not specifically discussed as they are outside the scope of this report. 2016.