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2010 Deep Sea Coral Cruise - west coast
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Mission Plan

During the cruise, researchers will address the following objectives:

ROV and AUV Dive sites in the Leg 1, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
ROV and AUV Dive sites in the Leg 1, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Click here for a larger image. (OCNMS)
The McArthur II will survey deep sea coral and sponge communities from Washington to southern California in three legs to 1) locate and characterize deep-sea coral and sponge habitats and to make this information available to support related fisheries and sanctuary management needs, 2) to generate information to help understand the value of deep-sea coral as habitat for other associated species, including commercially important fishes and invertebrates, and in providing other important ecosystem functions (e.g., potential reservoirs of biodiversity); and 3) to assess the condition of deep-sea coral communities in relation to commercial fishing activities and other potential human-caused or environmental disturbances.

ROV and AUV Dive sites in the Leg 1, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Dive sites for Leg 2 Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS): Bodega Canyon, CBNMS slope (west of Cordell Bank), hard bottom habitat on shelf between Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank. Click here for a larger image.

ROV and AUV Dive sites in the Leg 1, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Dive sites for Leg 2, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS): GFNMS slope (west of Farallon Islands; Farallon Escarpment), Rittenburg Bank, and the Football. Click here for a larger image.

ROV and AUV Dive sites in the Leg 1, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Dive sites for Leg 3 Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) and Southern California Bight: Piggy Bank, with Hueneme Canyon as weather backup plan. Hidden Reef study site will be surveyed in Fall 2010. Click here for a larger image.

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