SWFSC Fisheries Ecology Division researcher Mary Yoklavich participated
in a 2-day workshop to develop priorities for NOAA’s Deepsea Coral Program
research on the west coast for the next 2-3 years. This group of about 40
scientists reached easy consensus on the top three areas of research:
- Distribution, abundance, and diversity of deepsea
corals and sponges;
- Ecological role of deepsea corals and sponges,
especially as relevant to essential fish habitat; and
- Biology of deepsea corals and sponges (age,
growth, physiology, reproduction, etc.).
A report from the workshop will be
the basis for funding west coast research and related activities in FY11 and FY12.
(February 1, 2010)