Recent Posts

  • Gulf of Mexico Coral Disease Dashboard
    Coral disease is emerging as a major factor in the degradation of many coral reefs, and surveys indicate that significant and damaging new diseases are emerging. Coral diseases potentially affect both well-managed and unmanaged reefs indiscriminately. Strategies for managing disease outbreaks are currently lacking. The increasing frequency of diseases affecting and altering reef communities means… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Spawning, aggregations and connectivity in the Gulf
    Many economically important coral reef fishes (e.g., groupers, snappers) in the Gulf migrate to specific places to form spawning aggregations and can result in tens to thousands of fish in a single location during spawning events.  However, spawning aggregations are often targeted by anglers, resulting in intense fishing effort that can negatively affect fish populations.… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Non-climatic stressors for corals in the Gulf
    Reef-building corals are increasingly being exposed to persistent threats that operate on both regional and global scales, and there is a need to better understand the complex processes that diminish coral populations.  The majority of the scientific literature on threats to corals were focused on climatic stressors.  There are limited studies that provide perspective on… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Coral Reef Invasive Species
    Coral cover can be influenced by biotic stressors such as the presence of invasive species and substrate competition with other benthic invertebrates.  Invasive species can cause severe and lasting damage to the habitats they invade by reducing the abundance of native species as well as altering the ecosystem structure.  They can rapidly spread in the… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Climate Change Impacts to Reef Associated Species
    Climate Change affects the corals as well as fishes and other organisms associated with the reefs. Shifting the the overall architecture of the reef can one that is dominated by sea fans, soft corals, macroalgae, and sponges. This in turn also changes the types of fish and invertebrates that depend on the habitat and food… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Ancient Deep-Sea Corals
    Some of the oldest known benthic marine organisms are black corals of genus Leopathes.  These ancient deep-sea corals (Leiopathes spp.) are very slow-growing black coral species.  In the Gulf, large colonies of the black coral Leiopathes glaberrima have been estimated to be over 2,000 years old.  They are characterized by their black or dark brown… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Final Rule Implementing Coral Amendment 9 in Gulf of Mexico
    NOAA Fisheries announces the final rule implementing Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coral and Coral Reef Resources in Gulf of Mexico U.S. waters (Amendment 9). The final rule will be effective November 16, 2020. The rule establishes 13 new habitat areas of particular concern with fishing regulations, designates 8 new areas without fishing… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Deep Sea Soft Corals
    Deep-sea soft corals (Callogorgia spp.) are abundant foundation species (species which built main reef structure), often occurring as extensive fields of colonies in the upper bathyal region of the deep sea and found between 650 – 3280 feet deep. Colonies of soft corals create habitat for a wide variety of animals. They, often serve as nursery… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Deep Sea Black Corals
    The deep-water environment found off the west coast of Florida proved to be a good habitat for diverse deep-water coral communities. Black corals (or Antipatharians) are a group of branching corals often associated with deep reef habitats. Although their exterior flesh is usually red, white, or orange, their internal skeleton is black. Black corals can live… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Endangered Corals from the Gulf of Mexico
    Gulf council produced a set of pamphlets which highlights basic information about Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed corals from the Gulf of Mexico. You can view the pamphlets by clicking the image below or could download all of them from here. Don’t forget to check our ESA Coral Explorer Application to know where these corals… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • ESA Coral Explorer
    In September 2014, NOAA Fisheries published a federal register notice that listed seven coral species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Council is collaborating with NOAA to host and maintain the ESA corals database in our coral portal. If you want to know where the corals are in the Gulf Of Mexico, check… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Causes of Coral Reef Decline
    While corals have been resilient to changing oceans throughout time, oceans are changing at an unprecedented rate. Slow-growing corals may not be able to adapt quickly enough to survive so much variablity. This storyboard discusses factors that threated the health of our coral reefs. Launch site
  • Deep-water Coral in the Gulf of Mexico
    Deep-water corals are some of the strangest habitats on earth. These corals live at depths of 1000 feet or more where sunlight doesn’t penetrate and where water temperatures can be near freezing. Traditional coral reefs are mostly made up of stony corals, but in the deep ocean, octocorals, black corals and stony corals all thrive.… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Orange Sea Fans of the Deep
    Orange sea fans (Swiftia exserta) or red polyp octocoral are a type of gorgonians that belong to the group of non-photosynthetic cnidarian species. These sea fans occur throughout the west Atlantic in fairly deep (e.g., 60 to 1600 feet) and nutrient-rich waters along coastal areas with moderate currents. Colonies are fan-shaped with orange to red stem… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Threatened Corals in the Gulf of Mexico
    Understanding what corals need to survive is crucial to protect and conserve them, particularly in this time of changing climate. Improved knowledge of coral life histories, vulnerabilities, and threats aids managers. Additionally, such information can help the Council provide feedback when asked to weigh in on research recommendations for areas, species, or fisheries. New information… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Life History and Climate Change Impact to ESA-listed Corals
    In September 2014, NOAA Fisheries published a federal register notice that listed seven coral species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Understanding life history and the effects of climate change on these species is crucial to protect them. This storyboard explores what life history means and why it’s important, how life history and climate… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • A closer look at the Ivory Tree Coral
    The ivory tree coral (Oculina varicosa) can be found in shallow and deep waters. In shallow waters, it is often patchily distributed on coarse shelly reef. However, in deeper water, it can occur as a massive, bush-like aggregation. Oculina reefs typically occur in regions on the shelf edge where water flows upward from depth. It… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Lophelia pertusa: A Closer Look
    Lophelia pertusa is a prominent deep-sea coral in the Gulf of Mexico and one that plays a significant role in the designation of Habitat Areas of Particular Concern. So, it’s going to be the first in a series of deep-water corals we’ll be profiling in storyboards.We’re going to dig in a little deeper to find out… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Coral HAPC Explorer
    The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is considering changes to current Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) designation based on new information that has identified additional sensitive areas supporting deep-water corals in the Gulf. This map allows you to explore coral data and locations of current and recommended HAPCs. We understand that spatial data… Continue Reading Recent Posts
  • Spiny Lobster Closed Areas
    In 2009, the National Marine Fisheries Service completed a Biological Opinion of the Spiny Lobster Fishery which concluded that spiny lobster trap fishing activities put sea turtles, smalltooth sawfish, and staghorn and elkhorn corals at risk. The Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils took action to address the concerns outlined in the Biological Opinion,… Continue Reading Recent Posts

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