Deep sea coral grow in the deeper and colder waters of the world’s oceans. Coral live long, grow slowly, and can be vulnerable to various kinds of anthropogenic activity. It is thought that deep sea coral can, at times, serve as important fish habitat by providing places of refugia for fish and by providing structural relief along the ocean bottom.

Understanding coral is crucially important to fishery management. Where are coral found? What are their life history attributes? What role do they play in providing habitat for fish species? How does human fishing gear affect coral and what is the spatial extent of fisheries?

The Marine Conservation Alliance works to ensure that there is seafood to feed the world. Understanding deep sea coral and the fisheries around them through quality science drives excellent conservation policy.

An example of an Aleutian Island coral forest.
An example of an Aleutian Island coral forest. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a valued partner in the study of deep sea coral. Read what they have to say by clicking here.

This summer, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center completed the first comprehensive camera survey targeting corals on the eastern Bering Sea outer shelf and slope.
NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center completed the first comprehensive camera survey targeting corals on the eastern Bering Sea outer shelf and slope.