AFSC/ABL: Salisbury Sound sponge recovery

In 1995, an area of the seafloor near Salisbury Sound was trawled to identify immediate effects on large, erect sponges and sea whips. Video transects were made in the trawled areas, as well as in reference areas with a manned submersible. One year later, the video transects were repeated to characterize medium-term survival and recovery of the sponges and sea whips. In 2009, the site was revisted to document the long-term effects of trawling. Thirteen years after trawling, the incidence of damage to sponges and sea whips in the trawled areas was higher than in the reference areas. Sponge density was also lower in the trawled areas.