Oceanographic data collected during expedition YG1902L2: EXPRESS: ROV Characterization of the Deep-Sea Coral and Sponge Community along the Western US Coast (YG1902L2) from 2019-10-22 to 2019-11-07

The Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems, or EXPRESS initiative is a multi-year, multi-agency project to survey and map undersea habitat throughout the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. Scientists and engineers from NOAA, the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) conducted a 29-day expedition aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker along the California, Oregon, and Washington coasts, including sites within four National Marine Sanctuaries. GFOE’s ROVs and satellite system were used for this telepresence-enabled cruise, in partnership with OER. This EXPRESS expedition represented an unprecedented level of government cooperation. Eight different NOAA offices along with USGS and BOEM contributed financial or scientific expertise. During this expedition, researchers surveyed deep-sea coral and sponge environments off the U.S. West Coast. This cruise was part of a four-year West Coast Deep Sea Coral Initiative, supported by the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, to better understand the basic biology, abundance, and diversity of deep-sea coral throughout the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem as well as their ecological role with invertebrates and fish. The researchers collected samples to help identify West Coast corals and sponges, and revisit previously surveyed sites to document changes that have occurred over time. One was to collect essential fish habitat baseline information at 12 sites along the West Coast. The Pacific Fishery Management Council proposed modifications to these habitats to better support commercially important groundfish. Another important goal of characterizing this undersea habitat was to inform possible locations offshore northern and central California for wind energy development. Characterization identified sensitive habitats to avoid when establishing future offshore wind energy sites.