Largest Deep Sea Coral Reef Found Off US Atlantic Coast

Scientists in partnership with the NOAA have recently discovered the largest deep-sea coral reef off of the U.S Atlantic Coast. The reef is 310 miles long, and 68 miles wide. It stretches from approximately Miami, Florida, to Charleston, South Carolina. This reef was discovered in the Blake Plateau when 31 multibeam mapping surveys were produced to create a mapping of the plateaus seafloor. It was believed for a while that the Blake Plateau was soft sedimented with scarce life. That all changed when new studies and mappings were completed.

The reef is made of primarily Desmophyllum pertusum (Cold Water Coral). Being found in depths ranging from 655 to 3,280 feet, these coral don’t rely on symbiotic algae and sunlight but rather filter feed. They are incredibly important for the ecosystem as they pose as nurseries, shelters, food sources, and homes for many organisms such as sharks, octopi, shrimp, and other types of fish.

Finding these reefs is evidence that there is still so much to be discovered about our oceans. Deep Sea reefs also cover much more of the ocean floor than tropical reefs. Despite this, tropical reefs are better known to scientists due to the fact they are easier to access. This shows the importance of deep sea exploration and after all, only about 25% of the oceans floor has been mapped. Both reefs are still susceptible to similar threats due to human impacts. Learning more about these reefs helps us understand ways we can protect them. With technology advancing, hopefully more of these deep sea reefs will be discovered in the future.