Researchers just discovered ‘unbelievable mountains’ of previously unknown coral. Researchers just discovered what they’re calling an “unbelievable” area of coral reef about 160 miles off…
Researchers just discovered ‘unbelievable mountains’ of previously unknown coral.
Researchers just discovered what they’re calling an “unbelievable” area of coral reef about 160 miles off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina that’s about 85 miles long. Overall, the reefs are about the length of Delaware and about half a mile under the surface of the water.
Researcher Erik Cordes said, “We couldn’t find a place that didn’t have corals. This is a huge feature. It’s incredible that it stayed hidden off the US East Coast for so long.”
The discovery was part of a 15-day expedition to collect data about deep-water habitats in the US Mid and South Atlantic. The project, called Deep Search, was funded by NOAA, the US Geological Survey, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
This discovery comes as President Trump proposes the expansion of offshore drilling. The plan would expand drilling in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific oceans. If implemented, the plan would make about 90 percent of the waters off the United States coastline available for oil exploration.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the Trump administration had found the largest number of sales ever proposed for the nation’s offshore leasing program. He also said the plan would “strike the right balance to protect our coasts and people, while still powering America and achieving American energy dominance.”
While announcing the Deep Search project last year, BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank stated the project had been planned since before President Trump took office but he also pointed out that it could also still be used to influence future policies. “New information from this study could be useful in pre-leasing or post-leasing decisions, such as those affecting sensitive habitats that are the focus of this study.”
