About Us

About the Program

This intricate and robust octocoral (Corallidae) was seen on a largely sparse seafloor during Dive 12 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration

NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program is the nation’s only federal research program dedicated to increasing scientific understanding of deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems and providing resource managers with scientific studies to inform conservation actions. Established in 2007 under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act, the Program supports NOAA’s role in actively managing fishing impacts and other threats to deep-sea coral and sponge habitat.

Deep-Sea Coral Data Portal

A screenshot of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program data map

Access the data portal with our national deep-sea coral and sponge database, related map layers, StoryMaps, data dashboards, and more.

Regional Research Initiatives

The Program coordinates and manages research initiatives in every region of the U.S. Click on a region to learn more about our work there.

Latest News

Explore the latest from the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program.

Blog Listing