USM finds mysterious GoM reef

Ocean researchers knew there something was rising from the depths of the Gulf of Mexico about 70 miles southeast of Gulfport, Miss., but didn’t know what. Equipment malfunction prevented a group from exploring the area, where the Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary might be expanded. Researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hydrographic Science Research Center (HSRC) decided to explore with underwater drones for the first time. “It was nice to see that there were some corals and fish living there,” said Brian Connon, HSRC director, told the Sun Herald. “I think we were all surprised to see the amount of life there” on the Mountain Top Bank Reef, one of a series of mesophotic reefs that support coral ecosystems in the GoM. Mesophotic reefs sit 100-490 feet below the surface. The HSRC is helping NOAA with its goal of mapping Gulf Coast waters. What they found was a reef in shallower water than expected (200 feet). The base sits 450 feet below the surface and rises up to 200 feet. The reef covers 975 acres. said Chet Rakocinski, a professor in USM’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering, examined photos from the reef and identified some aquatic life, including a spiral-shaped, bright white coral, called wire coral, that he had never seen. “It just expands our awareness of the distribution of these type of deep-water coral systems right here in our backyard in Mississippi,” he said. “That’s pretty notable.” HSRC is going to upgrade the camera system on its drone for a return trip to the reef in 2021. The drone, called Mola Mola, cost about $800,000. A second one would cost about $1.3M, and an unmanned surface vessel with sonar has a $900,000 price tag. (Source: Sun Herald 10/1920) https://www.sunherald.com/news/local/education/article246396875.html?ac_cid=DM304799&ac_bid=-1713976572