Deep sea coral collection protocols now available

Marine invertebrate sample collection protocols for deep-sea organisms are well known within some institutions. However, previously there were no publicly available, published methodologies on how to collect samples to meet national/international standards, and to coordinate those protocols between institutions. Nationally, ocean exploration activity is increasing. Interest in deep-sea coral and seamount habitats is also increasing. Thus, the pressure upon national and state level scientific institutions to accommodate and to identify samples collected elsewhere is increasing. The United States NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration provided funds in 2002 to develop deep-sea coral collection protocols that can improve our general understanding of deep-sea corals, and increase our national capacity to document the diversity of deep-sea corals in our national waters.

These protocols were recognized as a model document by the Census of Marine Life in 2004, implemented on the Davidson Seamount Expedition 2006, and peer-reviewed and prepared as a NOAA Technical Memorandum by NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation. However, later expeditions identified a need for minor changes to improve the quality and long-term viability of the document. A CenSeam mini grant funded the revision and subsequent completion of the work.

It is envisaged that these protocols will facilitate standardization between past and future expeditions. The Deep-sea Coral Collection Protocols are a synthesis of field experience from deep-sea coral researchers, designed to build international capacity to document deep-sea coral diversity. The document is designed as a primer on deep coral taxonomy and techniques, but the goal of the document is to enable non-biologists and non-scientists to collect deep-sea coral samples that are compatible with archival standards.

The full citation of this document is:

Etnoyer. P., Cairns, S.D., Sanchez, J.A., Reed, J.K., Lopez, J.V., Schroeder, W.W., Brooke, S.D., Watling, L., Baco-Taylor, A., Williams, G.C., Lindner, A., France, S.C., and Bruckner, A.A. (2006) Deep-sea coral collection protocols. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-OPR-28, Silver Spring, MD. 55p.