The Blake Plateau
Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2021.
Download largest version (mp4, 179 MB)

NOAA Ocean Exploration has been supporting exploration of the Blake Plateau since the early days of the program. Located off the Southeast United States, the Blake Plateau is an unusual, broad, flat feature with a steep drop-off into the very deep sea. The work of NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners on the Blake Plateau is of particular interest to the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council. Among the outcomes of our recent work in this region is the discovery of what's likely the largest known deep-sea coral ecosystem on Earth. The data that we have collected about the important resources on the Blake Plateau will help inform their sustainable use and management.