Dive 17 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition took place on Gosnold Seamount. This was the second dive of the expedition on Gosnold, this one taking place at a much shallower depth than the first, with exploration targeting the summit plateau at the northwest end of the seamount.
The team was not disappointed by the diversity and density of life encountered, as both diversity and density of biological communities were high throughout most of the dive. We observed many species of large corals growing on larger ferromanganese nodules and a wide range of sponges, brittle stars, stalked crinoids, and large sea stars. Pelagic (water column) gelatinous animals were also present throughout the dive, which, when combined with the high benthic (seafloor) biodiversity, suggests this is potentially a highly productive area.
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Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamounts.