Highlights from the first dive of the Deep Connections 2019 expedition during which the team explored the Gully Marine Protected Area. During the dive, they encountered a stunningly diverse and dense array of marine life, providing greater insights into this protected submarine canyon.
Previous studies in the Gully Marine Protected Area have documented a wide diversity of habitats and species; however, many deepwater areas, particularly within the eastern flank explored during this dive, remained completely unexplored. The purpose of the dive was to survey the previously unexplored eastern flank of the canyon, as well as to document potentially undescribed species, particularly sponges.
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Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Deep Connections 2019.