Mid-Depth Rocky & Soft-Bottom Ecosystems, California South Coast MPA Baseline Study, 2011 to 2012

Seafloor habitats deeper than 100 meters make up an estimated 29% (1840 km2) of state waters in southern California, yet they are sampled with far less frequency when compared to shallower waters due to the many challenges associated with sampling in deep water. This difference in the frequency of sampling is concerning given the many economically and ecologically important organisms, along with the unique and productive habitats in which they occur, that are found below 100 m. With the creation of the new network of marine protected areas, over 35% (330 km2) of the State’s shelf and slope deeper than 100 m are now protected within State Marine Reserves and Conservation Areas. This dataset represents a multi-year study (September 2011 – January 2015) to characterize mid-depth rocky reef and soft bottom ecosystems in the California Marine Life Protection Act’s South Coast (SC) Study Region. The specific objective was to characterize the seafloor habitats and associated biological communities within and adjacent to the State Marine Reserves (SMRs) and Conservation Areas (SMCAs) at the time of implementation.

[
  "Natural Resources",
  "Water"
]