Since 2000, the National Ocean Service and its partners have mapped more than 3 million acres (12,100 km2) of shallow-water (0–30 meters) coral reef habitats spanning the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean. The results of this body of work are summarized in a new report released by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), National Summary of NOAA’s Shallow-water Benthic Habitat Mapping of U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems.
The report encompasses 10 areas of highly productive reef regions. The new report serves as a summary of the previous studies and provides key information in a single document. This effort was led by NCCOS, Coral Reef Conservation Program, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and the Coastal Services Center.