Mapping and Characterization of the Oculina Banks Habitat Area of Particular Concern (OHAPC) off the East Coast of Florida  (Year 1 of 1) Project Number: SEGM-2002-04-13 Principle Investigators: Shepard, A. N., and J. K. Reed Region(s):  The National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Center, Miami will collaborate with the National Undersea Research Program to support mapping and characterization of the Oculina Banks Habitat Area of Particular Concern (OHAPC). The primary goal of this support, administered through the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, is development of a Oculina Geographic Information System (OGIS) to assess habitats and disseminate data for the OHAPC, a marine protected area (MPA) in 100 meters of water off the east coast of Florida, closed to bottom fishing in 1994 and doubled in size to 300 nm2 in 2000. The OGIS background layers currently include side-scan sonar imagery from 1995, NOAA/NOS bathymetry, and submersible data (observations and imagery) from 2001. In October 2002, a multi-beam echosounder survey provided a high-resolution (1-2 meter) three-dimensional bathymetric map of the coral habitat in the OHAPC (generally less than 100 m and 50% of the total OHAPC area). OGIS will contribute to an assessment of habitat change in the MPA and baseline data layers for future OHAPC studies. The geophysical data (side-scan sonar, multi-beam bathymetry, seismic profiling, sediment samples) will be combined with dive transect data on habitat type, coral cover, fish populations, and other biota to create a habitat map. The 2002 survey is part of a larger on-going NOAA effort to explore, map, characterize, protect and restore, if necessary, deep reef communities off the southeast U.S. The OHAPC is a particular target due to its protected status, the first such deep reef ecosystem to be protected in the region.   During eight survey days from 10/16 to 10/23/02, over 920 linear nm miles of multi-beam echosounder system (MBES) survey were run. CTD casts were conducted roughly every 20 nm of survey to provide sound velocity correction data. The survey covered 86 nm2, 28 percent of the total OHAPC. Based on previous submersible dive transects and depth range of Oculina habitat, the survey covered 40 of the 60 nm long OHAPC, and 65 percent of the coral habitat inside the reserve. The NASA’s 170-foot ship, Liberty Star, supported the survey. Normally used for space shuttle operations (e.g., booster rocket recovery), NASA provided significant cost-share (charged less than 30 percent of the normal day rate for a similar sized support ship) and remains interested in future partnerships with NOAA. Key equipment used during the survey included the support ship’s Digital Geographic Positioning System (DGPS), and survey gear provided by Seafloor Systems Inc. (www.seafloorsystems.com), including: -Meridian gyrocompass with heave, pitch and roll sensors -SeaBird CTD -Reson SeaBat 8101 Multi-beam Echosounder System (MBES): 240 khz; 5 components- sonar processor, cable, monitor, track-ball; 150 d across track by 1.5 d along track width; 101 individual 1.5 x 1.5 d beams; meets IHO standards up to swath width of 320 m Resolution and swath coverage depends on depth. Meter resolution at 50 m depth, degrades to about 2 m at 100 m. Effective swath widths at various depths are: Depth Coverage (xD) 1-70 7.4 70-100 4.2 100-150 2.7 150 – 200 1.8 200 - 250 1.6 250 - 300 1.3 ISIS Sonar Data Acquisition and image processing system with Triton Elics packaging: -data stored in Triton XTF format for archival and post-processing -components include chassis, monitor, trackball, keyboard -boards for A/D conversion, Triton Elics Signal Interface Unit -integrates multibeam, navigation, and other data via RS232 input -real-time mosaicking provides georeferenced picture as survey occurs The resulting XYZ data, corrected for sound velocity and tides, were delivered to NURC/UNCW two weeks after the cruise, along with geotiff images of the survey and the raw XTF data on CD-ROMs. The system can provide back-scatter but was not set-up to provide full X-Y-Amplitude data for this cruise. Geotiff files of back-scatter will be provided. Significant products and discoveries included: -several uncharted and unexplored, high relief features that may be coral bioherms; to date, we have found only two substantial reefs with living and growing Oculina—Jeff’s and Chapman’s reef at the south end of the OHAPC; many of the new potential reef sites are in the newly closed (to trawling) reserve area -first high resolution map of an uncharted wreck sunk during WWII by a German U-boat; the wreck was first discovered during 1995 NMFS work and explored by technical divers in 2001; the wreck is laden with an unidentified silver-colored ore, most of which is melted into a solid mass, perhaps during fiery sinking -daily web log was maintained recounting expedition events and progress at http://oceanica.cofc.edu/oculina; as reported in a daily log, we witnessed illegal trawling in the closed area by a shrimper during one night of the survey; as we approached the trawler veered out of the reserve; we reported the event to the USCG and local NMFS enforcement officer. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Next steps in the development of OGIS include: Dec. 2002—discuss production of CD/web site by HBOI media group Jan. 2003—add multi-beam survey and Reed Oculina Bibliography Feb. 2003-- launch OGIS on Web (portals to be determined) Mar-Jun—spring expedition (see plan options below) Oct 2003—add Reed 1970s historic pics and video clips Funds are in hand, largely from savings accrued through the partnerships with NASA and Seafloor Systems Inc., to support one or even two 2003 expeditions: Spring spawning cruise- late March early April: -objectives: document spawning aggregation, ground-truth multi-beam map, initial description of rubble community ecology -approach: acoustic monitoring of Jeff’s Reef, (ROV or diver deployment of passive acoustic system provided by NASA), ROV or diver video documentation and observations of grouper aggregations and reproductive behavior; ROV survey/identification of mystery wreck; ROV dives to seek other areas of live coral cover (both low and high relief) and live bottom habitat; ROV and box cores to sample rubble community -advantages—first ever documentation of grouper spawning aggregation in South Atlatnic Bight (Gilmore and Jones, 1992, did not see spawning, only related behavior); fits into NASA launch schedule -disadvantages—weather May-Jun expedition: -objectives: ground-truth multi-beam map, describe rubble community, assess shrimp and scallop populations; complete MBES survey of coral habitat in OHAPC and adjacent habitat outside OHAPC -approach: acoustic monitoring of Jeff’s Reef, (ROV or diver deployment), but not for spawning; ROV survey/identification of mystery wreck; ROV surveys of areas of live coral cover (both low and high relief) and live bottom habitat; ROV and box cores to sample rubble community; from 4-8 days required to complete MBES survey-- either use D. Naar/USF system on return from WFS or another contract with Seafloor Systems; NASA/USA has already committed to at least another 8 days for $26,000 -advantages—weather -disadvantages—no spawning this late, uncertain NASA launch schedule Pre-proposals to 1) enhance OGIS by applying concept to other deep shelf-edge reefs off the southeast and 2) supplement the above 2003 expeditions will be submitted to the NOAA Ocean Exploration program and NOAA Coral Reef Initiative. Leg 1    Begin Date: 10/16/2002   End Date: 10/23/2002   Support Vessel/Platform: Liberty Star

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