Characterizing Mesophotic Fish Assemblages of Puerto Rico’s Western EEZ: These ecosystems are difficult to access and require specialized diving techniques, thus they are relatively unexplored. Our project, led by University of Miami, will use closed circuit rebreather diving to explore the mesophotic coral ecosystems off the western coast of Puerto Rico. We will conduct complementary stereo-video and visual surveys to document fish occurrence, size, and abundance as well as evidence of marine debris, bleaching, disease, among other factors. Read the NOAA Award Announcement. Ongoing. Funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration awarded to UMiami, subaward to Isla Mar.

Investigating mesophotic coral reefs after Hurricane Maria: We worked with geological oceanographer Dr. Clark Sherman of the UPR-Mayaguez Dept. of Marine Sciences to assist in documenting the impacts of Hurricane Maria on deep mesophotic coral reefs. Read the Nature article. Completed. Funded by National Geographic Society, contracted services of Isla Mar. 

Coral Ecosystem Connectivity 2014: From Pulley Ridge to the Florida Keys: We participated in this multi-year study to investigate the role of mesophotic reefs off Pulley Ridge (the southwest coast of Florida) in potentially replenishing key fish species, such as grouper and snapper, and other organisms in the downstream reefs of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Dr. Evan Tuohy served as a closed-circuit rebreather diver, collecting specimens and documenting fish community composition on these reefs. Read the report. Completed 2014. Funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration, contracted services of Isla Mar.