Research Technical Report

Fish and Invertebrate Surveys, Geological Habitat Characterization, and Shipwreck Reconnaissance: Delta Submersible Cruise

de Marignac, J., E.J. Burton, R. Schwemmer, R.M. Starr, J.J. Bizzarro, M.M. Yoklavich, M.R. Ammend, J.W. Foster, J. Hunter, T.E. Laidig, R.M. Lea, D.M. Lott, L.Y. Murai, M. Ricketts, A. Palmer, and Sanctuary Staff (September 2003)

In: MBNMS (ed), Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 2003 Field Research Review, A Report to the Sanctuary Advisory Council, pp. 19-24.

ABSTRACT

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary led a research cruise aboard the R/V Velero IV, using the 2-person submersible Delta, 16-25 September 2003. Four research projects with overlapping goals were conducted in collaboration with 6 principal investigators, 9 participating institutions, and 15 participants. Thirty dives were conducted at 5 survey locations in depths of 60-350 meters. Projects included fish and invertebrate assemblage surveys at Soquel Canyon, Partington Canyon, and the Monterey Peninsula/Point Sur Area; ground-truthing of geological habitat, recorded earlier using side scan sonar, at Partington Canyon; and reconnaissance of the oil tanker Montebello attacked during World War II near Cambria, CA. Video data have yet to be analyzed. Biological and geological data will be used to determine habitat associations, and long-term changes in species and size composition. Preliminary results of the Montebello survey indicate that the ship's hull is intact.