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Habitat Diversity in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico: Selected Video Clips from the Gulfstream Natural Gas Pipeline Digital Archive

By Ellen A. Raabe, Robert D'Anjou, Domonique K. Pope, and Lisa L. Robbins

Overview | Study Locations | Seafloor Habitats | Habitat Mosaic | Resources

Overview

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in St. Petersburg, Florida, in cooperation with Eckerd College and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), produced an archive of analog-to-digital underwater movies. Representative clips of seafloor habitats were selected from hundreds of hours of underwater footage. The locations of video clips were mapped to show the distribution of habitat and habitat transitions.

The numerous benthic habitats in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico play a vital role in the region's economy, providing essential resources for tourism, natural gas, recreational water sports (fishing, boating, scuba diving), materials, fresh food, energy, a source of sand for beach renourishment, and more. These submerged natural resources are important to the economy but are often invisible to the general public.

This product provides a glimpse of the seafloor with sample underwater video, maps, and habitat descriptions. It was developed to depict the range and location of seafloor habitats in the region but is limited by depth and by the survey track. It should not be viewed as comprehensive, but rather as a point of departure for inquiries and appreciation of marine resources and seafloor habitats. Further information is provided in the Resources section.

Suggested Citation:

Raabe, E.A., D'Anjou, Robert, Pope, D.K., and Robbins, L.L., 2011, Habitat diversity in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico—Selected video clips from the Gulfstream Natural Gas Pipeline digital archive: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1172, available at https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1172/.