The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group is drafting a supplement to Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment, which was approved in 2019, to continue restoration planning for Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) damaged by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The supplemental restoration plan will evaluate alternatives to extend implementation of the current MDBC restoration projects—potentially committing the remaining settlement allocated for the MDBC Restoration Type. Due to the extent of the injury and complexity of restoration techniques, the Trustees are considering this in order to build on the substantial progress, capabilities, and expertise established by these projects and maximize the remaining funds available for MDBC restoration.
In Restoration Plan 2, the Open Ocean Trustees approved four MDBC restoration projects to better understand and restore injured seafloor habitats and the many species that rely on them. The MDBC projects began with two years of planning that wrapped in 2022. During that phase, many subject matter experts worked together to identify key areas for restoration and develop techniques to address the complex injury. A robust network of partners—including scientific institutions, aquariums, and educational organizations—was also established to conduct the 5-year implementation phase that will be completed in 2027.
The MDBC restoration work has involved extensive, ongoing engagement with many subject matter experts and the public. Materials from the annual public webinars, held since 2021, can be found on the Trustees’ website—including the most recent May 6, 2025 webinar. More details on the ongoing projects are available at the links below:
- Active Management and Protection
- Coral Propagation Technique Development
- Habitat Assessment and Evaluation
- Mapping, Ground-truthing, and Predictive Habitat Modeling
The Open Ocean Trustees expect to release the draft supplemental restoration plan for public review and comment in late 2025 or early 2026. The Open Ocean Trustees can be contacted at: openocean.TIG@noaa.gov.
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