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Watch Live: Expedition to Advance Deep-Sea Coral Restoration

March 23, 2026

Throughout an upcoming expedition to restore deep-sea corals, NOAA and our partners will host public livestreams offering an opportunity to see restoration efforts up close. Viewers will also be able to ask experts questions in real time!

These free programs will cover a range of topics, including careers at sea, deep-sea landers, and more. Livestreams and past recordings will be available on the Deep Gulf Coral Restoration Youtube playlist managed by our partners at the University of Rhode Island’s Inner Space Center. This expedition, taking place from March to May 2026, is part of a multi-year collaborative effort to restore deep-sea habitats in the Gulf of America that were injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

A bright orange branching coral with a fringe of extended polyps and in the shape of a fan is anchored to a hard substrate covered in marine life. In the background, a large white coral can be seen growing in the distance atop a rocky outcropping in dark waters.

Mesophotic and deep benthic habitats are home to a rich community of fish, corals, and other invertebrates. Image courtesy of NOAA, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, UNCW UVP. Download largest version (4 MB).

Livestream dates and topics:

  • Friday, March 27 at 2 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. CDT: Secrets of the Deep: What Can Landers Tell Us?
      Experts are deploying advanced ocean landers equipped with sensors that measure temperature, oxygen, and other key indicators of environmental conditions near the seafloor. Join us live to hear how these instruments collect long-term data and help us plan restoration efforts.
  • Tuesday, March 31 at 2 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. CDT: Eyes on Coral in the Twilight Zone
      This program is specifically geared towards high school students, but all are welcome! Tune in to learn how we observe corals at sea and in the lab, and hear experts answer questions from students of all ages.
  • Tuesday, April 14 at 11 a.m. EDT / 10 a.m. CDT: Working on the Waves
      Ever wonder what kind of roles are needed for a successful restoration expedition? Join us live to hear from a variety of talented professionals as they describe their jobs at sea.
  • Wednesday, April 22 at 3 p.m. EDT / 2 p.m. CDT: How do Deep-Sea Corals Grow?
      Scientists at sea are working to restore deep-sea coral communities through innovative coral propagation techniques. Learn how experts monitor and restore corals on the seafloor and why long-term restoration is critical to rebuilding deep-ocean habitats.
  • Wednesday, May 6 at 3 p.m. EDT / 2 p.m. CDT: Technical Diving for Restoration
      Find out how specialized technical divers are helping to restore mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Gulf. Hear live from the team during a diving expedition and learn about the tools, talent, and teamwork that goes into a successful restoration diving mission.

Don’t want to wait to join in on the livestream fun? Catch up on our previous livestreams, including:

Expedition background: From March to May 2026, the Deepwater Horizon Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) team will conduct restoration activities aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. Objectives include using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to conduct habitat assessments, deploying long-term monitoring sensors, collecting environmental data, and more. This mission, led by NOAA and the Department of the Interior, brings together a diverse group of experts from federal, academic, and nonprofit partners. Through the livestream events, participants will hear updates from the vessel in real time, see unique videos taken during the expedition, and peek into the experience of conducting restoration work.

Program background: Mesophotic and deep benthic habitats, or areas of the seafloor that see little to no sunlight, are home to a complex community of fish, corals, and other invertebrates. In the Gulf, these habitats faced an unprecedented threat in 2010 from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. 

After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, federal and state agencies formed the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustee Council (DWH Trustees) to assess the impacts and identify actions to restore injured habitats, species, and the services they provide. One restoration type the DWH Trustees identified in the open ocean focuses on an important ecosystem along the seafloor: mesophotic and deep benthic communities. These long-term projects began in 2021 and focus on habitat assessment, mapping, coral propagation, and active management of deep benthic habitats.

Published March 23, 2026