Blake Plateau has the world's largest known deep-water coral reef, comprising a 6.4 million acre reef that stretches from Miami to Charleston, S. C.[6]
History
In July 1880 George S. Blake under the command of Commander John R. Bartlett,[a] U.S.N., was working with sounding gear designed by Lieutenant CommanderCharles Dwight Sigsbee in cooperation with Alexander Agassiz, who collected biological samples and examined the Gulf Stream running eastward from Cape Romain when, in taking frequent soundings eastward, "depths on this line were unexpectedly small, the axis of the Gulf Stream being crossed before a depth of three hundred fathoms (1,800 feet (548.6 meters)) was found" with a bottom of "hard coral" and little life.[7] This was an early indication of the plateau that would in the future carry the ship's name. In 1882 Commander Bartlett described the plateau:
Instead of a deep channel in the course of the Stream as reported by Lieutenants Maffit and Craven, and published in the Coast Survey Reports, our later soundings show an extensive and nearly level plateau, extending from a point to the eastward of the Little Bahama Banks to Cape Hatteras—off Cape Canaveral nearly 200 [nautical] miles [230 miles; 370 km] wide, and gradually contracting in width to the northward until reaching Hatteras, where the depth is more than 1000 fathoms [6,000 feet; 1,829 meters] within thirty [nautical] miles [34.5 miles; 55.5 km] of shore. This plateau has a general depth of 400 fathoms [2,400 feet; 732 meters], suddenly dropping off on its eastern edge to over 2000 fathoms [12,000 feet; 3,658 meters].[8][9]
Bartlett reported the scouring effect of the current on the plateau, noting that on each side of the current the sounding cylinder, a device for sampling the nature of the bottom with the sounding, brought up ooze. Within the current the "bottom was washed nearly bare", with particles being small and broken pieces of coral rock and so hard the sharp edge of the brass cylinder was bent.[10]
The Blake Plateau, once believed to be a "bleak, current-swept plain," was known to have some biological communities including Lophelia pertusareefs that support communities[15] as well as communities supported by gas hydrates.[14] In fact, by 2024 it was discovered that Blake Plateau has the world's largest known deep-water coral reef, comprising a 6.4 million acre reef that stretches from Miami to Charleston, S. C. The area is composed of nearly continuous coral mound features that span up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) long and 110 kilometers (68 miles) wide. One spot, nicknamed "Million Mounds", is the largest part of the reef. It is composed of a stony coral and is commonly found at depths of 656 to 3,280 feet. The reef was discovered during sonar investigations beginning in 2019, and was announced in January 2024.[6]
Commercial fishermen have begun exploiting deep sea fish on the plateau with studies being undertaken on the viability of such fishing, as these fish, although large, grow slowly.[16] Biological sampling of the deep bottom is difficult under the Gulf Stream with the consequence that the fauna is relatively poorly known.[17][18]
^ abNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "Interview with Dr. Cindy Lee Van Dover". NOAA Ocean Explorer. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Retrieved 7 February 2012.
^South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (2012). "Lophelia pertusa". Habitat Management - Deepwater Corals. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
