MERCI 5

The MERCI cruises are multi-mission expeditions co-sponsored by both the Coral Propagation Techniques (CPT) as well as Habitat Assessment and Evaluation (HAE) projects to support coral propagation activities as well as documenting and mesophotic and deep benthic communities and habitats under the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities portfolio (MDBC). MERCI (Mesophotic Expeditions for the Restoration of Coral and other Invertebrates) missions began in 2022 to support coral husbandry and propagation as well as habitat and community assessment in reference areas not affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill. Thus far, the expeditions have been conducted in and around the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) West of the Mississippi River. The MERCI-4 expedition will follow upon MERCI-1,2 and 3, working in the mesophotic depth zone (50 - 400 m) of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico with an observation-class ROV. The vehicle will conduct exploratory transects, building on knowledge in and around the FGBNMS expansion area. The ROV will collect coral samples for live aquaria, coral husbandry, reproduction, genetic, and microbiome studies.