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Issues: Oceans

Priority Ocean Areas for Protection in the Mid-Atlantic
Findings of NRDC's Marine Habitat Workshop

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Individual Recommendations
Doug Rader

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POLYGONS DR1–2

Rationale: physical features; biodiversity
Seasons and depths important for protection: year-round; benthic

Polygon DR1 is a hard-substrate area around Cape Hatteras, and polygon DR2 is a hard-substrate area down to the North Carolina–South Carolina border. These areas represent the tip of the iceberg for hard-bottom habitat issues in the South Atlantic. The reefs provide habitats for reef fish such as gag grouper, black sea bass, red and vermilion grouper, and porgy, plus reef-associated invertebrates.

POLYGON DR3

Rationale: biodiversity
Seasons and depths important for protection: year-round; benthic

This adds a pelagic dimension to the shelf-slope area described by Les Watling as having a high diversity of benthic invertebrate species.

POLYGONS DR4–5

Rationale: nursery/spawning area; biodiversity
Seasons and depths important for protection: year-round; benthic

Fish spawn in these areas, and larvae waft into and out of inlets in these inshore areas, giving them year-round spawning and nursery significance for a wide variety of species.

REFERENCES

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. 1998. Final Habitat Plan for the South Atlantic Region: Essential Fish Habitat Requirements for Fishery Management Plans of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Steve Ross (North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, Wilmington NC). 2000. Personal communication with Douglas N. Rader.

Charles Peterson (University of North Carolina). 2000. Personal communication with Douglas N. Rader.

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