What is DEEPEND|RESTORE?

DEEPEND|RESTORE is a 47-member, 11-institution research program funded by NOAA's RESTORE Science Program that expands upon the decade-long (2010-2020), open-ocean Gulf of Mexico research conducted during the NOAA-supported Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program (ONSAP) and the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative-funded Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) Consortium. This project aims to identify/quantify long-term trends in the offshore fauna (fishes, shrimps, and cephalopods) of the Gulf of Mexico. Further, DEEPEND will integrate this information with ongoing resource management in the Gulf of Mexico. This management includes economically and ecologically important pelagic fishes as well as marine mammals, sea birds, and sea turtles. In addition to baseline assessments, DEEPEND will identify key drivers of offshore assemblages, develop an ‘indicator species plan’ for detecting anthropogenic changes, and assemble a faunal inventory for the oceanic Gulf of Mexico. To learn more about our mission, team, research, products, and management applications, please dive into the rest of the DEEPEND|RESTORE website. 

Paper from DEEPEND PI Sutton chosen as one of the most-significant publications in the 70-year history of Deep-Sea Research

04 February 2024
Paper from DEEPEND PI Sutton chosen as one of the most-significant publications in the 70-year history of Deep-Sea Research

The journal Deep-Sea Research was first published in October 1953, directed by the Joint Commission on Oceanography to focus on the deep-sea floor as the main theme. The scope of the journal, consider...

DEEPEND Researchers and Students Attend GoMCON

04 February 2024
DEEPEND Researchers and Students Attend GoMCON

Recently, members of the DEEPEND|RESTORE Consortium traveled to the Gulf of Mexico Conference, GoMCON, in Tampa, Florida and had a great experience. GoMCON is a bi-annual conference that brings toget...

Two DEEPENDERS Exploring Ocean Sciences Meeting

04 February 2024
Two DEEPENDERS Exploring Ocean Sciences Meeting

Dr. Heather Judkins and her grad student, Claire de Noyo, both presented new DEEPEND research at the 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting in February in New Orleans! Heather shared results from her ongoing ce...

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Erica Henderson

I am currently working towards my Master’s of Marine Science at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) studying deep-sea fish assemblages under Dr. Rosanna Milligan in the Seascape Ecology Lab. Through my thesis project, I am interested in learning how deep-sea fish assemblages in the Gulf of Mexico have changed over time (between 2010 and 2020). I’ll be using the ataxic approach of size spectra analysis to characterize the day-night fish assemblage patterns at different depth bins in each year. My goal is to determine how assemblage patterns have changed with diel vertical migration over time. Prior to attending NSU, I received my Bachelor's of Science in Biology from Georgia Gwinnett College.