Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is home to an abundance of amazing creatures, both in shallow waters and the deep sea: from the surface where bluefin tuna (link) spawn to the coral (link) gardens where sharks (link) lay their eggs.
Not only is it an area with increasing fishing pressure, but it is a rich resource for oil as well, threatening many of the habitats and structures that make the Gulf so diverse. Some of these structures include the ridges, pinnacles, banks, mounds, canyons and steep underwater cliffs, all of which provide important three dimensional foundations for rich living habitats.
The submerged islands, deep canyons and other topographic features of the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico host diverse ecological communities, including coral gardens and mussel beds (links).
Learn more about the corals of the Gulf >> http://oceana.org/north-america/what-we-do/stop-destructive-trawling/gulf-of-mexico-corals/overview/
