Blake Plateau: protecting a Southeastern ocean treasure

80 to 200 miles off the coasts of Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas lies a treasure-mine of deep-sea diversity and rich beauty: the Blake Plateau. Blake Plateau is the largest deep-sea coral habitat on Earth, with tens of thousands of ancient deep-sea coral mounds, some hundreds of feet tall. It’s home to an array of wildlife, including whales, seabirds, and sea turtles.

The Blake Plateau’s ideal conditions for deep-sea coral ecosystems are fueled by the Gulf Stream, which provides warm water and nutrients. The forest of corals nurtured by the Gulf Stream provides food and shelter for countless fish and other sea life. Recent science expeditions have mapped and explored large areas of the plateau, but much of the area is still unexplored.

Despite the stunning diversity of the marine life in the Blake Plateau and other sections of Southeastern ocean, less than one percent of its waters are safeguarded. The Southeast is among the regions of the US with the fewest marine protections. 

In 2020, former president Donald Trump issued temporary offshore oil and gas leasing restrictions in the Blake Plateau region. However, when these expire in 2032 the area will be vulnerable to offshore drilling again. Furthermore, the moratorium does not block deep-sea mining, and mining company Impossible Metals has indicated interest in the area.