| Our Earth's surface is covered by water up to | | | | basins. |
| 71%. Even thought the ocean's surface is | | | | Because most of us don't have much to do with |
| exploited for fishing, transportation and scientific | | | | the deep sea, we often mistreat it. Damage and |
| researches, the deepest part of the world's | | | | changes to this environment may last for |
| oceans continues to be untouched by any | | | | decades, centuries or even longer. Some things |
| humans. The deepest seas has many untold | | | | that might damage the deep sea environment |
| mysteries, legends and stories which keep | | | | are: human rubbish from passing ships, deep |
| Mankind asking for more and searching for | | | | ocean mining and drilling, deep sea disposal of |
| answers for thousands of questions. | | | | liquified carbon dioxide extracted from power |
| The deep sea is the part of the ocean below a | | | | plants and global warming. |
| depth of 200 metres that is in permanent | | | | Deep sea waters Research |
| darkness. The abyss, with an average depth of | | | | NOAA's Undersea Research Program is a |
| 3.8 kilometres, is the most common environment | | | | comprehensive underwater research program |
| on Earth. | | | | that supports NOAA's mission by providing |
| The sea floor is covered by vast plains of soft | | | | scientists with the support, tools, and expertise |
| sediments made up of fine detritus and particles | | | | necessary to conduct undersea research of |
| that drift down from the surface. The water is | | | | regional, national, and global importance. Of special |
| cold because it comes from the polar regions, and | | | | interest to NURP is research focused on NOAA's |
| its weight puts considerable pressure on life at the | | | | management responsibilities in corals, fisheries, and |
| bottom of the sea. | | | | other seafloor ecosystems. |
| Although the deep sea floor has no plants, our | | | | NURP is also involved in advancing marine |
| studies show that it is extremely diverse in animal | | | | biotechnology through its National Institute for |
| species, often having many more than shallow | | | | Undersea Science and Technology's (NIUST) |
| water. For example, a shallow water area may | | | | National Repository of marine natural products. |
| have only 10 - 20 species of isopod crustaceans, | | | | This repository represents the first intensive |
| while some deep sea habitats have more than | | | | survey/sampling of U.S. coral reef organisms that |
| 100 species. | | | | are screened in-house for biomedical and |
| Deep sea animals are similar worldwide. However, | | | | agrochemical potential; and are available to qualified |
| most species are highly endemic and limited to | | | | researchers for further biotechnology studies. |
| small parts of large, seemingly continuous ocean | | | | |