Researchers are surveying protected marine species along the east coast. They're documenting the birds, fish, and mammals that live in and around the ocean. The survey is entering its second year and will not be completed until 2014. Shelley Dawicki of The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution says very little is known about the distribution and density of marine life deep in the ocean.
Shelley Dawicki: "We see them here and there in pieces but we really don't know where they are the rest of the year. So, doing a survey like this will give us a much better understanding of where marine mammals such as whales dolphins porpoises sea turtles actually congregate.'"
The project will also test new technologies such as remote sensors, underwater recorders, radio tags and underwater robots.