Addressing the Issue

As a first step toward helping to preserve and protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary , USGS scientists are mapping the seafloor to characterize the Sanctuary's geologic environment. One goal is to produce an easily accessed digital data base of seafloor geologic maps to help users better understand the variety of biologic habitats of the Sanctuary. Another goal is the generation of a sediment budget for the Sanctuary that can be applied to the prediction of how sediments and pollutants move through the Sanctuary and how long pollutants stay in the Sanctuary.