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# Ocean Science

BOEM develops, conducts and oversees world-class scientific research to inform its policy decisions. By using science, regulatory frameworks and input from others, the bureau considers the potential for BOEM activities to impact the ocean’s physical characteristics, biological resources and marine or coastal uses that are important to the environment and society.

In 2021, Secretary Haaland charged the U.S. Geological Survey to “Unleash the Science” to ensure that science and research is being shared to “help all of us make the best decisions for our planet now and for the future.” Over the past three years, bureaus across the Department, including BOEM, have continued to meet this challenge -- both investing in science and applying it to guide evidence-based decision making. 

## The Basking Shark 

  Basking sharks, the world's second-largest fish, are essential to marine ecosystems, regulating plankton populations through their filter-feeding habits. These sharks migrate significant distances in search of plankton, with some traveling nearly 6,000 miles. Despite their size, they are generally harmless to humans and face threats from boat strikes, slow growth to maturity, and habitat degradation, leading to their vulnerable conservation status.

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## Restoring Florida’s Shoreline: BOEM’s Fight Against Coastal Erosion

  The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is playing a crucial role in preserving Florida's beaches through renourishment projects in Flagler and St. John’s Counties. These efforts have restored nearly 17 miles of coastline with up to 11 million cubic yards (mcy) of sand, enhancing resilience against natural disasters and severe weather. BOEM ensures stringent environmental conditions are met and collaborates with various Federal and state agencies to protect and enhance the coastal environment, supporting both local communities and the economy.

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## Unlocking Mysteries on the Seafloor

  BOEM’s scientific divers cracked open a high-stakes criminal case in the aftermath of the Huntington Beach Oil Spill. Their underwater expertise not only helped the FBI build a timeline for the investigation but also earned them the prestigious FBI Director’s Certificate Award. Discover how their meticulous work brought justice to our oceans.

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## BOEM Helps to Restore Popular Florida Beaches 

  This project aims to protect and enhance a portion of Florida’s cherished but critically eroded beaches. Coastal resilience efforts, like these, strengthen the ability of individuals, communities, and infrastructure to "bounce back" after hazardous weather events.

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## Leatherback Sea Turtle

  Meet the globe-trotting giants of the ocean: leatherback sea turtles, renowned for their soft, leather-like shells and extraordinary diving abilities. Weighing up to 2,000 pounds and measuring up to 7 feet, these turtles traverse vast distances, from tropical nesting sites to chilly feeding grounds. By feasting on jellyfish, leatherbacks play a crucial role in maintaining marine ecosystems, showcasing nature’s marvels as they navigate the open seas with unmatched grace and endurance.

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## Green Sea Turtles

  Gliding through tropical seas at speeds up to 35 mph, green turtles are oceanic marvels named for their unique green fat from a vegetarian diet. With heart-shaped shells that range from olive to brown, these majestic creatures play a vital role in maintaining healthy seagrass beds, which support diverse marine life. Known for their epic migrations, green turtles return to their birth beaches to nest, showcasing a remarkable lifecycle that spans over 70 years.

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## Loggerhead Sea Turtles

  With their massive heads and powerful jaws, loggerhead turtles are the ocean's master foragers, able to crush crab and clam shells with ease. These heart-shaped, reddish-brown shelled giants roam temperate and subtropical waters, from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Not just wanderers, they play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, controlling invertebrate populations and hosting entire communities of plants and animals on their shells.

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## Atlantic Sturgeon: An Ancient Relic from Prehistoric Times

  Fossil records from over a 120 million years ago have preserved the elongated, torpedo-shaped body of a sturgeon from a time when the Earth consisted of only two supercontinents instead of the familiar seven continents we know today. Epochs-old sturgeon fossils are remarkably the same as today’s Atlantic sturgeon—a living relic from prehistoric times.

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## Sea Otters

  One of Alaska’s largest funders of marine science, BOEM’s Alaska OCS Region is testing a new approach to studying sea otter populations. The approach uses an AI-powered technique that promises to be

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## The Squat Lobster

  In the hidden depths of the ocean, where life thrives in mysterious ways, the squat lobster stands out with its strikingly long claws and compact, tucked-in tail. These fascinating crustaceans, more akin to hermit crabs than true lobsters, swarm in large numbers across diverse marine habitats, from sandy sediments to deep-sea corals. Adaptable and resourceful, their diets range from plankton and algae to the wood of sunken ships, making them an extraordinary example of oceanic survival and adaptability.

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## A Light-Bulb Moment

  Staff members at the Bureau of Ocean Energy’s Alaska OCS Region had the opportunity to work with fifth- and sixth-graders from all over Anchorage at Outdoor Week 2024, held by the Bureau of Land Management’s Campbell Creek Science Center here May 7-10.

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## BOEM-NASA Air Quality Study Published in AGU Journal 

  Scientists with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently published an analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) patterns and trends in the Gulf of Mexico using satellite data to identify NO2 hotspots from oil and natural gas (ONG) platforms, establish a baseline for future emissions estimates, and provide a methodology for analyzing NO2 measurements.

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## Programmatic Approaches to Data Modernization and Accessibility

  BOEM is deploying innovative strategies to modernize our data by utilizing Open-Source Software (OSS), automation, and the fundamentals of computer programming.

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## Blue Dragon Sea Slug

  Dive into the mesmerizing world of the Blue Dragon Sea Slug, an ocean drifter with a lethal secret weapon. Learn about the marvels and perils of this small, yet formidable, creature of the deep.

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## The Peacock Mantis Shrimp

  The mantis shrimp (order Stomatopoda) is so named because of its blend of features: the front part of its body has the bulging eyes and grasping forelimbs resembling a praying mantis, while its latter half has the hard exoskeleton resembling a shrimp.

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## Dumbo Octopus: The Whimsical Survivor of the Deep

  In the deepest part of the ocean living conditions are difficult—there is no light, little food, freezing temperatures, and overwhelming pressure. But there is a rare creature with a whimsical name that somehow manages to survive in this harsh environment.

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## BOEM Helps to Restore Popular Outer Banks Beaches

  Over the years, Outer Banks beaches have been severely impacted by extreme weather events and naturally occurring erosion. In 2022, BOEM entered into a negotiated agreement to provide access to approximately 3.14 million cubic yards of Outer Continental Shelf sand to replenish 11.65 miles of Dare County shoreline along portions of the Towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills. Projects like these reduce storm damage and impacts from flooding, while maintaining useable recreational beaches. 

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## Cetacean Estimation: Belugas Count! 2023 

  Belugas Count! is a BOEM-sponsored, NOAA-led, and citizen-driven initiative to track the population of this ecologically important species. At the forefront of the effort are the citizens who volunteer to staff 14 public shore viewing stations around the Cook Inlet in Alaska.

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## Surf 50 Years of Coastal and Ocean Science

  BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program (ESP) develops, fund and manages rigorous scientific research specifically to inform policy decisions on energy and mineral resource development on the Outer

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## Boldly Explore Where No One Has Explored Before

  BOEM is exploring the uncharted ocean off the coast of the United States, thanks to improving technology and the combined efforts of partner federal agencies.

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