NOAA's Undersea Research Program

Leader in Underwater Research

What does NOAA’s Undersea Research Program do for the nation?

NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) performs research and service for the nation by providing undersea scientists with the tools and expertise they need to work in the undersea environment. NURP works with scientists to use submersibles, remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicles, mixed gas diving gear, underwater laboratories and observatories, and other cutting edge technologies. NURP's research programs cover a range of undersea environments from the shoreline to the deep sea and include nearly all scientific disciplines.

NURP is headquartered in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA Research, in Silver Spring, MD, with regional centers around the nation. NURP provides extramural grants through its regional centers to both the federal and non-federal research community. Highest priority is given to studies in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States and adjacent waters, including the Great Lakes. The regional centers annually support over one hundred undersea research projects that focus on NOAA's mission as steward of ocean resources and environments.

NURP's research is mission-related. The program provides:

Tools for undersea research, including submersibles, ROVs, diving technologies;
Research funding and leadership (operations management and expertise); and,
Service to NOAA programs, including safety protocols & standards, support for non-research tasks, and a process for peer review and selection of projects.

Recent Accomplishments

Research on the effects of trawling on seafloor habitats. Payoffs: Areas currently closed to fishing provide an opportunity to assess recovery rates in a range of habitats and oceanographic conditions; providing information on appropriate timing of reopening the closure areas.
Research on factors affecting coral health. Payoffs: Maintaining the health of corals and preventing damage to coral reefs are national goals. Healthy coral ecosystems support commercial and recreational activities that are worth over one billion dollars annually.
Research on frozen methane hydrates. Payoffs: Hydrates may hold more than 1,000 times more energy than all estimated oil and gas sources combined. NURP has supported numerous submersible cruises in the Gulf of Mexico to study hydrates, their unique environments and the ecosystems associated with them.
Research on Hawaiian fish stocks: Effects of coral harvesting, protected refugia, and in-situ methods of stock assessment. Payoffs: NURP research helps protect habitats, provide sustainable deepwater snapper resources, and understand ecosystem relationships.
Operation of Aquarius, the world's only underwater laboratory. Payoffs: NURP provides the ability to study shallow (50-100 ft.) environments for extended periods in real time. Coral ecosystems are a principal research subject.

What's Next for NURP?

Challenges in the next five to 10 years:

In concert with NMFS, improve the science basis to maintain healthy fish stocks and rebuild protected species.
In cooperation with NOS, improve understanding within the National Marine Sanctuary system.
Improve understanding of undersea ecosystems.
Support exploration and discovery of new resources, including biomedical substances.
Improve understanding of the contributions of seafloor methane hydrates to climate.
Develop principal technologies to support exploration and research in the undersea environment.

Relative locations of NURP Centers

North Atlantic & Great Lakes
University of Connecticut--Avery Point
962-2440 (860) 405-9121

Mid-Atlantic Center
Rutgers University
(732) 932-6555, ext. 512

Southeastern US & Gulf of Mexico Center
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
(910) 962-2440

West Coast & Polar Regions Center
University of Alaska Fairbanks
(907) 474-5870 (910)

Hawaii & the Western Pacific Center
University of Hawaii - Manoa
(808) 956-6802

Caribbean Center
Caribbean Marine Research Center
(561) 741-0192

Budget and Staff

The FY 2003 enacted budget for the NURP budget line item totaled $15.9M, and its request for FY 2004 totaled $14.2M (after termination of its Congressionally mandated program with the University of Mississippi). NURP's national office has 6 federal employees.