Researchers learn more about Alaska's deep-sea corals

Scientists are on the water this summer, gathering information about a once-mysterious habitat - the large and varied gardens of colorful corals that cover parts of the Alaska seafloor. What they learn could prompt new restrictions for commercial seafood harvests.

Though often associated with tropical locations, corals and associated sponges are also important features of the Alaska marine ecosystem. Some Alaska marine sites are believed to hold the world's most diverse and abundant deep-sea coral and sponge communities, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

And lik...