NCCOS has recently completed predictive habitat suitability models for 21 species and groups of deep corals in the Gulf of Mexico, including framework-forming deep corals. These models are being used to advise the Gulf of Mexico FMC on possible deep coral protection zones, and have also been used by BOEM, NOAA OR&R, and academic partners. Commercial fisheries in the Gulf are substantial and there is concern that fisheries with bottom impacting gear may overlap spatially with high predicted coral suitability. NCCOS proposed to obtain pertinent fisheries data and assess the potential impact.