Sea floor maps support industrial endeavours such as offshore oil and gas developments, mining, and fisheries management, ensuring safety for mariners by identifying hazards and designing safe shipping channels, for conservation purposes such as designing marine protected areas, and identifying critical habitats.
Man-made Marine
The first recorded modern artificial reef came from Japan 500 years ago, where rubble and rocks were used to grow kelp. 180 years ago, logs were placed in coastal waters around South Carolina as fish aggregation devices. Today artificial reefs can be found throughout the world, very often placed - if not created - to fill a specific purpose.