In every U.S. region, deep-sea corals grow and sustain an array of marine life. These complex habitats are areas of high biodiversity and activity for commercial fish and other marine species. The distribution of deep-sea coral is poorly understood because of the logistical difficulty and expense of surveying the deep ocean. Predictive modeling of deep-sea coral habitats is essential for supporting conservation planning and for targeting areas for future mapping and exploration. This story map provides information about deep sea corals, an overview of the NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program and its regional approach to predictive habitat modeling, and demonstrates how these data were used in the establishment of the Frank R. Lautenberg Deep Sea Coral Protection Area.