The Census of Diversity of Abyssal Marine Life (CeDAMar) is a field project of the Census of Marine Life that studies the species diversity of one of the largest and most inaccessible environments on the planet, the abyssal plain. CeDAMar uses data to create an estimation of global species diversity and provide a better understanding of the history of deep-sea fauna, including its present diversity and dependence on environmental parameters. CeDAMar initiatives aim to identify centers of high biodiversity useful for planning both commercial and conservation efforts, and are able to be used in future studies on the effects of climate change on the deep sea.