SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area

To conserve and protect the unique biodiversity and biological productivity of the area’s marine ecosystem, including seamounts and the surrounding waters, seabed, and subsoil.

Activities that disturb, damage, destroy or remove from this Area, living marine organisms or any part of their habitat or the seabed are prohibited. Similarly, any activity that deposits, discharges or dumps substances that are likely to result in the disturbance, damage, destruction or removal of living marine organisms or any part of their habitat is also prohibited.

The SGáan Kínghlas-Bowie Seamount is relatively young, having formed less than a million years ago, and is believed to have last been active during the last Ice Age 18,000 years ago. Research suggests the upper-layer of the ocean around the SGáan Kínghlas-Bowie Seamount likely contains an area of cold, nutrient-rich water with a high level of mixing. This would increase phytoplankton growth, thus contributing to the communities that often exist on shallow seamounts.