Seamounts are large underwater mountains that, despite covering only about 2% of the seafloor, support an extraordinary abundance of marine life. Scientists estimate there are more than 10,000 seamounts, each averaging about 300 square miles in size, roughly the area of New York City.
Seamounts are biodiversity hotspots that create ideal conditions for marine life by altering ocean currents, increasing the upwelling of nutrient-rich water, reducing sedimentation, and concentrating food. These productive deep-sea habitats support an incredible variety of species, about 20% of which are endemic to seamounts and found nowhere else on earth.
In October 2025, at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), members approved Motion 32: Protecting Seamounts and Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems from Destructive Practices. The motion calls for stronger action to safeguard seamounts and other vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems from extractive activities that threaten their biodiversity and ecological functions.
ACTION:
If you only have one minute, sign this to stop bottom trawling and protect seamounts.
If you have three minutes, contact your country’s leaders directly. Tell them to support the call for an end to bottom trawling on seamounts. Sending a personal email to them will help protect whales, sharks, turtles, seabirds, deep-sea fish, and other wildlife. Ask them to: