Seamounts: Lifelines of the Deep Sea
There are tens of thousands of underwater mountains across the global ocean, rising over 1,000 metres above the seafloor. Seamounts are oases in the deep sea, attracting a rich variety of marine life, supporting unique species, and serving as important ‘stepping stones’ for migratory species on their journeys across the open ocean.
Not just havens for an incredible diversity of life, seamounts also support the functioning and health of the ocean. The soaring flanks of seamounts interrupt ocean currents, making them a major contributor to ocean mixing at a global scale. These upwellings bring nutrients from the seafloor to the surface, supporting food webs from top to bottom. This boost in marine productivity also leads to more carbon being transported from the surface to the deep, contributing to climate regulation.
But, for decades, bottom trawlers have targeted seamounts, fishing some species to near collapse, with orange roughy in New Zealand a very recent example. As trawlers drag huge, weighted nets across these fragile deep-sea ecosystems, a trail of destruction follows. Whole communities of long-lived species, which in the case of some cold-water corals can be thousands of years old, are turned to rubble. The effects of the climate crisis, from warming waters to ocean acidification and shifting currents, are also increasingly being felt on these underwater mountains.
From Science to Action: Two Decades of Global Commitments
Nearly twenty years ago, in recognition of the incredible role seamounts play in ocean health, the international community came together at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and adopted Resolution 61/105, which called upon States to take immediate action to sustainably manage fish stocks and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), including seamounts, from destructive fishing practices.
The path to this moment was paved by an IUCN Resolution in 2004 and an open letter signed by over 1,400 scientists from around the world that urged protection of seamounts.
Two decades later, while some progress has been made, seamounts are still in need of urgent protection. With the next review of progress in August 2026 at the UN Bottom Fisheries Review, there is a clear pathway to the realization of twenty years of commitments, and the safeguarding of seamounts: our ocean’s lifelines.
A Chronology of Efforts to Safeguard Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems
The global community must come together to ensure these ocean lifelines receive the full and effective protection they need:
The Pathway Ahead: Milestones for Seamount Protection
October 2025: IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC)
During the WCC in Abu Dhabi, IUCN members will vote on Motion 032 “Protecting seamounts and other vulnerable marine ecosystems from destructive practices.” The motion calls on IUCN Members to fully implement long-standing UNGA, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and IUCN resolutions that require protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seamounts, from destructive bottom fishing.
March 2026: CMS COP15
Recognising the importance of seamounts for migratory species, and ensuring these havens and rest stops remain thriving with nature by protecting them from destructive practices.
March 2026: BBNJ PrepCom III
Integrating the protection of seamounts into the delivery of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement is critical to reflect the vital importance of seamounts in supporting the health and wellbeing of the open ocean.
August 2026: UNGA Fisheries Review
With just a handful of States still using destructive fishing practices, such as bottom trawling, on seamounts of the High Seas, the Review will mark 22 years since the initial agreement for protections was supported by the international community. This must become the watershed moment when States finally turn commitments into action.