MBNMS Expanded to Include the Davidson Seamount

MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE DAVIDSON SEAMOUNT

As a result of management plan revision, a seven-year process involving public input and agency collaboration, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) has expanded to include the Davidson Seamount. The Final Rule, which includes the boundary expansion, is available at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/.

The Davidson Seamount is a pristine undersea mountain habitat off the coast of Central California, 75 miles to the southwest of Monterey, and is one of the largest known seamounts in U.S. waters. It is 26 miles long and 8 miles wide. From base to crest, the seamount is 7,480 feet tall, yet its summit is still 4,101 feet below the sea surface.

Davidson Seamount addition to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Credit: Chad King/SIMoN/MBNMS)

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Davidson Seamount was the first to be characterized as a "seamount" in 1938 by the United States Board on Geographic Names, and was named in honor of the United Sates Coast and Geodetic Survey scientist George Davidson, a leader in charting the waters of the west coast.

Davidson Seamount is populated with a diversity of deep-sea corals, most of which have other species associated with them. It has been called "An Oasis in the Deep," hosting large coral forests, vast sponge fields, crabs, deep-sea fishes, shrimp, basket stars, and high numbers of rare and unidentified benthic species. The seamount has special national significance relative to ocean conservation, ecological, scientific, educational, aesthetic, and historical qualities.

New technology has only recently allowed scientists to bring back dramatic high resolution images from the deep sea, offering researchers and the public an opportunity to witness the never before seen glimpses of rare marine species living in this cold, dark, and mysterious habitat. The proximity of education and research institutions in the Monterey Bay region facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations that enhance research and education.

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has determined that the Davidson Seamount requires protection from the take of or other injury to benthic organisms or those organisms living near the seafloor because of the seamount's special ecological and fragile qualities and potential future threats that could adversely affect these qualities. As part of the new management plan for the MBNMS, a boundary change includes the undersea mountain as the Davidson Seamount Management Zone (DSMZ). The boundary change adds a 775-square-statute-mile area to the MBNMS, approximately 29 miles per side around the seamount.

Images: Top left - Bubble gum coral (Paragorgia arborea) on the Davidson Seamount at 1313 meters (Credit: NOAA/MBARI); Top right - Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) above Davidson Seamount. (Credit: Chad King/SIMoN/MBNMS); Lower left - Fly-trap anemone (Family: Hormathiidae) on the slope of the Davidson Seamount at 1874 meters (Credit: NOAA/MBARI 2002); Lower right - Yellow sponge (Staurocalyptus sp. nov.), basket star (Gorgonocephalus sp.), white ruffle sponge (Farrea occa), and white-branched sponge (Asbestopluma sp. nov.) on the Davidson Seamount at 1316 meters (Credit: NOAA/MBARI 2006).

Related Links
Visit the following web sites for more information on the Davidson Seamount:

For a summary of deep-sea coral research, see:
Sanctuary Research at Davidson Seamount

For a summary of seamount characterization research, see:
Ecological Characterization & Habitat Modeling of the Davidson Seamount Fauna

To view the San Simeon Discovery Center video, see:
Video: Natural Wonders of Davidson Seamount

To view and download high resolution images, see:
SIMoN Photo Library (search by location: Davidson Seamount)

For a summary of the 2006 Expedition, see:
Davidson Seamount: Exploring Ancient Coral Gardens

For a summary of the 2002 Expedition, see:
Exploration: Davidson Seamount