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DESeamounts – underwater mountains rising from the deep ocean floor – are life-sustaining oases for migratory species such as whales, sharks, rays and turtles. These ecological hotspots provide essential feeding grounds, breeding sites, and navigation landmarks as these species journey across vast ocean distances.
But seamounts are under threat. Destructive fishing practices, particularly bottom trawling, devastate the fragile, slow-growing coral and sponge communities that underpin these ecosystems, remove prey populations that migratory predators depend on, and directly harm species through bycatch and entanglement.
That's why a landmark resolution at the upcoming @cms.migratory.species meeting is so important. The CMS is a global treaty dedicated to conserving animals that cross international borders, and in March 2026, governments will gather in Brazil for CMS COP15 to consider a Resolution on Conserving Seamount Ecosystems.
If adopted, this resolution would call on countries to prioritise seamount protection from destructive fishing. It's a critical step toward safeguarding the stepping stones migratory species need to survive, and a key milestone in global ocean conservation.
📽️ Credit: Images freely available on @openplanetorg / Open Planet Studios, @silverback_films
@deep_sea_conserve
