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DAVIDSON SEAMOUNT Action Plan Summary DAVIDSON SEAMOUNT Action Plan Summary Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary The Issue: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is consider- ing protecting the resources and qualities of the Davidson Seamount through inclusion in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). BACKGROUND INFORMATION eamounts are underwater mountains The National Marine Sanctuaries Act Swith steep sides rising over 3,280 requires a review of boundaries dur- OUR GOAL feet (1,000 meters) above the surround- ing a management plan review. The ing seafloor. There are over 30,000 MBNMS received many comments he sanctuary's goal seamounts in the Pacific Ocean alone, during the public scoping period sug- T is to incorporate yet remarkably, less than 0.1% of the gesting many boundary expansions, Davidson Seamount seamounts in the world have been ex- including moving the southern bound- into the MBNMS plored. ary up to 80 miles south, or adding and develop and Studies that have been conducted over the four seamounts west of the current implement a resource seamounts indicate that seamounts MBNMS boundary. The MBNMS protection plan for the function as “oases of life,” with higher evaluated these public suggestions and is further considering adding only the seamount, increase species diversity and biomass found understanding of the on a seamount and in the waters around Davidson Seamount to the MBNMS. seamount through it than on the surrounding seafloor. Davidson Seamount is located 75 miles characterization and Seamounts rise up high in the water (120 km) southwest of Monterey and ecological studies and column, creating complex current is one of the largest seamounts in the to develop educa- patterns influencing what lives on and world. It is 26 miles (42 km) long and 8 tion programs for this above them. Seamounts also provide miles (13 km) wide. From base to crest, and other seamounts substrate, a location for attachment, Davidson Seamount is 7,874 feet (2,400 throughout the nation. where organisms can settle and grow. m) tall, yet the top still sits 4,101 feet These organisms provide a food source (1,250 meters) below the sea surface. for other animals. Scientists have found that seamounts often provide habitat to endemic species, species found only in a single location. MBNMS/MBARI 2002 Some of the unique qualities of the Davidson Seamount: he following criteria, from the NMSA, are used to determine qualification of sites seeking National TMarine Sanctuary status. These guidelines were examined by the working group and Sanctuary Advisory Council to determine Davidson Seamount's elligibility and were outlined as follows: Conservation Qualities: Davidson Seamount is the ship with marine research institutions and universities largest seamount in the eastern Pacific Ocean and is one to explore Davidson Seamount and it is now one of the of the largest seamounts in the world. It may have unique better-studied seamounts in the world. With a history of links to the nearby Partington and Monterey submarine detailed research dives and high-resolution maps, scien- canyons. The seamount is home to fragile deep sea coral tists can learn a great deal from the information gathered forests estimated to be more than 100 years old. It provides at Davidson Seamount. The seamount’s proximity to habitat for many rare and endemic species. Monterey scientific research institutions makes it accessible for further study. Ecological Qualities: Davidson Seamount has a pris- tine undersea ecosystem containing a diversity of habitats Historical Qualities: The Davidson Seamount was the and sea life. A 2002 research expedition documented first geologic feature described as a seamount. It was first previously undiscovered species and species assemblages mapped in 1933 and was named for George Davidson, a including large patches of corals and sponges. This bio- historic figure in early charting and mapping. logical diversity is not currently known to exist on other Aesthetic Qualities: Hundreds of high-quality photo- central California seamounts. graphs, maps and video of Davidson Seamount’s unique Education Qualities: Davidson Seamount’s proximity creatures, including fishes, deep sea corals, and inverte- to the MBNMS and the Monterey Bay Aquarium offer brates as well as the seamount’s remarkable topography excellent opportunities to educate the public about sea- are available via NOAA websites, visitor centers, CD mounts, cold-water sponges and corals, and products, newspaper articles, television broadcasts, seafloor topography. and presentations. Scientific Qualities: NOAA has worked in partner- What Are The Threats To Davidson Seamount? here is currently no comprehensive conservation and management scheme in place to protect the organ- Tisms on the seamount or the surrounding ecosystem. Existing federal and state regulations do not protect Davidson Seamount from a variety of potential threats: Marine debris/dumping: The Davidson Seamount area Installation of cables or other structures: Listening is not presently protected from targeted offshore dumping. arrays have been installed on nearby seamounts and com- mercial fiberoptic cables have been laid nearby. The large Bio-prospecting: Some groups of organisms found on corals and other fragile species could be severly damaged seamounts have been targeted for commercial products. by uncontrolled construction or ther seabed disturbance. Extensive collection of sensitive species for commercial use, or bio-prospecting, would damage the fragile ecosystem. Cumulative research collection: Worldwide, there has been increased interest in studying deep sea corals such Seafloor harvesting: Presently, there is no known as the large pink bubblegum coral, Paragorgia. Davidson commercial harvesting activity at Davidson Seamount and Seamount has several rare, slow growing coral species, no known populations of fish or invertebrates to support a including Paragorgia. Unmanaged collection of slow fishery. As discoveries of precious corals or other poten- growing species, even to learn more about them, can dam- tial commercial species on Davidson Seamount become age fragile ecosystems. public, commercial harvest of any kind, with new deep sea techniques, could cause severe damage. How Would the Would Existing Fisheries Be Affected? Public Benefit? xisting fishing activities would not be affected. Two commercial fisher- ome of the public Eies currently active in the waters above Davidson Seamount – drift gill Sbenefits of including netting for swordfish and sharks, and trolling for albacore tuna – operate in Davidson Seamount in the the top 150 feet (46 meters) of water, 3,951 feet (1,204 meters) above the Monterey Bay National seamount. Proposed regulations would not affect, in any way, these fisher- Marine Sanctuary are: ies. The MBNMS is working with the Pacific Fishery Management Council • Comprehensive to draft a regulation prohibiting fishing only at the Davidson Seamount, and protection of a unique, only below the 3,000 foot water depth. pristine geologic for- mation for existing and future generations • Increased national The Sanctuary’s Action Plan awareness and public understanding of sea- mount systems he sanctuary’s “Davidson Seamount Action Plan” was developed Tjointly with a variety of stakeholders and partners and includes • Protection of rare, the following components: new and fragile species and their eco- • Developing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for in- logically significant clusion of the Davidson Seamount into the Monterey Bay habitat National Marine Sanctuary • Enhanced long-term • Drafting regulations to prohibit activities harmful to the research vital to future Davidson Seamount resource management • Characterizing the Davison Seamount region, including the oceanography, biology, geology, cultural history, and socio- economics of the seamount • Conducting ecological studies to better understand the sea- mount, including regular benthic studies, conducting deepwater coral aging and restoration studies, and performing research on the distribution and abundance of species at the Davidson Seamount • Developing a comprehensive resource protection program to identify and characterize potential threats and to develop an enforcement plan • Developing outreach and education programs to inform the public about the Davidson Seamount’s geologic, oceano- graphic, and ecologic qualities avidson Seamount D is one of the larg- est seamounts in the world and rises more For a complete listing of the sanctuary’s “Davidson Seamount Action Plan” than 7,800 feet (2400 please visit http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan/m_reptoad.html meters) above the ocean and scroll down the page. floor. The Joint Management Plan Review (JMPR) “Davidson Seamount” is one of the action plans in the MBNMS Draft Management Plan. The MBNMS Draft Management Plan includes twenty-eight plans that, once finalized, will guide sanc- tuary management for the next five years. The plan is a revision of the original management plan, adopted with sanctuary designation in 1992, and is focused on how to best understand and protect the sanctuary’s resources. The National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is updating the management plans for the Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries in what is known as the Joint Management Plan Review (JMPR). The Monterey Glossary Bay National Biomass: The total weight of living organisms. Marine Diversity: The number of different species Sanctuary m u b inhabiting
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