Seamounts are sinked extinct volcanoes under the sea which offer vital habitats
where deep sea invertebrates and fish can bloom. Off the New England coast, a
chain of more than 30 seamounts called the New England Seamount Chain is home
to many rare and endemic species. The creation of these seamounts arised approximately 100 to 80 million years ago from a plume of lava which pressed up the earth to form volcanoes, and as the earth's crust moved, new seamounts were twisted. Within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), only four seamounts from the New England Seamount Chain are found, and only two of those have been designated as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC). All four seamounts provide important habitat, prey, spawning grounds, and nurseries for diverse ocean life and are a vital link in
the ocean community.


Bear Seamount :It is the oldest seamount in the chain, but the closest to the coast. When explored by a deep sea submersible in 2000 and then again in 2002, a total of 214 invertebrates and 203 fishes were experiential. Various types of seamonts are presented in ocean ecosystem. these are Retriever Seamount has been found to provide habitat for sponges, corals, sea Spiders, crabs, and other invertebrates which may attract larger megafauna such as fish and whales.



Physalia Seamount: close proximity to Bear
Seamount has led researchers to believe that it may provide a stepping stone for
individuals on the continental shelf moving between shelf and slope environments.


Mytilus Seamount:It has not been explored as thoroughly as its counterparts in the New England Seamount Chain, but it is thought to house similar habitat and diversity. Bear and Retriever seamount have been designated as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) by the New England Fisheries Management Council.