New Coral Gardens and Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Icy Depths of the Remote South Sandwich Islands https://schmidtocean.org/new-coral-gardens-hydrothermal-vents-found-south-sandwich-islands/

"recent #DeepSea expedition observed thriving polar ecosystems, discovered new #HydrothermalVents, coral gardens, and many suspected #NewSpecies... #SchmidtOceanInstitute’s RV #FalkorToo explored the #SouthSandwichIslands, including one of the coldest and most isolated submarine trenches on the planet, and also found evidence of explosive volcanism."

South Georgia sees significant scale-up of marine protected areas https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/south-georgia-sees-significant-scale-up-of-marine-protected-areas/

"Enhanced measures to significantly scale up areas of protected marine space across some 500,000-square kilometres of #SouthGeorgia and the #SouthSandwichIslands have come into force... The MPA now covers some 1.24 million-square km of ocean, encompassing an array of habitats and ecosystems including hydrothermal vents and sea ice zones. Around 38% of the MPA is now completely closed off to all fishing"

#TheMoment a rare colossal squid was captured on video for the first time
Benjamin Erwin recounts the moment he accidentally recorded the first confirmed footage of the rare colossal squid while piloting a vessel near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
#animal #discovery #ocean #SouthSandwichIslands #SouthAtlanticOcean
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/9.6729481?cmp=rss

First Confirmed Footage of a #ColossalSquid—and it’s a Baby!
https://schmidtocean.org/first-colossal-squid-footage/

"The 30-centimeter juvenile #squid was captured on video at a depth of 600 meters by the #ROV #SuBastian. The sighting occurred on March 9 on an expedition near the #SouthSandwichIslands in the South Atlantic Ocean."

Plans To Introduce Significant Enhancements To Marine Protection In The Southern Ocean https://gov.gs/mp-enhancements-feb24/

"Government of #SouthGeorgia & the #SouthSandwichIslands announces plans to introduce significant enhancements to marine protection in the #SouthernOcean. The announcement of an additional 166,000km2 of ‘No Take Zones’, covering an area 8 times the size of Wales, will result in 449,000km2 of highly biodiverse marine habitat being closed to all #fishing activity."

Scientists have made the first on-site observations of the lava lake at one of the world's most remote volcanoes.

' Although it’s only 2,766 feet above sea level, the modest altitude of Mount Michael belies its extraordinary isolation.

“If you stand on Saunders Island,” says Nicholson, “your closest other humans are on the International Space Station. That’s the definition of remote.” '

#volcanoes #MtMichael #LavaLake #subantarctic #SouthSandwichIslands #geology

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/one-of-earths-loneliest-volcanoes-holds-an-extraordinary-secret