Bering Sea Deep Canyons

Spanning more than 770,000 square miles between Western Alaska and Russia’s Siberian coast, this area is home to a near-endless variety of life including albatross, kittiwakes, orcas, walruses, fur seals, king crab, squid, salmon and cold water corals. Vast numbers of whales, seals, sea lions, sea birds, ancient deep-sea corals and people in Alaska’s indigenous coastal communities can be found here and are all dependent on a healthy ecosystem. However, the Bering Sea’s beautiful and carefully balanced habitats are threatened by industrial fishing; this area is the source of more than half of the seafood caught in the United States. Luckily, the right people understand the science behind why it's so vital to protect these waters – some of the world's largest supermarket chains have urged the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to consider conservation of these canyons; they understand that if too severely overfished, the region's fish species may lose their chance of recovery.