Fish Skeletons on Active Volcano Vailuluʻu Seamount

While exploring the Nafanua Cone of Vailuluʻu Seamount, our Corps of Exploration found an exciting scene of deep-sea chemistry and biology. In this highlight video, you’ll see a smattering of bones from dead fish. It’s unclear when exactly these fish died, but they likely perished due to increased carbon dioxide levels released from the crater’s volcanic activity. Other animals like eels that routinely live in this area may be more resistent to CO2 levels or else stay in microclimates with lower levels. Scientists are still learning more about this fascinating site. 

Vailuluʻu Seamount is the only active underwater volcano within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and one of the important sites of our NA165 E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition to explore the waters in and around the Sanctuary.