Scattered throughout the world's oceans, seamounts support a rich assemblage of fishes, birds and other marine life. Bowie Seamount is located 180 kilometres west of the Queen Charlotte Islands in the northeast Pacific, off the coast of British Columbia. Probably the shallowest seamount in Canada's Pacific waters, it rises from a depth of more than 3,000 metres to approximately 20 metres below the sea surface. At its base, the Bowie Seamount is more than 55 kilometres long and about 24 kilometres wide. Bowie is relatively young, having formed less than one million years ago.
Scientists believe it was an active volcanic island during the last ice age.
Preliminary oceanographic studies have shown that the Seamount is biologically a very rich productive area. This productivity results partially from the unique oceanographic interactions between the Seamount and ocean currents. Together, they produce closed eddies and upwelled waters loaded with nutrients. Seamounts may be oceanic oases or islands of genetic isolation. Underwater photography has recorded a large variety of organisms on the Bowie Seamount.