About three-fourths of the area covered by ocean is deep, permanently dark, and cold. This is the deep sea. Most are familiar with the surface layer, which extends down 650 feet (200 m) and receives the most sunlight, allowing photosynthetic organisms like phytoplankton to convert sunlight to energy.

How much do we know about the deep ocean?

More than 80% of the ocean remains unexplored. And because it’s difficult to protect what we don’t know, only about 7% of the world’s oceans are designated as marine protected areas (MPAs).

Did you know about the ocean?

Our oceans cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface. With so much of the Earth’s surface taken up by ocean, it’s evident how vital these marine environments are to the planet, and how much there still is to be explored.