Oceanographic conditions

Currents flow parallel along the axes of troughs along the seafloor. In Hecate Strait water flows northward along the east margin of the trough and southward along the west, with a velocity of up to 1.6 km/hr. Sea surface temperature varies from 6°C in April to 14°C in August. Bottom temperature (200-250 m) is measured to be 5-6°C in July.

Research on the sponge reefs includes measuring current velocities and suspended sediment concentration. The suspended sediment forms the matrix of the sponge reefs so that an understanding of this material is important forunderstanding sponge reef development.