Just west of British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, you'll find one of Canada's most unique wildlife areas: an "oceanic oasis" known as the Bowie Seamount.

The Seamount, which lies 24 meters (about 79 feet) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, is actually a volcanic island that sank into the water approximately 15,000 years ago. Today, the underwater island is home to a vast array of sea life, including whales, dolphins, sea lions, and more than 20 different species of colorful rockfish.

Brian Fuhr, a scuba diver, is one of a handful of people who've explored the Seamount on a recreational dive. "The place is just full of life," he told The Globe and Mail. "It's the dive of a lifetime."

Luckily for Fuhr and other scuba divers, this magnificent seascape has just been listed as one of Canada's marine protected areas, after 10 years of collaboration between groups including the World Wildlife Fund, provincial and federal governments, and the Haida First Nation people.

"It's a very exciting day for the Haida Nation," said Vince Collison, a spokesman for the group. "Any time there's a partnership like this and it's taken as long as this ... it's a very monumental event."