The Gulf of Palermo features several submarine canyons, where 50–70 % of the organic carbon deposited in them is terrigenous (OC-terr). The contribution of OC-terr generally decreases offshore and across canyons. Rivers deliver OC-terr, which is redistributed by regional currents and intercepted by the farthest down-current canyon, while the other submarine canyons receive terrigenous organic carbon from more distal sources. Bottom trawling also contributes to the transfer of OC-terr down-canyon.