Aotearoa

New Zealand call for a moratorium on destructive deep-sea mining in international waters

27 October, 2022

DSCC REACTION

For immediate release 27.10.22

Just days before the International Seabed Authority meets in Jamaica, seeking to continue the rush to mine the deep, New Zealand joins the growing wave of concern, declaring its support for a moratorium on the risky industry.

The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcomed the news from New Zealand, with Phil McCabe, Pacific Lead for the Coalition commenting: “We applaud Aotearoa New Zealand for taking a position that reflects the values of New Zealanders and ocean people everywhere. This call echoes our domestic experience as well, where seabed mining has been shown to be environmentally, socially and legally unacceptable. New Zealand now joins others taking a leadership role internationally to defend our shared ocean from destructive deep-sea mining.” 

Continue reading New Zealand call for a moratorium on destructive deep-sea mining in international waters

New Zealand’s bottom trawling isolation continues in the South Pacific

29 September, 2022

By Karli Thomas, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Aotearoa

New Zealand is the only country still bottom trawling in the South Pacific, and last season just a single vessel was trawling in international waters, catching 20 tonnes of orange roughy. Meanwhile, a prosecution got underway yesterday of a New Zealand vessel that destroyed deep sea coral in the South Pacific in 2020.  

Continue reading New Zealand’s bottom trawling isolation continues in the South Pacific

EU protects deep sea life from bottom trawling, as new science shows up NZ industry proposal 

23 September, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

23.9.22


The European Union has agreed new measures to protect seamounts from bottom trawling, showing up the New Zealand government’s inaction on the issue, environment groups said today. 

Meanwhile, a NIWA study released this week has revealed that there are 1,996 seamounts and features in New Zealand waters. A proposal is being pushed by industry that only recognises 7% of these seamounts, and would leave all the areas they currently  trawl unprotected.

Continue reading EU protects deep sea life from bottom trawling, as new science shows up NZ industry proposal 

Seabed mining- the threat on our doorstep

13 May, 2022

On May 12th the Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand (ECO) co-hosted a webinar with Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM), LegaSea, Greenpeace Aotearoa, and the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.

The webinar on “Seabed mining: The threat on our doorstep” delved into the history of seabed mining in New Zealand, the communities opposing seabed mining proposals, the threats and how we can all take action.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of the Māori Party, said: “Throughout this battle we have had our cultural concerns ignored… and this is the battle for a lot of indigenous people. It has been a really hard battle to have governments and courts recognise the rights of indigenous people.”

Catch up on the webinar here