Source: Africa Pulse
Author: Iqbal Ahmed Khan
Mauritius is looking into deep sea mining prospects in the Indian ocean, as well as in its national waters. However, the government’s plans are criticised by the likes of Sunil Dowarkasing, former environmental advisor to the Prime Minister’s office.
Continue reading Mauritius makes plans for deep sea mining in the Indian Ocean
Source: Seas At Risk
The German Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), member of Seas At Risk, called for a ban on deep sea mining together with several other German NGOs (PowerShift, Fair Oceans, Brot für die Welt, MISEREOR, Stiftung Asienhaus, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung).
Continue reading German NGOs call for a ban on deep sea mining
A LOT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS BUT WE CANNOT GIVE UP UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE.
A new report out today, reviewing ten years of international commitment to conserve biodiversity in the deep sea, finds significant improvements in our ability to prevent damage from destructive fishing practices over the last decade, but concludes that implementation of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) landmark Resolutions falls short and leaves vast parts of the ocean unprotected from destruction by deep-sea bottom trawling.
Source: The Japan Times
The deep oceans span more than half the globe and their frigid depths have long been known to contain vast, untapped deposits of prized minerals. These treasures of the abyss, however, have always been out of reach to miners.
Continue reading U.N. body issues exploration contracts as era of deep seabed mining nears
Source: OZY
Author: Laura Secorun Palet
Cerium, dysprosium, thulium, yttrium — unpronounceable names that may look like sci-fi gibberish, but they’re actually elements — and they’re in your smartphone.
Continue reading Are Deep-Sea Rocks Harboring Future Smartphones?
Source: IPS
Author: Thalif Dean
– At a political level, when the United Nations speaks of a “high seas alliance”, it is probably a coalition of countries battling modern piracy in the Indian Ocean.
Continue reading U.N. Aims at Treaty to Protect Marine Biodiversity
Source: Science on NCB News
Author: Andrea Mustain
A two-month fishing expedition to the Indian Ocean has turned up hundreds of strange deep-sea sharks, and several are likely new to science.
Continue reading Fishing venture turns up all kinds of weird deep-sea sharks
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition today said the decision by Australian fishing company Austral to be part of an industry proposal to close parts of the Southern Indian Ocean from bottom trawl fishing shows they are aware of the need to protect deep-sea life from the destruction caused by bottom trawling, but warned this alone will not solve the problem. “It sounds like a large area but it is a tiny fraction of the South Indian Ocean – maybe as little as 2 per cent” said Lyn Goldsworthy, Australian representative of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. “It’s effectiveness in addressing deep sea destruction will depend on significance of the areas involved. It could be areas already fished out. It may cover areas that are unfishable. And it may not cover all the areas under threat – particularly fishable seamounts.
Download this press release (pdf) The proposal by New Zealand high seas fishing company Sealord, together with three other fishing companies, to voluntarily refrain from deep-sea fishing in limited areas of the international waters of the Indian Ocean, falls woefully short of the action needed to protect deep-sea corals, seamounts and other unique marine ecosystems in the region.
Continue reading The southern Indian Ocean needs real protection, not voluntary half measures
Responding to the Spanish Fisheries Ministry’s position statement on a proposed UN General Assembly moratorium on high seas bottom trawling, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcomed Spain’s recognition that bottom trawling is a destructive fishing practice which needs to be addressed, but rejected their proposal for doing so as a stalling tactic.
Continue reading Response to Spanish Position On High Seas Bottom Trawling Moratorium
