Speaking at the July 2016 annual meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) called on State parties to open closed doors and bring transparency to the heart of its work. The ISA this year will debate changes to the structure of the organization as it grapples with the development of exploitation regulations in light of increasing interest in commercial mining of the deep ocean.
International Seabed Authority
Statement by Ambassador Peter Thomson, President of the Council of the International Seabed Authority’s 21st Session, Kingston, Jamaica, 12 July 2016
Source: Avaaz
After plundering and poisoning our land, mining magnates are embarking on a deep sea gold rush. The body in charge of issuing licenses just launched a public consultation — let’s tell it the world wants to save our oceans, and the amazing animals that live there.
Brussels – Seas At Risk, in partnership with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, hosted a multi-stakeholder event to explore the present status and future of deep sea mining.
The 37th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) concluded today in Halifax, Canada. Member countries agreed to several measures that will lead to improved ecosystem protection, but did not follow scientific advice provided over the past two years to close a number of deep-sea coral and sponge areas to bottom trawling or to regulate the fishery for alphonsino, a deep-sea species fished on the high seas of the northwest Atlantic.
Continue reading NAFO closes seamounts to bottom fishing, fails to regulate Alphonsino fishery
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
A global petition urging the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to discontinue deep-sea exploration permits and to initiate a moratorium on deep-sea mining has gathered over 700,000 signatures from concerned citizens around the world. The petition will be presented later this week to the International Seabed Authority during the 21st Annual Meeting of the ISA in Kingston, Jamaica.
Continue reading Petition Asks International Seabed Authority to Hold Moratorium on Deep-sea Mining
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) will commence its annual meeting this week, during which it will debate sweeping new regulations to open vast expanses of the deep ocean to seabed mining.
Source: The Washington Post – Robert Gebelhoff
The technology and investment are ready, and the world is hurtling toward commercially extracting rare minerals thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface.
Continue reading Environmental Groups Call For Regulation As World Dives Into Deep Sea Mining
Source: Polpular Science – Mary Beth Griggs
A policy paper published today in Science is asking authorities to hold off on approving any more underwater mining contracts until more environmental controls are put in place.
Continue reading Scientists Call For Temporary Halt On New Deep Sea Mining Projects