DSCC Media Release
For release 16.3.22
An international meeting in Kingston, Jamaica begins today, to negotiate regulations that if approved, would permit the largest mining operation in human history to begin in our ocean, as early as July 2023. The meeting will take place from 16-31 March, however, as negotiations get underway, concerns surrounding the emerging industry are at an all-time high. The Deep Sea Conservation (DSCC) will be present throughout negotiations in Kingston.
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.”
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.
For Immediate Release – 15.9.22
Today’s announcement by Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries will close over 16,000 square kilometers of the deep sea to bottom fishing in EU waters of the Northeast Atlantic. This will bring much needed protection to deep-sea corals, sponges and other habitat forming species off the Atlantic coasts of Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal.
Continue reading EU protects 16,000 km2 of vulnerable deep-sea life
For immediate release – 14.9.22
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) is calling for an urgent intervention by the international community to protect the deep ocean from harm.
MEDIA RELEASE
This week, from August 2-3, in New York, a United Nations workshop will explore how far States have come in safeguarding fragile deep sea ecosystems from the damage caused by industrial deep sea bottom trawl fishing. The DSCC calls on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to finish the job the UNGA began in 2004 and insist that high seas fishing nations protect deep-sea biodiversity.
Negotiations have begun to develop a mining code that, if adopted, could see the largest extractive operation in human history begin in the deep sea. But as negotiations get underway, the chorus of concern surrounding the emerging industry has amplified.
Continue reading The tide turns on risky deep-sea mining as negotiations get underway
Six years after the adoption of the EU deep-sea fishing Regulation that prohibited bottom trawling below 800 meters in EU waters, the EU has finally adopted an ‘Implementing Act’ to begin closing coldwater coral and other biologically diverse deep-sea vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) below 400 meters depth to bottom fishing.
Civil society welcomes this long-awaited protection of VMEs. The adopted protective measures are, however, already under threat.
Continue reading Civil society urges immediate action to protect fragile deep sea ecosystems
MEDIA RESPONSE
An article which appeared in the LA Times today has raised serious concerns about the conduct, integrity and effectiveness of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the intergovernmental body charged by the UN with safeguarding the deep ocean.
PRESS RELEASE
States attending the 27th meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) should call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining and hit the brakes on the rush to adopt mining regulations.
The special meeting, held in Kingston, Jamaica, will run from Monday 21st March to April 1st and will see the ISA pushing for regulations that would enable the imminent start of exploitation in the deep ocean.
