FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 23, 2025
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition calls for a shift toward stewardship, science, and equity at the International Seabed Authority, achievable through a deep-sea mining moratorium.
Today, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) launches a landmark report exploring the critical opportunities available to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the world under a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining.
With growing pressure from mining companies to rush into deep-sea mining through any means, the deep sea, our common heritage of humankind, is at risk of becoming a flashpoint for industrial exploitation, threatening to erode global ocean governance. This publication offers a powerful alternative: a vision of the ISA that prioritizes deep-sea protection, science, international cooperation, and the long-term global benefit over short-term industrial exploitation.
Authored by leading ocean experts, the publication features four papers examining the opportunities and benefits of a moratorium across four key areas: global ocean governance, deep-sea science and research, capacity building and technology transfer, and sustainable economic development.
Now is the time to safeguard the deep seabed, humanity’s common heritage,” said Sofia Tsenikli, Campaign Director, DSCC. “ISA Member States have the mandate, the authority, and the opportunity to lead by pausing deep-sea mining and repositioning the ISA as a global steward of deep-sea resilience, knowledge, and equity in an era of planetary environmental crisis.”
Quotes from authors
Dr Lisa Levin, Professor Emerita at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography:
We have seen that the world can turn on a dime. With so many harmful pivots now happening it is time for some that offer hope for the future.
Pradeep Singh, Oceano Azul Foundation:
The International Seabed Authority has a profound responsibility to act as a trustee for the common heritage of humankind, protecting the deep sea not just for financial gain, but for its natural capital that will serve present and future generations for years to come. This is the perfect point in time for states to hit the pause button and allow for some deeper reflection on what really matters, and on what benefit to humankind as a whole actually means. A moratorium on deep seabed mining is a necessary step to ensure sufficient safeguards and checks and balances are in place before any mining activities can even be considered, and in the meantime, to double our efforts to conserve marine biodiversity, close critical knowledge gaps, and foster greater equity over our shared ocean.
Torsten Thiele, The Global Ocean Trust:
The value of the deep sea floor ecosystems is immense. The ISA has an important role to play in safeguarding this blue natural capital and managing exploration.
-Ends-
Download the executive summary here
Download the full report here
About the DSCC
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) was founded in 2004 in response to international concerns over the harmful impacts of deep-sea bottom trawling.
Today, more than 130 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), fishers’ associations, and law and policy institutes worldwide are working together under the umbrella of the DSCC to ensure the protection of vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems.
For media inquiries, contact: patricia@communicationsinc.co.uk or press@deep-sea-conservation.org