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Governments concluded three weeks of negotiations at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) with the only substantive decision being to expand the rights of mining contractors, highlighting the Authority’s misaligned priorities when the future of the deep sea is at stake
Governments concluded two weeks of negotiations today at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council with the case for a moratorium on deep-sea mining even stronger than when they arrived. Over the course of the meeting, governments heard the ISA’s own experts highlight immense scientific uncertainty, confirmed that the contractor non-compliance inquiry will continue, and continued negotiating a Mining Code and wider governance framework that remains far from complete and remains inadequate to protect the marine environment and uphold equity.
Governments arrive in Kingston, Jamaica this week for the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) Council and Assembly as international law and the future of the deep sea come under increasing pressure. The Metals Company (TMC) is attempting to unilaterally mine the international seabed through US domestic law, a move widely considered illegal under international law, even as 43 countries, including for the first time three African nations, have lined up behind a moratorium or precautionary pause on deep-sea mining.
In 2026, the DSCC will host a media and policy webinar series designed to equip journalists, governments, civil society and decision-makers with the facts, evidence, and context needed to navigate the deep-sea mining debate, and to cut through industry hype and misinformation.
Kenya and Madagascar have joined a rapidly-growing number of governments calling for a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining, marking a significant expansion of African leadership to protect the deep ocean from a high-risk industry.
On July 19th people around the world will rise and gather in defense of one of Earth's last untouched frontiers: the deep sea. As governments convene for the crucial International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting in Kingston, Jamaica (July 13 - 31), to decide if deep-sea mining will be permitted in international waters, a powerful global wave of ocean lovers will take to the water in a united call: Stop deep-sea mining before it starts.
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcomes the announcement that Malawi has become the first African country to support a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining, marking a significant milestone for the ocean and growing momentum against the speculative and destructive deep-sea mining industry.
The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) concluded with widespread support for a resolution and decision on prioritizing the protection of seamount ecosystems. Parties also reaffirmed the need for precaution with regards to deep-sea mining and for the industry not to proceed as long as scientific gaps remain.
The High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) introduces new tools to safeguard the deep ocean’s extraordinary life and the critical services it provides. Learn more about the High Seas Treaty, what it means for the deep sea, challenges to overcome and opportunities for the future of ocean conservation.
Two weeks of International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council negotiations have concluded with no mining approved and no Mining Code adopted. Unresolved issues ranged from environmental safeguards and liability to inspection, compliance, and benefit-sharing. Governments, including France, Costa Rica, South Africa on behalf of the Africa Group, Mexico, Germany, Palau, and Brazil, among others, raised major scientific, environmental, and governance gaps. Several States stressed that these issues must be fully resolved before any mining is considered.