In 2021 the Pacific island nation of Nauru - in partnership with mining company Nauru Ocean Resources Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada-based The Metals Company - applied to the ISA to exploit minerals in a specified deep sea area. WHY IS THERE PRESSURE ON THE ISA TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS NOW? More than 30 exploration licenses have been issued so far, with activity mostly focused in an area called the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, which spans 1.7 million square miles (4.5 million square kilometers) between Hawaii and Mexico. Mining companies interested in deep sea exploitation are partnering with countries to help them get exploration licenses. Under the treaty, the seabed and its mineral resources are considered the “common heritage of mankind” that must be managed in a way that protects the interests of humanity through the sharing of economic benefits, support for marine scientific research, and protecting marine environments. It is considered to apply to states regardless of whether or not they have signed or ratified it.

Companies and governments view these as strategically important resources that will be needed as onshore reserves are depleted and demand continues to rise.Ĭountries manage their own maritime territory and exclusive economic zones, while the high seas and the international ocean floor are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas.

Deep sea dredging mining