The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) is calling for the international community to urgently establish a moratorium on destructive deep-sea mining to prevent irreversible harm to ocean ecosystems and protect the rights of current and future generations.
Over the next three weeks, States will convene in Kingston, Jamaica, for the critical International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council and Assembly meetings, where discussions will continue whether to open the deep sea, one of our greatest allies in combating the climate crisis, to the highly destructive deep-sea mining industry.
During the marathon 3-week meeting, ISA Member States will resume negotiations on a deeply flawed and incomplete mining code, despite growing environmental, cultural, technical, economic, and human rights concerns, and mounting global opposition. Thirty-seven countries, along with major financial institutions, businesses, human rights experts, scientists, fishers, and millions of people around the world, are now calling for a moratorium or precautionary pause.
Sofia Tsenikli, DSCC Campaign Director, said: “The unmistakable momentum for a moratorium at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference in June made it clear that the world does not need or want deep-sea mining, either through the ISA or unilaterally. It is time for the ISA and the few remaining States still pushing to greenlight a failing industry to join the diverse coalition for an international moratorium and stand for science, good governance, and the long-term health of the planet – before it’s too late.”
Emma Wilson, DSCC Policy Advisor, said: “Leading independent experts agree that we are 10-15 years from having the baseline science needed to make informed decisions about deep-sea mining. Rushing this complex, multifaceted negotiating process to appease an unproven industry risks legitimizing irreversible harm to the ocean, and all for non-existent economic gains.”
David Willima, DSCC Africa Regional Coordinator, added: “The science is unequivocal: deep-sea mining is a destructive industry that the world does not need. The deep ocean plays a vital role in regulating our climate, storing carbon, and sustaining planetary health, yet some actors are willing to jeopardize this for short-term profit. Adopting rushed regulations will not make this industry safe or necessary; it’s a false solution to a manufactured demand. As governments meet at the ISA, we expect States to stand up for science, reject this reckless industry, and protect the deep sea for the sake of our climate, our ocean, and future generations.”
The ISA meets at a time when The Metals Company (TMC) is attempting to bypass the ISA and unilaterally mine the international seabed under US domestic legislation, a move widely condemned by ISA Member States and the ISA Secretariat during the March 2025 Council Meeting.
Duncan Currie, DSCC Legal Advisor, added: “Since invoking the two-year rule in 2021, The Metals Company has held the ISA hostage, pressuring Member States, dominating meeting agendas, rushing negotiations, and now cynically pivoting to mine unilaterally. This is a direct attempt to undermine the multilateral system meant to make decisions regarding seabed activities and protect the environment from harm. It is time for the ISA Council and Assembly to stand up for the common heritage of humankind, instead of buckling under pressure from the failing start-ups of a speculative industry.”
Matthew Gianni, DSCC Co-founder and Political Advisor, said: “An international moratorium and a firm commitment by ISA member countries to prevent companies within their jurisdiction from engaging in any unilateral mining operation is the most effective way for States to ensure decisions on the future of the deep-sea are made collectively by all nations, not dictated by private companies operating outside of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It would help minimize chaos and ensure the seabed does not become a free-for-all grab for shared resources. The alternative is likely to be a reckless rush towards irreversible damage to the ocean and the rule of international law.”
