Progress report for
Advancing deep-sea taxonomy in support of the stewardship of the Area and its resources for the benefit of humankind
Achievement at a glance
At the 2017 UN Ocean Conference, ISA registered a voluntary commitment on enhancing deep sea marine biodiversity assessment through the creation of online taxonomic atlases linked to deep sea mining activities in the Area (#OceanAction41239). This has been updated with a voluntary commitement titled "Advancing deep-sea taxonomy in support of the stewardship of the Area and its resources for the benefit of humankind", which will be operationalized through ISA’s Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI). SSKI has been developed as a global knowledge-sharing platform aiming to strengthen cooperation among stakeholders to generate, assess, and disseminate biodiversity data and information in the Area. In July 2019, ISA publicly launched its DeepData database, which is the repository of data/information submitted by the contractors on their mineral exploration (and future exploitation) activities. The environmental data, including the taxonomic identification and information on species occurrence are available to the public through DeepData. In May 2021 DeepData was established as a data node to the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) of IOC-UNESCO, further enhancing the access to biodiversity and biogeographic data from the deep seabed area. Furthermore, ISA convened two virtual workshops, on strategic approaches for collaboration to enhance deep-sea taxonomic standardization in 2020 and enhancing image-based biodiversity assessment to advance deep-sea taxonomy in 2021. The outcomes of these two workshops have provided the ISA Secretariat with relevant elements to develop innovative taxonomic tools based on genomic and image reference libraries, in collaboration with SSKI partners. These reference libraries are fundamental to enhance data flow and use through multiple data products (including but not limited to online atlases) tailored to the different taxonomic groups and to multiple end users. The new tools will also foster the development of cost-effective methodologies for deep-sea biodiversity assessments, such as environmental DNA and image surveys, using artificial intelligence.Challenges faced in implementation
Since the start of exploration activities in the Area under ISA contracts, more than 20 years ago, environmental baseline data has been submitted to ISA in multiple hardware formats and in many instances lacking associated metadata. This poses a challenge for data standardization and compilation of data in the new ISA DeepData database. Efforts were made to improve ISA’s data management procedures, including the update of digital templates for digital data submission with international data standards such as the DarwinCore. The new templates not only assist in ensuring data quality but also significantly enhance data access and its use for scientific analysis. Furthermore, limited expertise on deep-sea taxonomy delays formal species identifications and descriptions. Consequently, an increased use of open nomenclature (i.e. use of temporary species identifications, commonly denoted as “dark taxa’), hampers the interoperability of datasets and synthesis of biodiversity data. The recent abovementioned workshops have assisted in the identification of ways and means to overcome these challenges and create opportunities to enhance deep-sea taxonomic standardization.Next Steps
Drawing on the efforts made thus far, collaborative activities between scientific institutions, international organizations and ISA contractors will continue to advance deep-sea taxonomy and enhance the sharing of taxonomic data. In particular, the development of new taxonomic tools, including field guides, species lists and underwater image libraries with a focus on the Clarion Clipperton Zone and northern Mid-Atlantic region, will be initiated through a dedicated project funded by the European Commission. This work will be undertaken in close collaboration with SSKI partners, other UN Decade projects and initiatives focused on deep-sea science.Beneficiaries
SSKI is targeted to benefit ISA contractors, deep-sea scientists and data managers from various biodiversity and oceanographic databases across the globe. By promoting the standardization of deep-sea taxonomic data, biodiversity assessments will be greatly improved, providing better scientific evidence for policy and decision-making and consequently allowing effective environmental management of deep-sea ecosystems. SSKI not only contributes to fulfil ISA’s mandate on ensuring effective protection of the marine environment but will also inform other relevant UN global processes including the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the CBD post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the ongoing negotiations of an international legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Ultimately, the outcomes of SSKI will be used to create a wide range of dissemination products that will increase overall deep-sea literacy and increase capacity in deep-sea taxonomic research.