Progress report for
Science for deep-ocean sustainability
Achievement at a glance
SEABED MINING: The Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) provided guidance and scientific stakeholder input community to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) though the following actions:<br>1. A side-event at the ISA meeting in August 2017, attended by 140 delegates, contractors, observers and ISA staff. Presentations by scientists and experts from Canada, the USA, Trinidad and Tobago and Germany discussed environmental objectives for deep-seabed mining, the case for protection of active hot vents, and genetic resources opportunity.
<br>2. A submitted response to the ISA stakeholder request for input to Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area. (November 2017) and The Draft Strategic Plan of the International Seabed Authority (April 2018)
<br>3. A workshop on draft exploitation regulations: policy, legal and institutional considerations in advance of the March ISA council session, Royal Society, London, convened by UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and ISA. (February 2018)
<br>4. Attendance at the ISA council meeting in Jamaica as official observers, conveying detailed information on issues discussed to the DOSI minerals working group. (March 2018)
<br>5. A briefing for ISA and BBNJ delegates at the UN in New York Shedding Light on the Deep Sea: What we know and why it matters (June 2018)
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<br>FISHERIES: DOSI hosted a workshop On Aug. 25-26, 2017 in conjunction with the UN FAO and RFMO representatives to examine climate and fisheries in the deep ocean. This produced a report titled Deep-Ocean Climate Change Impacts on Habitats, Fish and Fisheries, that addresses future impacts of warming, ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation and altered POC flux on vulnerable marine ecosystem indicators and deep-sea fishes from 200-2500 m.
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<br>MINE TAILINGS DISPOSAL: The DOSI working group on deep-sea tailings disposal published a paper entitled Scientific considerations for the assessment and management of mine tailing disposal in the deep sea. (Front. Mar. Sci. 5:17)
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