Environmental Management Needs for Exploration and Exploitation of Deep Sea Minerals: Report of a workshop held by The International Seabed Authority

The International Seabed Authority in collaboration with the Government of Fiji and the SOPAC Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) held a Workshop on Environmental Management Needs for Exploration and Exploitation of Deep Sea Minerals, in Nadi, Fiji, from 29 November to 2 December 2011. This initiative reflected the increasing interest in and associated concerns about the potential environmental impacts of deep sea minerals exploration and mining and how competent authorities at the national and international level will regulate this emerging economic development opportunity in a sustainable manner in areas within and beyond national jurisdiction. The workshop was organized to raise awareness of the nature of seabed mineral resources and assess the measures taken by the Authority with respect to the protection of the marine environment from the harmful effects of deep seabed mining and the applicability of such measures to the development of marine minerals in areas within national jurisdiction. This document contains the outcomes of the discussions at the workshop.