The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) calls on global governments to join the growing movement for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. Governments must act now to protect the future of our ocean by supporting equitable, science-based, responsible ocean governance instead of corporate exploitation.
The Trump administration’s executive order on deep-sea mining seeks to expedite the exploitation of the deep seabed, both in U.S. and international waters, by instructing the Secretary of Commerce to fast-track the review and issuance of seabed mineral exploration licenses and permits for commercial recovery. This would affect areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA), adopted in 1980, via ‘fast track’ authorization by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
DSHMRA was intended as an interim measure, pending U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has since entered into force and is widely accepted as customary international law. While DSHMRA allows U.S. entities to apply for deep-sea mining licenses, the U.S remains a non-party to UNCLOS. As such, citizens issued licenses or permits by NOAA would have no legal recourse to protect their claim to explore and/or recover seabed minerals in ANBJ according to the Congressional Research Service, 2024.
By seeking to bypass the International Seabed Authority (ISA) the order will undermine multilateral cooperation and international law, specifically UNCLOS. During the recent March ISA Council meeting, would-be miners, The Metals Company, also announced their intention to bypass the ISA and its regulatory processes.
Duncan Currie, legal adviser for the DSCC, commented: “Fast-tracking deep-sea mining by bypassing the ISA’s global regulatory processes would set a dangerous precedent and would be a violation of customary international law. The ramifications could be far reaching even beyond deep-sea mining itself, impacting other important sectors covered by UNCLOS, such as fisheries, freedom of navigation,shipping, marine scientific research, marine protection and maritime boundaries.”
As resistance to this speculative industry grows, experts warn of severe environmental, legal, and economic consequences if the industry is permitted to proceed, and all for highly uncertain financial benefits.
Sian Owen, DSCC Executive Director said: "TMC is trying to pull a fast one - selling the U.S. a pipe dream, when in reality there remain significant questions around whether this industry is even financially and technically viable. Deep-sea mining presents major environmental, climate and economic risks, all for highly uncertain benefits. This is not a smart deal - it’s a gamble that would leave investors isolated on the wrong side of history.”
Opposition to deep-sea mining in U.S. waters is growing rapidly, with California, Oregon, Washington State, Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa enacting laws against deep-sea mining in their state or territorial waters. Major corporations, including Google, Apple, Microsoft and Salesforce, as well as financial institutions, have supported a moratorium on deep-sea mining and/or pledged not to use seabed-sourced minerals in their supply chains, reflecting growing public and corporate opposition.
Matthew Gianni, DSCC Co-founder, Political and Policy Advisor commented: “This is not the beginning of deep-sea mining. Every attempt by would-be deep-sea mining companies and their government sponsors to initiate such operations have been derailed by financial and logistical challenges, environmental concerns, opposition from fishing industry, Indigenous peoples and civil society organizations, downstream users of the metals, legal disputes, and widespread public concern. TMC’s seek to mine nodules in the eastern Pacific primarily for cobalt, copper and nickel - yet doing so would result in the degradation and destruction of tens of thousands of square miles of fragile deep-sea ecosystems. The better option is to improve terrestrial mining practices and recycle what has been mined already, rather than opening up a whole new frontier of the planet to destructive industrial resource extraction.”
Nicole Zanesco, DSCC North America Coordinator added: "Deep-sea mining is a high-risk, low-reward proposition. Deep-sea mining companies are trying to paint it as a golden opportunity but the environmental, financial, and cultural risks are grave and far-reaching. It’s a reckless gamble with irreversible consequences”.
Emma Wilson, DSCC Policy Officer commented: “The deep sea is the common heritage of humankind, not a corporate free-for-all. Governments at the International Seabed Authority have made it clear: industry pressure cannot dictate ocean governance. A global moratorium is essential to prevent further chaos and protect our ocean.”