KEY EU FISHERIES STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR A DEEP-SEA MINING MORATORIUM AS NORWAY PREPARES FIRST LICENSING ROUND

Key EU fisheries stakeholders call for a deep-sea mining moratorium as Norway prepares first licensing round.  The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcome the position of the Long Distance Advisory Council (LDAC), along with 3 other fishing advisory councils, the North Western Waters, the Pelagic Species and the South Western Waters Advisory Councils, has reiterated its support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

In response to the European Commission’s Draghi report recommendation on exploring deep-sea mining, the LDAC has rejected Draghi’s suggestion due to the lack of understanding of the long-term impacts of deep-sea mining on marine ecosystems, including fisheries. In a statement addressed to EU decision-makers, the LDAC reiterated its “significant concerns about both the environmental and socio-economic risks associated with deep-sea mining” and recalled that the precautionary principle urges them to stay firmly opposed to any premature steps towards deep-sea mining. This comes at a time when Norway, the only European country to open its extended continental shelf on the high seas to prospective deep-sea mining, plans to award exploitation licences as early as the first half of 2025, against the advice of the government’s environmental agency, the Norwegian fishing industry, scientists, NGOs and the European Commission and Parliament. In addition, a Canadian company has stated that it intends to submit an application to the International Seabed Authority within the next few months to obtain a deep-sea mining licence in the international waters of the North Pacific Ocean.

Studies point to huge risks, including life-smothering sediment plumes, noise pollution and the release of contaminants into the marine environment, which could have disruptive effects on commercial fish species. The health of fisheries is central to the food security and economic stability of coastal communities, making any potential impact on marine biodiversity a matter of widespread public concern, according to LDAC.

“Our ocean is worth more protected than plundered. LDAC’s strong stance is a powerful signal that Norway and nations around the world should listen to. The science couldn’t be clearer: a stop to deep-sea mining is essential to avoid irreversible damage to precious ecosystems that communities have nurtured for centuries,” said Steve Trent, EJF CEO and Founder. “The real opportunities are in the circular economy, new battery technologies, and recycling of critical materials. Nature is under enough pressure as it is; another decision to destroy our planet’s last wild space is the last thing we need.”

Matt Gianni, Co-founder and Political Analyst for the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition noted:

“Fishers and fishing industry organisations worldwide are increasingly recognising the threat that deep-sea mining on the high seas poses to both fisheries and the marine environment. As pro-mining companies and countries attempt to fast-track the development of this industry, it’s crucial for fishers to make it clear: that the risks posed by deep-sea mining to fisheries are real and this industry must not be given the green light by the International Seabed Authority.”