The International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) Council meeting has concluded with no agreement on regulations for deep seabed mining, The Pew Charitable Trusts reported.

“The core of the International Seabed Authority’s deep-sea mining regulations remains unfinished,” said Julian Jackson, Pew’s seabed mining project director.

“Additionally, many essential rules and guidelines required under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea are still awaiting meaningful attention. Given these outstanding gaps, ISA member states must implement a moratorium to ensure that deep-sea mining does not proceed until a robust, science-based regulatory framework is in place to safeguard the marine environment.” 

Coinciding with the meeting, a mining company announced its intention to apply for a deep-sea mining license under a United States mining policy during the second quarter of 2025.

“Deep-sea mining should not happen in international waters until the potential harm to the marine environment is better understood and protocols to prevent harm are established,” Jackson said. “The dozens of governments, private companies, scientists, NGOs and industry groups calling for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining are sending a signal that the world is not prepared to move forward with mining when it’s unclear how much damage it could cause to sensitive ocean ecosystems.”

Read Jackon’s perspective on the current lack of governance for deep-sea mining here.