The International Seabed Authority is responsible for regulating activity in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which has been divvied up between different countries for the purposes of potential deep-sea mining. Photo: International Seabed Authority
The International Seabed Authority council is currently meeting in Kingston in Jamaica to continue developing rules on mining the seafloor.
It comes as The Metals Company CEO Gerrard Barron has told Reuters he plans to apply for a mining licence in the Clarion Clipperton Zone this year, despite no mining rules yet being in place.
The watchdog group, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition's Phil McCabe told RNZ Pacific's Caleb Fotheringham two distinct camps are being formed within the International Seabed Authority - those keen to see mining start shortly and those calling for a moratorium.
