International Seabed Authority

International Seabed Authority International Seabed Authority (ISA) - Steward of the deep seabed, the common heritage of humankind. Visit www.isa.org.jm

Steward of the deep seabed, the common heritage of humankind.

30/05/2026

This International Day for Biological Diversity, the International Seabed Authority celebrates taxonomists whose work supports the collective understanding, management, and protection of the deep seabed.

Dr. Anna Jażdżewska, a marine biologist at the University of Lodz in Poland, specializes in deep-sea amphipod crustaceans. Together with a team of 16 researchers, she has formally described 24 new amphipod species from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean.

As more collections of different species are processed and analysed, our understanding of species distributions in the deep sea will not only improve, but also our understanding of the processes that shape deep-sea ecosystems and it's overall biodiversity.

🔗 Read the full Q&A to learn more about her work and why taxonomy matters for ocean governance and protecting deep-sea biodiversity: https://isa.org.jm/news/acting-locally-in-the-abyss-how-describing-24-new-species-in-the-pacific-ocean-is-helping-protect-our-oceans/

Over 20 participants from developing countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean are currentl...
29/05/2026

Over 20 participants from developing countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean are currently in Sanya, , for the training workshop promoted by the International Seabed Authority-China Joint Training and Research Centre.

The 10-day programme focuses on impact assessment for the effective protection of the in the Area, including methodologies, technology development for deep-sea exploration and environmental management.

During the opening ceremony, Madam Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho announced that the ISA Secretariat is collaborating with the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) on a dedicated literature review of cumulative impact assessment methodologies, co-sponsored by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of The Sea (UNDOALOS), the International Maritime Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and FAO.

🔗 Read more: https://isa.org.jm/news/the-isa-china-joint-training-and-research-centre-opens-fourth-workshop-on-cumulative-impact-assessment-in-sanya-hainan/



📢 Attention, ! New training opportunities are available under the International Seabed Authority’s Contractors' Trainin...
28/05/2026

📢 Attention, ! New training opportunities are available under the International Seabed Authority’s Contractors' Training Programme.



China Minmetals Corporation is offering four placements for candidates from developing States.



📍 Training Location: China

📆 When: Between August and December 2026

⏳ Duration: 1 month



The training will equip candidates with knowledge and skills related to polymetallic nodules exploration, impact assessment, beneficiation and metallurgical processing, and mining technology.



Trainees will develop foundational knowledge about the deep-sea environment and , technologies and equipment, and operational practices, to better understand the full value chain of deep-sea resource exploration.



Eligibility criteria:

✅ A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in , , , environmental sciences, mining engineering, mineral processing engineering, metallurgical engineering or related fields.

✅Research or marine management skills.

✅ Proficiency in English.

✅ Good state of health.

✅ Age 45 or under.



📆 Deadline to apply: 30 June 2026



🔗 Submit your application: https://lnkd.in/eNwJJBVn



🦐 Taxonomy can play a significant role in safeguarding the deep-sea in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Since 2001, m...
26/05/2026

🦐 Taxonomy can play a significant role in safeguarding the deep-sea in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Since 2001, mineral exploration activities in the Area have supported over 250+ research cruises, with more than USD $413 million dedicated specifically to environmental studies. This has resulted in more than 200,000 species observations across exploration areas in the Central and Northwest Pacific, North Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

In May 2026, the World Register of Marine Species reached a new milestone by curating over 250,000 newly described marine species, and in 2025 alone, more than 3,200 new marine species were recorded, including over 600 fossil taxa. These discoveries demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of marine biodiversity still being uncovered.

provides the scientific framework for identifying species, understanding their ecological roles and ensuring that biodiversity can be monitored, compared and protected across regions and research programmes.

It is for this reason that taxonomy remains central to ocean science and governance, and initiatives supported by ISA and WoRMS increase our understanding of marine life in the deep seabed.



UN Ocean Decade VLIZ - Flanders Marine Institute

30 international experts gathered in Busan, Republic of , for a workshop organized by the International Seabed Authorit...
25/05/2026

30 international experts gathered in Busan, Republic of , for a workshop organized by the International Seabed Authority, in partnership with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST).

The workshop focused on the development of a Regional Environmental Management Plan (REMP) for the Area of the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

Participants exchanged views on regional objectives, management measures, and priorities for implementation and review under the draft REMP for the Northwest Pacific Ocean, where four ISA exploration contracts for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts and one contract for polymetallic nodules are located.

The workshop also provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in support of sustainable deep-sea activities.

🔗 Read more: https://isa.org.jm/news/workshop-convened-in-busan-to-advance-regional-environmental-management-plan-for-the-northwest-pacific-ocean/

📢 Attention, marine geologists! New at-sea training opportunities are available under the International Seabed Authority...
25/05/2026

📢 Attention, marine geologists! New at-sea training opportunities are available under the International Seabed Authority Contractors' Training Programme.



The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is offering two (2) placements for candidates from developing States.



📍 Training Location: BGR contract area in the Indian Ocean

📆 When: 5 January to 10 February 2027

⏳ Duration: 36 days



The primary objective of the cruise is to investigate the sub-seafloor mineralization of selected hydrothermal systems in the German contract area in the Indian Ocean by applying deep-towed geophysical instruments such as controlled-source electromagnetics (CSEM), magnetics, and self-potential. Additionally, biodiversity investigations based on video inspection and bathymetric mapping will be carried out.

Eligibility criteria:

✅ A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in marine geophysics or equivalent education.

✅ At least one-year of practical experience in the candidate’s field of specialization.

✅ Proficiency in English, attested by a certificate, where applicable.

Good state of health, suitable to work at sea.

✅ Age 45 or under.



📆 Deadline to apply: 5 July 2026



🔗 Submit your application: https://isa.org.jm/bgr-pms-at-sea-2027/



23/05/2026

Every organism collected, species identified, behaviour documenteddocument, and ecosystem analyzed adds to our shared understanding of life found in the deep seabed.

When a taxonomist discovers a new species that is collected from the international seabed Area, it is recorded within the World Register of Marine Species, and becomes part of the global biodiversity record.

This record informs environmental assessments, governance decisions, and conservation frameworks that can impact how we view life below water, and the future governance of the deep seabed.

Under ISA’s Marine Scientific Research Action Plan, the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative ( ) aims to describe over 1,000one thousand new species from the regions of the Area that are currently being explored for mineral resources and may be targeted for future exploitation.

By developing a more robust taxonomic record, scientists can create maps of life on the seafloor to better understand and manage the possible effects future exploitation activities may have on deep-sea ecosystems.

ISA and WoRMs are in support of acting locally, for global impact.

The International Seabed Authority is a Budget Officer (P-4) to join the Office of Administrative Services (OAS) in Ki...
23/05/2026

The International Seabed Authority is a Budget Officer (P-4) to join the Office of Administrative Services (OAS) in Kingston, Jamaica.

The selected candidate will be responsible for leading the strategic financial management and budget processes, including:
• budget planning;
• monitoring and reporting;
• treasury functions;
• financial advisory support to senior management and governing bodies.

The role also oversees financial systems improvements, policy implementation, risk and control alignment, and the management of budget unit staff.

Qualified candidates must have:
✅An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, finance, accounting or a related field;
✅A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience in financial management within business administration, public administration, finance and accounting, financial project management or related area;
✅Experience in budget development and financial administration of resources at the international level;
✅Experience in the application of Results-Based Management or similar performance management methodologies;
✅Management level experience in running team(s) of staff working on multiple financial engagements and budgets,
✅Experience in the use of automated budgeting, costing and financial modelling.

🔗 You have until 4 June to apply! Visit: bit.ly/ISA_Budget

This International Day of Biological Diversity, the International Seabed Authority and World Register of Marine Species ...
22/05/2026

This International Day of Biological Diversity, the International Seabed Authority and World Register of Marine Species highlight what taxonomy's contributions are to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework ( ).

Conservation of the deep seabed matters because the ocean and seabed in areas beyond national jurisdiction make up 54% of the global ocean. Reaching the 30x30 target in the deep sea requires knowing what needs to be protected. That begins with taxonomy.

makes those species visible. It gives science and policy a common language. And it provides the evidence base that allows the KMGBF to function.

Initiatives like the One Thousand Reasons campaign directly supports the targets of the KMGBF by expanding the taxonomic knowledge base needed to inform conservation planning. Additionally, ISA’s spatial planning process directly contributes to meeting KMGBF targets to reduce biodiversity loss, while ensuring that any sustainable use is fully consistent with conservation outcomes.

Describing new species, their behaviours, and ecosystems, updating species registers, and making data open and freely accessible, are all local acts with global consequences. A stronger evidence base for the KMGBF, a more complete picture of ocean biodiversity, and a better foundation for the decisions will determine how we govern and protect the deep sea for generations to come.

21/05/2026

Ahead of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May, the International Seabed Authority and the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) are thinking about what it means to act locally for global impact in the deep seabed, an ecosystem that lies thousands of metres below the ocean's surface.

This answer begins with .

In an environment where much of its life remains unknown, taxonomy provides the scientific framework for identifying species, understanding their distribution, behaviour and ecological roles, and ensuring that biodiversity can be monitored, compared and protected under the common heritage principle.

Every species named is a further building block of deep-sea governance. Without taxonomy, there is no common language for biodiversity. Without a common language, it is more challenging to understand the complexities of these ecosystems.

In our new web story, we explore how taxonomy connects local scientific action to global biodiversity targets.

Read the full story at the link here: https://isa.org.jm/news/acting-locally-for-global-impact-why-taxonomy-matters-for-governing-the-deep-seabed/

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