International Seabed Authority

About us

Made up of 167 Member States, and the European Union, the International Seabed Authority is mandated under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to organize, regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area for the benefit of mankind as a whole.
In so doing, ISA has the duty to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities.
Biodiversity in the deep-sea 
The past decade saw a significant increase in the knowledge about biodiversity in the deep-sea.
Efforts are underway to describe the many species yet to be discovered and identified, and to understand the structure and function of ecosystems in the deep ocean. Such knowledge underpins effective measures to protect the marine environment in the deep ocean.