standardization of environmental data and information - International ...

PART V
Conclusions and Recommendations of the
Workshop and its Working Groups
The results of the Workshop are set out in four parts: a report
containing its recommendations on general topics relating to its mandate,
and the recommendations of its three working groups on the measurement
of key environmental parameters.
The Workshop devoted much of its time to technical matters that
must be resolved to ensure that contractors with the International Seabed
Authority will know what data and information they are expected to submit
on environmental conditions in the areas allocated to them for polymetallic
nodule exploration. During the discussion, however, several broad issues
were raised that go beyond the specifics of standardising data gathering
and measurement. The main report contains recommendations on the
following:
?? Cooperative biological research into five specific questions centring
on how deep-sea animal communities are likely to respond to
seabed mining. The ISA is urged to facilitate such research and to
identify sources of support.
?? The creation of databases that will enable contractors to keep up to
date on the environmental information collected by other
contractors, including a central database managed by ISA in which
all such information is assembled in one place for easy retrieval.
Detailed requirements for an ISA database have been prepared by
one of the Workshop participants, Dr. Ron Etter (chapter 19 above).
?? Taxonomic coordination utilizing recognised experts to assist in the
correct identification of animal fauna living on the deep seabed.
This is needed so that contractors will know whether species they
find in one exploration area are the same as those found by others
elsewhere. Such information is necessary to establish the
geographical ranges of species and thus the likelihood of their
extinction by a mining operation.
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 504