Kingston, Jamaica (25 July 2026) – The second edition of the Deep Sea Dialogues brought together experts, observers and civil society organizations for an afternoon of rich conversations at the Institute of Jamaica in Kingston.
News and Stories
Drawing on the wisdom behind UNCLOS: An exchange with Judge Patrick Lipton Robinson
Kingston, Jamaica – It was a privilege to welcome His Excellency Judge Patrick Lipton Robinson to the headquarters of the International Seabed Authority in July 2026 for an informal and thought-provoking exchange on the origins, principles and continuing relevance of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In Memoriam: Judge Alonso Gómez-Robledo Verduzco
Kingston, Jamaica – 20 July 2026 – It is with profound sadness that I learned of the passing of Judge Alonso Gómez-Robledo Verduzco of Mexico on 16 July 2026.
Statement on the orders delivered by the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
The Authority has taken careful note of the provisional measures orders made by the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on 18 July 2026 in the claims brought by Nauru Ocean Resources Inc and Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd.
Legal and Technical Commission Concludes Second Part of 31st Session, Advances Work on the Review of Contractors’ Activities and Development of Standards and Guidelines and Regional Environmental Management Plans
Kingston, Jamaica (10 July 2026) – The Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has concluded the second part of its 31st session, which convened between 29 June and 10 July 2026.
Acting Locally in the Pacific: How Discovering New Sea Star Species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone Is Reshaping What We Know About Life on the Seafloor
Kingston, Jamaica – 8 June 2026 – This year, the International Day for Biological Diversity calls us to “act locally for global impact,” a principle that resonates deeply with the scientists working to document life in the most remote reaches of our oceans. In the deep seabed, where darkness, cold and crushing pressure define the environment, most species remain unknown to science. Identifying, naming and describing them, the work of taxonomists, is one of the most locally grounded acts in biology research which requires hands-on study of individual specimens from sparse sites. And yet its impact is unmistakably global. Named species can be tracked, protected and incorporated into the international frameworks that govern our shared ocean, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which sets ambitious targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The work of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) also depends on this knowledge to fulfill its responsibilities under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – to regulate and control mineral-related activities in the international seabed Area while protecting the marine environment – and to ensure the sustainable development of deep-sea activities.
Hidden in the Mud: How Describing Microscopic Life in the Indian Ocean is Advancing Global Biodiversity Science
Kingston, Jamaica – 4 June 2026 – This year, the International Day for Biological Diversity calls us to “act locally for global impact,” a principle that resonates deeply with the scientists working to document life in the most remote reaches of our oceans. In the deep seabed, where darkness, cold and crushing pressure define the environment, most species remain unknown to science. Identifying, naming and describing them, the work of taxonomists, is one of the most locally grounded acts in biology research which requires hands-on study of individual specimens from sparse sites. And yet its impact is unmistakably global. Named species can be tracked, protected and incorporated into the international frameworks that govern our shared ocean, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which sets ambitious targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The work of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) also depends on this knowledge to fulfill its responsibilities under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – to regulate and control mineral-related activities in the international seabed Area while protecting the marine environment – and to ensure the sustainable development of deep-sea activities.
