Kingston, Jamaica (28 July 2026) – At a side event held on Tuesday, 28 July, on the margins of the Assembly meetings, the International Seabed Authority invited Member States and stakeholders to celebrate four years of achievements under its Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI). The campaign has been made possible through the contributions of Member States, contractors, international organizations and universities serving as SSKI donors and partners.
Tag: sski
Acting Locally for Global Impact: Why Taxonomy Matters for Governing the Deep Seabed
Kingston, Jamaica – 22 May 2026 – This year, the International Day for Biological Diversity’s call to ‘act locally for global impact’ aligns directly with the International Seabed Authority’s Marine Scientific Research Action Plan, which seeks to advance scientific knowledge of deep-sea ecosystems, its biodiversity and ecological functions, and the potential impacts of exploration and exploitation activities. By studying specific (local) areas of the deep seabed, research findings can be standardized, shared, and applied at a global scale, from refining methodologies for biodiversity assessments, to building the scientific capacity of developing States, to informing the governance decisions that affect the entire international seabed area, which covers nearly 54% of the global ocean, and is called “the Area.”.
Discovering Life in the Hadal Depths: How Taxonomy Illuminates the Deep Seabed
Kingston, Jamaica – 26 March 2026 – The deep seabed is teeming with life. From the sediment plains of the abyssal zone to the extreme pressures of hadal trenches, species have evolved over millions of years into forms of extraordinary complexity and resilience. Scientists and governments alike are actively investing in understanding the biodiversity of the deep seabed. That growing body of knowledge equips decision makers to act responsibly and ensure global stewardship of the deep seabed.
Women Advancing Ocean Science from Research to Governance
Kingston, 8 March 2026 – On International Women’s Day, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) highlights the journeys of women shaping the future of ocean science and governance. Through initiatives such as the See Her Exceed Global Mentoring Programme – S.H.E., the Women in Deep-Sea Research project and activities funded under the ISA Partnership Fund, the ISA expands access to training, mentorship and international collaboration in a field that remains highly specialized and historically male-dominated.
Applications are now open for the ISA-Ifremer Meioscool postdoctoral fellowship in cybertaxonomy
Applications are now open for the ISA-Ifremer Meioscool postdoctoral fellowship in cybertaxonomy with L’Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (Ifremer) for candidates from developing States Members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
Call for taxonomy projects to describe deep-sea species
The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (the Authority) is inviting taxonomic research project proposals from individuals from developing Member States of the Authority under its “One Thousand Reasons” campaign.
ISA Partnership Fund Board concludes its fourth meeting by celebrating USD1.2 million of investments in support of the global deep-sea research agenda and transformative capacity development activities for all
Kingston, Jamaica – 12 November 2024 — The International Seabed Authority Partnership Fund (ISAPF) Board convened its fourth and last meeting of 2024 today, marking a year of unprecedented achievement in advancing international cooperation in deep-sea research and exploration in the international seabed area (the Area) while building and developing the capacities of hundreds of experts from developing States, totalling USD1.2 million of investment in support of the stewardship of the Area.
ISA international experts workshop progresses the development of a scientific approach for the identification of deep-sea taxa in support of effective protection and management measures in the Area
Kingston, Jamaica – On 6 June 2024, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK), successfully concluded a four-day workshop on developing a scientific approach to identifying key deep-sea taxa for the protection of the environment in the Area. This workshop marks the fifth successful edition of a workshop series to advance deep-sea taxonomic standardization under ISA’s Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI).
Successful applicants announced for the “One Thousand Reasons” campaign
In a major stride towards understanding the mysteries of our oceans, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), in collaboration with the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and supported by the European Union, is excited to announce the successful applicants for the groundbreaking “One Thousand Reasons” campaign. The response was unprecedented, with 65 applications from 21 countries among all five regional groups of ISA Members and one country with observer status. This initiative signifies a monumental effort to describe at least one thousand new deep-sea species by 2030, enhancing our collective knowledge of life in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
