The deep sea, defined as the oceanic region below 200 meters, encompasses approximately 90% of the ocean’s volume. Despite its vastness, it remains one of the least understood ecosystems on Earth. A new report led by Professor Dr. Sylvia Sander from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive research to inform sustainable management and conservation efforts.
The deep sea: Earth’s final frontier
In their joint analysis, the European Marine Board’s Deep Sea and Ocean Health Working Group defines the deep sea as the water column and seabed below 200 meters. Below this point, sunlight barely penetrates the water, and the habitat changes dramatically. According to this definition, the deep sea accounts for about 90 percent of the ocean’s volume. Its importance for ecosystems and biodiversity is therefore immense. However, pressure on these still relatively untouched areas of our planet is growing: human activities such as oil extraction, fishing, and potential seabed mining threaten deep-sea ecosystems, while climate change is already having a negative impact.
A call for comprehensive research and governance
The working group of eleven researchers has now presented its findings and ten key recommendations on the deep sea and ocean health. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Sylvia Sander, Professor of Marine Mineral Resources at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, and Dr. Christian Tamburini from the French Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), the team produced the report, which is being launched today by the EMB in a webinar. The document emphasizes, among other points, the urgent need for major investment in deep-sea research to close knowledge gaps and provide a sound scientific basis for decisions such as those concerning deep-sea mining.
“The ocean is an interconnected system stretching from the coast to the deepest depths,” says Sylvia Sander. “Of course, the deep sea cannot be considered in isolation from the photic zone or the seafloor.”
Therefore, deep-sea research, use, and conservation are intrinsically linked to overall ocean health.
Ten recommendations for sustainable deep-sea management
The group presents ten central measures for the sustainable protection of the deep sea:
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Effectively govern human activities in the deep sea
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Establish an international scientific committee for deep-sea sustainability and protection
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Contribute to develop and implement deep-sea Environmental Impact Assessment methodologies
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Support transdisciplinary research programs to better understand the role of the deep sea in Ocean (and human) health
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Invest in long-term monitoring in the deep sea
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Launch large-scale and long-term multidisciplinary natural sciences projects to increase knowledge of global deep-sea processes
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Support research efforts in specific critical research areas
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Expand education, training, and research opportunities for current and future scientists
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Promote technology transfer and develop training programs
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Further develop the principles for findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data
Towards a sustainable future for the deep sea
The report underscores the necessity of international collaboration, long-term monitoring, and enhanced data accessibility to safeguard the deep sea. By implementing these recommendations, policymakers and scientists can work together to ensure the protection and sustainable use of this critical component of Earth’s ecosystem.
