Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

STAR was founded in 1985 in collaboration with the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission [IOC] of UNESCO. STAR
sessions are more than scientific and technical meetings where scientists
present scientific papers and discuss results and implications, in that there is
an expectation on participants to formulate advice to SOPAC concerning its
work programme and to highlight technical and scientific issues of particular
importance and urgency.
One of the great strengths of SOPAC is its ability to mobilise excellent
science and bring it to bear to address the national needs to its member
countries. The long established working relationship between SOPAC and the
international research community is a vital element in this endeavour, which
STAR is charged to nurture. This relationship stimulated an order of
magnitude change in the geosciences database in the SOPAC region during
the 1980’s. Current working groups of direct relevance to marine mineral
resources include: Benthic Habitats, Law of the Sea, Oceans, Tectonics and
Ocean Drilling, Coastal and Nearshore Processes and Resources, and Ocean
Basin Mineral Resources and Technology.
Although SOPAC’s purpose has diversified to include technical
services 3 beyond its initial focus to promote and develop offshore mineral
resources, an offshore mineral resouces brief remains a core function and
priority service area of its work programme. With donor funding finally
secured for it’s Ocean Unit’s work programme, SOPAC has recently recruited
a marine affairs adviser, with responsibilities to coordinate regional marine
scientific research activities, maintain and update regional deepsea mineral
and cruise databases, and advise on UNCLOS duties and obligations. Further,
a decision has been reached to transfer the Maritime Boundaries Programme
from the Forum Fisheries Agency [FFA] to SOPAC. This initiative will enable
a more focussed regional effort toward delimitation of martime zones and
boundaries for PICs.
3 The SOPAC Secretariat offers the following technical services to its member
countries: Coastal Management, Coastal Engineering, Disaster Management, Energy,
Environmental Services, Hazard Assessment, Human Resources Development,
Hydrology, Mineral Resources, Ocean Management, Publication and, Information
and Technology. SOPAC’s member countries and technical advisers meet annually to
review and direct the work programme for each of these technical services.
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 884