Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

3. Marine Scientific Research - Cruise Co-Ordination
Although there is a requirement under the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] for all data of marine scientific research to
be sent to the Governments of the coastal states in which the cruises have
taken place, this has not always been the case. To ensure that SOPAC
continues to meet its mandate to co-ordinate MSR cruises and, ensure that
data and information acquired during the cruises are made available to its
member countries, SOPAC has developed a consents protocol for the coordination
of MSR in the Pacific region.
The protocol includes procedures to be followed by States who wish to
carry out MSR on non-living marine resources in sea areas under the
jurisdiction of a coastal State in the region. It also specifies required formats
for the exchange of data between SOPAC and the researching organisation to
ensure that data can be read and easily integrated into the cruise database.
The procedures also provide SOPAC member countries with a clear
administrative process for handling requests for consent to conduct MSR by
foreign research organisations. The intent and wording of the protocol,
borrows heavily from The Law of the Sea: Marine Scientific Research – A Guide to
Implementation of the Relevant Provisions of the United National Convention on the
Law of the Sea.
This considered, regional approach to coordinating MSR activity
through SOPAC allows all of its member countries, irrespective of their size
and technical capacity, to get individual and collective advice and assistance
to:
• Evaluate MSR requests for consent to conduct MSR
• Advise on clearance and conditions of participation or
representation
• Monitor post-cruise obligations
• Assist in assessment of research results and access data that would
otherwise not be collected or used effectively.
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 885