Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

The discussions that followed Mr. Simpson’s presentation focused on
SOPAC’s authority to issue permits for research conducted in areas that
appeared to be part of the international area, and how it ensures that
representatives of its member states participate in cruises organized by
marine scientific organizations in the region. Before this, however, one
participant recalled how in 1978 he was called by the United Nations to lead a
team to Suva to CCOP/SOPAC to close the programme down. Dr.
Cruickshank said that the opinion had been formed that CCOP/SOPAC was
not doing anything. He said that when the team arrived, it was very
impressed with the enormous amount of work that had been accomplished,
and that was going on. While congratulating Mr. Simpson and SOPAC, he
informed participants that the long term planning by SOPAC would prove
beneficial in the not too distant future. In this regard, he said that the
evolving knowledge of marine mineral resources suggests that on area-byarea
basis, the seabeds contain a similar value of minerals as terrestrial areas.
He pointed out that the Pacific Ocean contains about half of the seabeds, and
that the Island States that form SOPAC have jurisdictions that cover half of
these seabeds. He said that this group of states therefore control
approximately one quarter of the world’s mineral resources.
In his comments, Mr. Simpson spoke about the unique relationship
that SOPAC has developed over the years with a group of Technical advisers
who come to SOPAC annually at their own cost. He also said that together
with the IOC, SOPAC developing a big database on the Pacific Ocean.
Another participant recalling a slide presented by Mr. Simpson that
showed ship tracks illustrating cruises in the region, pointed out that some of
the tracks traversed the international area. This participant wanted to know
which body authorized the research in these areas.
In his response, Mr. Simpson pointed out that the illustration was
misleading in that the cruises originated from places such as Hawaii. He said
that the tracks showed the entire voyage of the concerned vessels.
Finally, Mr. Simpson was asked how SOPAC ensured that
representatives of SOPAC countries participated in all cruises and that such
cruises were not a niche of the few.
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 918