VICTORIA, Seychelles, Feb 3 (IPS) – The world is entering a decisive period for the future of the ocean. With the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty and meaningful progress on the World Trade Organization’s Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, global momentum for stronger marine governance is increasing. Yet new pressures associated with the push for deep-sea mining – the extraction of minerals from the seabed thousands of meters below the ocean’s surface – threaten to undermine these achievements. To safeguard progress, global decision-making will need to keep pace with such emerging risks. In this context, Africa will host several global discussions in 2026, including those that will shape the future of the ocean, with a range of leadership opportunities, starting with the African Union Summit in February to the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya in June.
As two long-standing friends of the ocean who have witnessed both its fragility and its generosity, we view the ongoing discussions about deep-sea mining as a moment that calls for careful, science-based and inclusive reflection. This is especially true in a region of the world where people depend on a healthy ocean for their livelihoods, culture, spirituality and climate resilience, and where roughly more than 30 percent of Africans live 200 million peoplerely on fish as their main source of animal protein.
These concerns are particularly relevant to the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), one of the most biodiverse marine regions in the world, with endemism as high as 22 percent yet on the convergence of multiple environmental stresses. Coral reefs and mangrove forests are declining, while illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and sand mining are putting additional pressure on already fragile ecosystems. The lasting consequences of 2020 Oil spill in Wakashio in Mauritius show how quickly ocean damage can spread across communities. In such a fragile environment, the introduction of a new extractive industry requires the highest level of research.
In light of these emerging challenges, the Seychelles has an important role to play. For decades, the country has demonstrated leadership in championing the blue economy and protecting marine ecosystems. The early ratification of the BBNJ Treaty, along with advocacy for marine protected areas in the high seas such as the Saya de Malha Bank, has positioned the country as a respected voice for responsible ocean management. If deep-sea mining begins in the Pacific, the Indian Ocean will likely follow, including the central Indian ridge east of the Seychelles EEZ and within the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement region. Catalyzing a new wave of continental leadership in deep-sea conservation would advance a vision of ocean governance based on equity and sustainability. A precautionary pause in deep-sea mining would give concrete form to this vision.
Scientific research continues to underline this need for caution. Deep sea mining would be a irreversible impact about ecosystems and species on the seabed. And recently studies of the midwater zone, where waste plumes from deep-sea mining would disperse, show that mining particles could reduce the nutritional quality of the natural zooplankton food supply by up to tenfold. This would reduce food quality and trigger impacts that travel through the food web, ultimately affecting larger species and the overall health of the ocean that millions of people rely on. In an environment where more than 99.99 percent of the deep ocean floor has yet to be explored or directly observed, the introduction of large-scale industrial activity could cause damage that cannot be reversed.
The economic risks for the region are just as great. The natural resources of the western Indian Ocean have been conservative valued at $333.8 billionmaking the ocean one of the region’s most important sources of long-term prosperity. Within this framework, fishing represents the greatest asset and a cornerstone of economic resilience. The region generates approx 4.8 percent of global fish catch, roughly speaking 4.5 million tons every year, underscoring how much economies and communities depend on healthy stocks. In the Seychelles and throughout the region, tuna fishing in particular supports national income, employment and food security. Undermining the sustainability of fishing could therefore not happen alone threaten livelihoods but also reduce long-term economic opportunities.
Increasing pressure on deep-sea mining activities also raises concerns about the recurrence of historical patterns in other extractive sectors across Africa. The unequal distribution of the benefits of land resource exploitation has shown how easily local communities can suffer environmental impacts, while external actors capture most of the value. Without strong governance frameworks that ensure fair participation and transparent decision-making, current deep-sea mining models risk following a similar trajectory, privileging short-term economic gains for multinational corporations over regional priorities.
Finally, the argument that deep-sea mining is necessary for the renewable energy transition is also increasingly at odds with current evidence. Rapid advances in recycling technologies, circular economy approaches and alternative materials are already reducing expected demand for minerals from new extractions. These routes can support the global transition without the need to industrialize one of the least understood parts of the planet. The United Nations Environment Program has also made this clear in their statements Report 2022 that “there is currently no foreseeable way in which investments in deep-sea mining activities can be considered consistent with the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles”.
At the same time, African-led nature-positive initiatives are showing how ocean resources can be managed in ways that support both people and the environment. Initiatives such as the Great Blue Wall aim to create connected networks of marine protected and restored areas that strengthen biodiversity, climate resilience and community well-being across the WIO region. These efforts show what a regenerative blue economy can look like in practice. To preserve these achievements, it is necessary to ensure that new activities do not jeopardize the progress already achieved.
Across the continent, young leaders, civil society and scientific institutions are calling for greater responsibility in decisions that shape our collective future. Their message is clear: the long-term well-being of all must come before short-term profits for a select few. This call also reflects a growing movement worldwide, with more than 40 countries now supports a pause in deep-sea mining, including France, Fiji, Chile and Mexico. A precautionary pause on deep-sea mining is not a rejection of economic progress, but a commitment to sound science, inclusive dialogue and responsible stewardship. We are hopeful that countries in Africa and elsewhere around the world will hear this call and secure the future of the ocean for generations to come.
James Alix Michel is the former President of Seychelles (2004–2016) and a global advocate for the blue economy, ocean conservation and climate resilience.
Dona Bertarelli is a Swiss philanthropist, IUCN Protector of Nature and Biodiversity Champion, who is strongly committed to a healthy balance between people and nature.
IPS UN Office
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