Amid growing concerns about the impact on marine life, Greenpeace environmentalists have found high levels of biodiversity in areas targeted for deep-sea mining.
The group is researching whales and dolphins on Arctic expeditions as the Norwegian government pushes ahead with plans to open up Norway’s waters to deep-sea mining exploration.
Greenpeace said its teams have already spotted endangered whales and dolphins diving deeply near the seamounts in the proposed mining area since beginning their surveys at the end of July.
Whitebill
Deep-sea mining, the process of scooping up metals and minerals from the ocean floor, has yet to begin full-scale commercial production.
Environmentalists and scientists have warned that the practice could cause widespread pollution, underwater noise and irreversible damage to ecosystems that serve as important carbon sinks.
A Greenpeace survey found what appeared to be four distinct populations of sperm whales, the largest of the toothed whale species and classified as “critically endangered” and capable of diving to depths of at least 2,000 metres, in one of the proposed mining areas near Jan Mayen island.
Scientists also spotted two sperm whales, an orca, several pods of dolphins, several minke whales and a fin whale, the second-largest animal on Earth, which is also listed as “threatened”, the campaign group said.
Large numbers of sperm whales have been sighted within the mining area, particularly around the Mournes Ridge, and blue, minke and sperm whales have been sighted near Louise Boyd Seamount.
Sharp drop
“This is a surprising result. We were surveying close to a steep shelf on the seafloor and were hoping to find acoustic detections, but not at this scale,” said Kirsten Young, the expedition’s lead scientist.
“We listened to sperm whales on underwater microphones all day long, and at least one pod was in the middle of foraging. It’s clear that this area is extremely important for sperm whales in this part of the North Atlantic.”
The Greenpeace expedition also sailed through an area where manganese crusts have been found – deep-sea rock formations that some mining companies are interested in extracting from on the Norwegian continental shelf.
But “this is a unique, untouched natural area, with rich wildlife and new species,” said Greenpeace activist Hardis Tsjeldfrat Helle, who was on board the expedition.
“Norway is jumping into a new industry without a clear understanding of the potential impacts of deep sea mining in the deep ocean and the upper water column.”
International
“Norway’s push for deep sea mining is anti-scientific, irresponsible and the opposite of what we need as the ocean and climate crises continue.”
In June, the Norwegian government opened a 90-day public consultation on proposals for the first wave of seabed mineral extraction permits.
The proposal covers 386 blocks, which together cover an area twice the size of Denmark.
The expedition will travel from Jan Mayen island in southern Norway through international waters to the mining areas of Svalbard, and is scheduled to arrive in Svalbard in mid-August after a voyage of around 20 days.
PA has contacted the Norwegian government for comment.
This author
Rebecca Speer Cole is a sustainability reporter in Pennsylvania.
