![]() ![]() They drove the machine for two hours, and the sediment plume only traveled a few hundred meters," says Washburn. "I had assumed we wouldn't see any changes because the mining test was so small. However, the researchers note that this was only after a two-hour test, and coral or sponges could still be impacted by long-term mining operations. The study did not observe a major change in less mobile ocean animals, like coral and sponges. ![]() While there are several possible explanations for this decrease in fish populations, the team thinks it may be due to the mining test contaminating fish food sources. However, they also noted a 56% drop in the fish and shrimp density of surrounding areas. One year after the mining test, researchers observed a 43% drop in fish and shrimp density in the areas directly impacted by sediment pollution. After taking a seven-day boat trip from port, a remotely operated vehicle went to the seafloor and collected video of the impacted areas. The team analyzed data from three of Japan's visits to the Takuyo-Daigo seamount: one month before the mining test, one month after, and one year after. "A set of regulations is supposed to be finalized soon, so a lot of these decisions are happening now." "These data are really important to get out," says first author Travis Washburn, a benthic ecologist who works closely with the Geological Survey of Japan. ![]() However, for companies looking to mine the ocean's floor for minerals such as cobalt, copper, and manganese, the ISA is required to either adopt a set of exploitation regulations or consider mining exploitation under existing international laws starting July 9. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which has authority over seafloor resources outside a given country's jurisdiction, has yet to finalize a set of deep-sea mining regulations. ![]()
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