French Polynesia Challenges U.S. Seabed Mining Plan
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- French Polynesia objects to American Deep Sea Minerals’ seabed mining exploration plan in international waters adjacent to its borders, citing lack of consultation and potential environmental harm
- Moetai Brotherson, president of French Polynesia, stated the government received only a brief email from the company and no follow-up, calling the process insufficient under international standards for free, prior and informed consent
- American Deep Sea Minerals, a Bay Area startup, has applied to U.S. regulators for permission to explore Eastern High Seas Pocket 3, a tuna-rich zone also under consideration as a conservation area
- Graham Goulet, CEO of American Metals (parent company), said consultations with Pacific nations will occur as the exploration program develops, under U.S. oversight and with plans for benefit-sharing agreements
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is reviewing the application, which remains open for public comment until August 3, while fast-tracking environmental reviews for deep-sea mining permits
- French Polynesia banned seabed mining in 2022 and expanded protections in 2023 within Tainui Atea, a marine reserve housing over 1,000 fish species, 176 coral types, and 21 shark species
- The United Nations High Seas Treaty, effective January 2024, allows nations to designate conservation areas in international waters, which French Polynesia aims to use to protect Eastern High Seas Pocket 3
Why it matters: The U.S. fast-tracking seabed mining approvals risks undermining the UN High Seas Treaty’s conservation goals and bypassing Indigenous rights, while Pacific nations like French Polynesia gain leverage to demand inclusion in decisions affecting their ecological and cultural zones—setting a precedent for how international ocean governance is enforced.
