Deep seabed mining and communities: A transdisciplinary approach to ecological risk assessment in the South Pacific

Highlights

• Describes results from a workshop held in New Zealand that hosted stakeholders from a broad range of interests and regions in the South Pacific associated with the deep‐sea mineral activity. 
• Discussions highlighted the importance of trust or respect among stakeholders, valuing the “life force” of the ocean, the importance of scientific data, and the complications associated with defining acceptable change. 
• A case study is provided that highlights the current challenges within the legislative framework of New Zealand. 
• A new process for impact assessment is suggested based on sensitivity of locally-valued species and their impact on ecosystem function 

Keywords

Ecosystems services, ecotoxicological tools, indigenous knowledge, seabed biodiversity, social license