Deep Sea Minerals - Vol 2 - Manganese Nodules

of the precautionary approach, and globally accepted defi- ni- tions, results from the work of the Rio Conference, or Earth Sum- mit, in 1992. Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration states: “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lackof full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postpon- ing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degrada- tion.” (UNCED 1992; see also DSM Project Information Brochure 13 available at www.sopac.org/dsm, for discussion on the Pre- cautionary Approach as it relates to DSM). A management method that is frequently applied in support of the precautionary approach is adaptive management, which attempts to reduce uncertainties over time in a struc- tured process of “learning by doing” (Walters & Hilborn 1978). Management actions continue to be informed and adapted as more is learned about the ecosystem, at the same time as it is being exploited and managed. An integral part of the pro- cess involves allowing managers the flexibility to make rapid management decisions in order to ensure that conservation objectives are being met.

MarineSpatial Planning (MSP) is a tool being embraced by a number of countries to manage multiple uses of their territorial seas. MSP maps which activities can be undertaken where, manages conflicts between competing marine activities, and reduces environmental impact by analyzing current and anticipated uses of the ocean. It is a practical way to balance demands for development with conserva- tion goals and to achieve social and economic objectives in an open and planned way. The principal output of MSP is a comprehensive spatial management plan for a marine area or ecosystem. There are many papers and reports that provide general guidance and advice to help commercial operators, scientists, and manag- ers plan sound environmental management of mining and mar- itime activities. Several are particularly important for the deep sea, including: • International Seabed Authority: Deep-seabed polymetallic nodule exploration: development of environmental guide- lines (ISA 1999) • Madang Guidelines of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC 1999). • International Marine Minerals Society: Code for environmental management of marine mining, Revised edition (IMMS 2011)

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