Deep Sea Minerals - Vol 3 - Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts

Human activities invariably have some impact on any ecosystem, and activities in the deep sea are no exception. Sea-floor ecosystems are increasingly affected by human activities, such as bottom fishing, oil drilling, and waste disposal (Polunin et al . 2008; Smith et al . 2008). With the emerging industry of deep sea mineral extraction, there is a need for appropriate and responsible manage- ment strategies with an aim to maintain overall biodiversity and ecosystem health and function. Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts are of potential interest for deep sea mineral extraction. As de- scribed earlier in this volume, the crusts typically occur on large seamounts, particularly in guy- ot (flat-topped) features where summits vary from depths of 800 metres to 2 500 metres. In this section, we describe the likely environmental effects of deep sea ferromanganese-crust extraction activity, with a particular emphasis on the specific characteristics of biological communities asso- ciated with seamounts and ferromanganese crusts. Management options are discussed, and rec- ommendations are made on options that could balance the impacts of extraction with conservation of the wider environment and faunal communities.

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