Kochi, India (7 -11 September 2026) – After a week of hands-on training, 25 specialists from 13 developing countries across the Indian Ocean region concluded the Deep-Sea Macrofauna Taxonomy School on Friday, 11 September, in Kochi, India. Organized by the International Seabed Authority, the workshop focused on standardizing methodologies for deep-sea biodiversity assessments, including sampling, identification, and curation of deep-sea macrofauna.
The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK), Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, as part of the annual series of workshops on deep-sea taxonomic standardization.
The event began with a ceremonial lighting of the lamp by representatives of the organizing institutions, including Madam Secretary-General of the ISA, Leticia Carvalho. During a special address to participants, she highlighted the importance of effective governance of the international seabed through robust scientific evidence and a continuously improving understanding of deep-sea ecosystems. Madam Secretary-General also reiterated her ambition of substantially accelerating the discovery of deep-sea species to improve the biodiversity knowledge base required for informed ocean governance.
During his remarks, Prof. Sandip Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Scientist G & Advisor of MoEs, thanked Madam Secretary General and extended gratitude for her visit to India and for delivering a highly inspiring lecture while inaugurating the workshop. He also extended appreciation to the joint effort of the MoES, MABIK, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, IORA Secretariat and ISA towards capacity building in the field of deep-sea taxonomy and achieving the objectives of the ISA’s Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI). He recalled the importance of fostering marine scientific research and effectively protecting the marine environment as mandated by UNCLOS, as well as recognizing the contribution of the Government of India.
The Head of the Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Dr. R. Maheskumar, emphasized the growing international concern around ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of deep-sea ecosystems. He highlighted the need for harmonized and standardized methodologies for deep-sea biodiversity assessment, improved taxonomic capability, and stronger international cooperation.
Participants also watched two video messages, one delivered by the Director for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Management of the Indian Rim Association (IORA). Ms. Stephanie Johannes emphasized the importance of regional collaboration, scientific networking, knowledge exchange, and capacity development among Indian Ocean countries. Her message highlighted the value of coordinated approaches to marine biodiversity research and the need to strengthen technical and institutional capabilities across the region.
The other online message was from the president of the Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK), Mr. Hyun-Tae Kim, who emphasized that access to reliable taxonomic information and cooperation among biodiversity institutions can contribute substantially to improving species identification, reference collections, and long-term conservation of marine biodiversity.
Macrofauna are organisms larger than 250–300 micron meters and play a fundamental role in deep-sea ecosystems by contributing to organic matter processing, sediment mixing, and nutrient cycling. By promoting standardized taxonomic methods, ISA aims to help bridge gaps in the understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and strengthen the capacity of developing Member States to conduct robust environmental assessments.
The programme in Kochi combined lessons, field trips for practical sampling and intensive laboratory sessions. The workshop´s co-chair and Scientist-D of CMLRE, Dr. R. Sendhil Kumar, stressed the need for automated biological observation systems to achieve the scale and speed required for exploring ocean biodiversity. He also underscored the importance of sustained field observations and curated biological collections for strengthening regional knowledge of marine biodiversity.
A keynote address, delivered by Dr. Baban Ingole provided an overview of the diversity and ecological characteristics of benthic organisms inhabiting the deep sea. The address reinforced the importance of benthic fauna as a key component of baseline biodiversity assessments and as an indicator group for understanding potential environmental changes in deep-sea ecosystems.
During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to advance their skills in sampling, identification and curation of deep-sea macrofauna, alongside experts in the field, while networking with taxonomists from across Asian, African and European countries. By strengthening their knowledge in standardized taxonomic methods, participants left the workshop with a deeper understanding of deep-sea biodiversity, enhanced abilities to conduct biodiversity assessments, and greater motivation to contribute to informed decision-making. Building on these foundations, the ISA looks forward to fostering increased regional leadership and further amplifying capacity-building efforts across the Indian Ocean region.
About ISA
ISA is an autonomous intergovernmental organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to manage the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction for the shared benefit of humankind. ISA is committed to ensuring that all economic activities in the deep seabed, including mining, are regulated and responsibly managed using the best available scientific evidence for the benefit of all humankind.
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