REGISTRATION LINK | TERMS OF REFERENCE | INFO NOTE FOR PARTICIPANTS

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is convening an inception workshop of the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI) at the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK), Seocheon, Republic of Korea, from 29 November to 01 December 2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea (MOMAF), and with financial support from the European Commission. The workshop will be conducted in two separate sessions:

1. Technical session (29-30 November 2022) for invited experts and SSKI partners, including scientific institutions, ISA contractors, and international organizations.
2. Hybrid public session (1 December 2022) for participants of the technical session and registered participants online.

Launched at the second UN Ocean Conference in June 2022, SSKI is ISA’s new flagship initiative to advance the implementation of its Action Plan in support of the UN Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (ISBA/26/A/17). As a model example of concerted global efforts towards enhanced understanding of deep-sea ecosystems, SSKI will serve as a catalyst to generate, assess, and disseminate new deep-sea biodiversity information in the international seabed area (the Area). It will also facilitate uptake of deep-sea science into global ocean governance, especially to ensure effective protection of the marine environment in the Area. For more information on SSKI, please visit the website at: https://www.isa.org.jm/sski.

In May 2022, ISA and the European Commission signed a financial agreement to support the implementation of SSKI activities. This workshop aims at developing an implementation and monitoring plan for SSKI, with a focus on advancing deep-sea species identification and description and developing innovative tools for deep-sea biodiversity research and assessments in the Area.

A detailed agenda and other meeting documents will be uploaded in due course.

Part I: Technical session for invited experts and SSKI partners (29-30 November)

This session will aim to:

• Establish practical approach to implementing SSKI activities, including modalities, timeline, and monitoring of outputs;
• Develop strategies to ensure effective stakeholder engagement and mobilize partners and resources; and
• Identify potential opportunities and partners to enhance SSKI’s contribution to science-policy interface for sustainable ocean governance.

Part II: Hybrid public session for registered participants (1 December)

This session will aim to:

• Present the results of the technical session;
• Present the advanced copy of the SSKI implementation and monitoring plan; and
• Explore potential ways and means to enhance collaboration among members and stakeholders of ISA, including the scientific community, contractors, and decision-makers, for effective implementation of SSKI.

Members of ISA, as well as observers, contractors, international and regional organizations, projects/programs and initiatives, and academic/scientific institutions with an interest in contributing to the objectives of the hybrid public session on 1 December 2022, are invited to register here as soon as possible, but no later than 14 October 2022.

The maximum number of virtual participants will be limited to 80 (eighty) to enable effective engagement and discussion. Participants will be selected based on their expertise and experience in deep-sea biodiversity assessments, taxonomic services, and relevant capacity-building activities, as well as their interest and capacity in technical and financial partnerships for SSKI implementation. Geographic representation and gender balance will be taken into consideration. Selected participants will be notified by 28 October 2022.

For enquiries, please contact: Luciana Genio, Environmental analyst, Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources of ISA (lgenio@isa.org.jm)

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

• Action plan of the International Seabed Authority in support of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development [ISBA/26/A/17]
• Report of the Workshop on Deep Sea Taxonomic Standardization: Strategic Approaches for Collaboration (15-16 September 2020) [link]
• Report of the Workshop on Enhancing Image-based Biodiversity Assessments to Advance Deep-Sea Taxonomy (12-14 October 2021) [link]