Indian Ocean

July 22, 2024 4:20 PM

India to seek licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals

India will apply for licences to explore for deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean as it competes to secure supplies of minerals critical for energy transition technologies, a top government scientist told Reuters. The UN-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 31 deep-sea exploration licences, including two for India in the Indian Ocean, but is yet to allow mining because the 36-member body is still working on regulations. The 36-member ISA council is meeting in Jamaica this m...

Sea urchin pandemic spreads beyond Red Sea, endangering coral reef

A sea-borne pandemic that wiped out sea urchin populations in the Red Sea has spread and is taking out the species in parts of the Indian Ocean and could go global, scientists in Israel say. The particular species of sea urchin impacted is a well-known protector of coral reefs and the deaths put the already fragile reef ecosystem in even more peril. The pandemic was first noticed in the Gulf of Aqaba a year ago and researchers say they have since identified the pathogen behind it through molec...