U.S. Deep‑Sea Mining Claims Challenge International Seabed Authority in Pacific

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), a U. N. ‑associated body, has long regulated deep‑sea mining in international waters. A 2025 Trump executive order urged the United States to develop its own deep‑sea mining sector, prompting U. S. companies to apply for rights to explore and exploit the international seabed. In the Clarion‑Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, companies have either applied to the U. S. or already received permits covering an area roughly half the size of the ISA‑designated mining zone. Several of these claims overlap, raising concerns about effective management of the high seas. Critics argue that U. S. acceleration of the industry would benefit only U. S. firms, not the developing nations that the ISA is meant to serve, and that deep‑sea mining could harm marine ecosystems.