They Want to Showcase Life in the Arctic Deep Sea – To Prevent Future Mining Options
A month-long deep-sea expedition will investigate the unexplored life hidden at depths of more than 1,000 meters in the Arctic. The expedition is being carried out by the environmental organization Greenpeace, which aims to prevent the area from being opened up for mining.
Text: Amanda Saveland
The expedition left Ireland two weeks ago and is now located between the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea, in an area known as the “Banana Hole.” On board, the organization has two of its own marine biologists, as well as four researchers from institutions including Uppsala University. Using the three-ton underwater robot Holly, which can descend to a depth of 3,000 meters, they will collect samples and map what kind of life actually exists down there.
“We know more about the surface of the moon and even Mars than we do about the deep sea.” Ninety percent is unexplored,” says expedition leader Daniel Bengtsson from Greenpeace.
Norwegian mining plans
In the area the expedition is investigating, the Norwegian government has previously opened up for mining operations. However, plans to extract minerals from the seabed were put on hold last year and cannot be resumed until 2029 at the earliest. But according to Daniel Bengtsson, the life captured by their underwater robot’s camera—and shown in real time via the ship’s livestream—speaks against any future mining plans.
“On parts of the crust—the manganese crust, which is full of minerals—there are sponges, soft corals, and a host of small animals whose names we don’t even know.” So mining here would be madness, says Daniel Bengtsson.
Seeking protection for the ocean
Instead, Greenpeace hopes that the discoveries made during the ongoing expedition will help protect the area from exploitation. That “Banana Hole” should be included in a larger network of protected areas in the Arctic.
The discoveries the researchers make during the voyage will then be presented when the ship reaches Bergen in early June.
See what the underwater robot discovers in terms of marine life at a depth of nearly 3,000 meters in the clip above.
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