“Plymouth Marine Laboratory Study: 13 Pacific Deep-Sea Reserves Could Form Connected Networ” — what this page in the network covers. A new study led by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and published in Nature Ecology & Evolution suggests that strategic adjustments to existing marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Pacific Ocean could link 13 deep-sea reserves into a connected network. The research focuses on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a vast abyssal region between Hawaii and Mexico targeted for seabed mining of polymetallic nodules. While current MPAs were designed to shield deep-sea life from mining impacts, the study finds they are largely isolated from one another.
By adding or expanding a few key areas, the network could enhance ecological connectivity, allowing species to disperse and maintain genetic diversity. The findings matter because the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is drafting regulations that could open the CCZ to commercial mining, and a connected network of reserves would better safeguard biodiversity in one of Earth's least explored ecosystems. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.