Event World Day
International Day of the Deep Seabed 2026
In a landmark decision, the 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Assembly established 1 November as the International Day of the Deep Seabed as proposed by the sponsoring countries, Fiji, Jamaica, Malta and Singapore. The annual observance will promote greater understanding of the deep seabed and its resources while fostering international cooperation in its sustainable management.
About the International Day of the Deep Seabed
The International Day of the Deep Seabed (IDDS) is an annual observance established by the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority in July 2025. Proposed by the Governments of Fiji, Jamaica, Malta and Singapore, the date commemorates Ambassador Arvin Pardo’s (Malta) historic 1967 speech before the UN General Assembly, when he declared that the deep-seabed resources are the common heritage of humankind. It also celebrates the enduring spirit of multilateral cooperation that defines the Law of the Sea.
2026 Theme: 1000 Reasons to: Discover. Share. Use
The thematic focus for the 2026 observance is “1,000 Reasons to: Discover. Share. Use.”, anchored in ISA’s Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI) and its One Thousand Reasons campaign, which supports international efforts to expand knowledge of deep-sea biodiversity, including the ambition to describe at least 1,000 new deep-sea species by 2030.
SSKI is a multi-donor, multi-partner collaborative platform to advance deep-sea biodiversity research, strengthen capacity, and improve access to knowledge in support of evidence-based regulatory processes. Through SSKI, the ISA works with Member States, scientific institutions, contractors, international organizations, and individual experts to generate, assess, and disseminate deep-sea knowledge.
The 2026/2027 campaign will highlight how taxonomic research, data-sharing, capacity development and scientific collaboration support effective stewardship and science-based decision-making in the Area. The campaign is centred on 1 November and supported by milestones throughout 2027, building momentum towards the 60th anniversary of the historic address delivered by Maltese diplomat Arvid Pardo to the United Nations on 1 November 1967: Day of Commemoration. Year of Celebration.
Advancing Deep-Sea Biodiversity Knowledge
The 2nd International Day of the Deep Seabed provides a timely platform to turn results into wider understanding, participation and engagement. Raising awareness, inspiring deep seabed literacy, and amplifying the importance of SSKI brings invaluable visibility of ISA-supported biodiversity science beyond negotiations.
The ISA launched the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI) in 2022 as a flagship initiative under the ISA Marine Scientific Research Action Plan, adopted by the Assembly in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
The One Thousand Reasons campaign advances SSKI’s ambition to describe at least 1,000 new deep-sea species by 2030 in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Launched in 2023 and 2025, it funded 16 taxonomic projects that resulted in 90 new species descriptions in 2024-2025, with similar outputs anticipated in 2026-2027.
The campaign expands baseline knowledge of deep-sea ecosystems linked to mineral resource habitats while fostering international collaboration, especially with developing States, and supporting open-access biodiversity data for sustainable seabed management.
