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<p>Defra is investigating the environmental effects of deep-sea mining through a cross-Government
working group including Cefas, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Department
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO). The working group is supported by input from the National Oceanography Centre,
Natural History Museum and British Geological Survey who are involved in a number
of ongoing academic projects considering the impacts of deep sea mining. In addition,
FCO and Defra commissioned a workshop in February 2019 which brought together UK universities,
industry and consultancies involved in the assessment of deep sea mining activities,
to share information, progress and research findings. The outputs of these discussions
are being used to inform the UK’s input into the development of regulations, standards
and guidelines at the International Seabed Authority.</p>
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