The document discusses the process for marine scientific research (MSR) contractors to share results with the International Seabed Authority (ISA). It provides an overview of annual reporting requirements, including submitting data to the ISA using templates. The templates aim to standardize data collection and reporting but may limit the types of studies contractors can report. The ISA is developing a new online data management system to allow uploading various data types and improve dissemination of results.

1. Overview of the process in place
for sharing the results of MSR
undertaken in the Area
Perspectives of a Contractor
Dr Samantha Smith
On behalf of Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI)

2. Marine Scientific Research
(MSR)
• MSR is conducted by ISA Contractors
(Exploration Contract Holders)
• Baseline studies Environmental
Impact Assessment
• Contractors submit and follow a plan
of work which includes the MSR they
intend to complete
• Each year, Contractors must report
against their plan of work in the form
of an Annual Report

3. Annual Reporting –
General Requirements
• Contractor Annual Reports are due to the
Secretary General by the end of March
each year
• Hard and e-copy
• All environmental and geological data
submitted in a digital and spatially
georeferenced format compatible with the
Authority’s requirements (using provided
templates)
• Overview of progress in implementing the
programme of work and, where applicable,
training programmes

4. Annual Reporting
International Seabed Authority ISBA/21/LTC/15
Legal and Technical
Commission
Distr.: General
4 August 2015
Original: English
15-09575 (E) 290915
*1509575*
Recommendations for the guidance of contractors on the
content, format and structure of annual reports
1. The Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority,
acting pursuant to regulation 39 of the Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration
for Polymetallic Nodules in the Area, regulation 41 of the Regulations on
Prospecting and Exploration for Polymetallic Sulphides in the Area and regulation
41 of the Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration for Cobalt-rich
Ferromanganese Crusts in the Area, issues the present recommendations for the
guidance of contractors.
I. Introduction
2. In the present recommendations, references to the “Regulations” are collective
references to the Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration for Polymetallic
Nodules in the Area, the Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration for
Polymetallic Sulphides in the Area and the Regulations on Prospecting and
Exploration for Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts in the Area. References to the
“clauses” are references to the standard clauses applicable to the particular contract
in question.
3. The purpose of the present recommendations is to provide guidance to
contractors in relation to the content, format and structure of their annual reports. It
includes general requirements for their annual reports and specific guidance for
reporting on the exploration under contract for polymetallic nodules, polymetallic
sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts. The recommendations supersede
the guidance provided by the Commission in the annex to document ISBA/8/LTC/2
and should be applied by all contractors with effect from 1 January 2016.
II. General requirements
4. Annual reports shall be submitted to the Secretary-General by the end of
March each year on the activities carried out in the previous year and contain the
information specified in section 10 of annex IV to the Regulations.
5. Reports should be submitted in hard copy and electronic format and all
environmental and geological data should be submitted in a digital and spatially
georeferenced format that is compatible with the Authority’s requirements, using the
• ISA Guidance and Templates
• Recommendations on the content, format
and structure of annual reports:
ISBA/21/LTC/15
• Specific Guidance: Annex I (nodules),
Annex II (sulphides), Annex III (crusts)
• Reporting Templates (Annex IV and
available for download as an Excel file on
the Authority’s website)
• Geological (nodules, sulphides, crusts)
• Biological (nodules, sulphides, crusts)

5. Reporting Templates (current)
Water Column Geochemistry
Exact Time and Water Depth of
Sample Collection (if different from
above)
Water Temperature (
o
C)
Cast
Salinity (ppt) cast pH
cast
DO (ml/l)
cast
Turbidity
cast
Any other parameters
measured…
NO2-N
(mg/l)
NO3-N
(mg/l)
PO4-P
(mg/l)
SiO2
(mg/l)
TOC Chlorophyll
(ug/l)
TIN
(mg/l)
NH4-N
(mg/l)
TP
(mg/l)
Ca TN POC
flux
Benthic Geochemistry
Sediment
Layer (cm)
Sampling
Gear
depth of change
RPD
Nutrients
(mg/l): TIC
Nutrients
(mg/l): TC
Carbonate
(Alkalinity)
specific
gravity
wet bulk
density
shear
strength
Grain size Profile
(%): Clay
Grain size Profile
(%): Silt
Grain size Profile (%):
Sand
Grain size Profile (%):
Gravel
Pb-210
activity
NH2 NH3 Si TIP Dissolved Metal
Species
Water content
(%)
TIN
(mg/l)
NH4-N
(mg/l)
TP
(mg/l)
Ca
(mg/kg)
Zn
(mg/kg)
Cu
(mg/kg)
Pb
(mg/kg)
Mn
(mg/kg)
Fe
(mg/kg)
Co
(mg/kg)
Cd
(mg/kg)
Hg
(mg/kg)
TN POC
Pelagic and Benthic Biological Samples
Total
Biomass
collected
(g)
Numbe
r of
individ
uals
Nominal
size
Category
Species
density
(benthos:in
d/m
2
);
pelagic
(ind/m3)
Relative
abundanc
e (%)
Relative
dominanc
e (%)
Trans
ect ID
Frame
Code (on
video/still
photo)
Date &
Time
stamp (on
video/still
photo)
Area of
image
Video/p
hoto
sled ID
code
Technical
specification
of camera
equipment
ID:
Phylum
ID:
Class
ID:
Order
ID:
Family
ID:
Genus
ID:
Species
Identificati
on:
putative
species
name or
number
Morpholo
gical
Taxonomi
st
Morphologi
cal
Taxonomist
E-mail
Morphological
Taxonomist
Institution
Voucher
specimen
code
DNA:
Phyl
um
DN
A:
Clas
s
DN
A:
Ord
er
DNA
:
Fam
ily
DNA:
Subfa
mily
DNA
:
Gen
us
DNA:
Speci
es
Geneba
nk,
sequenc
e
number
etc.
DNA
Taxono
mist
DNA
Taxonomist
E-mail
DNA
Taxonomist
Institution
DNA
genes
used
Notes on
DNA or
morphologi
cal
identificati
on
Speci
men
Sex
Specim
en
Weight
Specimen
Details:
Reproductiv
e state
Specimen
Details: Life
Stage
Specimen
Details:
Extra Info
Specimen
Details:
Notes
Specimen
: Voucher
Status
Specimen
Details :
Tissue
Descriptor
Specimen
Details:
Associated
Taxa
Specimen
Details :
Associated
Specimens
Cruise information
Cruise
Name
Research
Vessel
Leg
Number
Geographical
Area
Area
sector
Sampling protocol
Station name or
code
Date Sampling
start time
Sampling start
depth
Sampling start
latitude
Sampling start
longitude
Sampling
end time
Sampling end
depth
Sampling end
latitude
Sampling end
longitude
Area or Volume
sampled
Remarks/
Comments
Sample IDSampling Gear
(code)
Location of
samples
Remarks Collection
Code
Institution
Storing Code
Habitat brief
description
Collection Info Metadata
Extended Fields: Habitat
Collection Info Metadata
Extended Fields: Sampling
Protocol
Template: Polymetallic nodules, environmental data

6. Room for Improvement?
• Difficult to easily determine how many samples were taken; sub-
samples treated the same as a sample
• Could limit Contractors in terms of the studies they perform or report
(e.g. where to put results of experiments, noise studies, etc.?) – i.e. if
a study isn’t listed in the template, there’s no obvious way to report
the data
• How do we deal with large and/or long-term data sets? e.g. current/
metocean data?

7. ISA Data
Management System
• Contractors submit data directly
online
• Allows “non template data” to be
included and uploaded (e.g.
photos, video transects, CTD
profiles, water current data, study
reports, etc.)
• New templates – Environmental,
Geological
• Currently being beta tested

8. Other Methods of
Dissemination
• Publication in the scientific literature
• Global databases (e.g. Genbank)
• Presentations at international conferences (e.g.
Underwater Mining Conference, Deep-sea Biology
Symposium, etc.)
• Presentations at ISA side events
• Collaborative events within Sponsoring States (e.g. PIL
Forum Side Event in Nauru)
• How do we ensure the relevant information and
learnings specifically reaches the South Pacific? (e.g.
SPC? STAR network?)
• Environmental Impact Statement Lim et al 2017 Systematics and Biodiversity

9. Mālō
Tubwa kor