The Cook Islands Government has wrapped up a national diaspora consultation tour in Sydney, Queensland, and Melbourne, connecting with Cook Islanders living in Australia through open and honest dialogue.
Read MoreYou can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
Three staff from the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) were among 22 international participants who recently took part in the third knowledge transfer training workshop organised and fully funded by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Government of China.
Held in Qingdao from 23–27 April 2025 under the ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC), the training workshop focused on the science and tools needed to protect deep-sea environments through Regional Environmental Management Plans (REMPs).
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The Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), in collaboration with other partners such as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), University of California Santa Barbara, and Kiva Marine, recently went volcano hunting without a seabed mineral in sight. Keep reading if you want to find out why and how.
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The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) recently participated in the first of its kind Ministerial Talanoa on Deep Sea Minerals (DSM), convened by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, from 18 to 21 February 2025.
The Talanoa brought together Pacific Island Forum leaders, ministers and senior officials, and regional and international stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of DSM development and governance in the Pacific.
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Cook Islands Government’s recent consultation tour in New Zealand was a significant success, effectively addressing numerous concerns held by the diaspora regarding seabed mining, says Prime Minister Mark Brown.
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Prime Minister Mark Brown has responded to concerns raised by two environmental groups, Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) and Korero o te Orau, regarding the government’s recent seabed mining consultation in New Zealand.
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This week’s Cook Islands diaspora consultations in New Zealand have amounted to a shotgun approach to current affairs covering a variety of topics of national importance. Prime Minister Mark Brown and his delegation spoke on seabed minerals exploration, the 60 years of self-governance anniversary next year, and the future of the nation.
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To address potential concerns and further strengthen the protection of the Cook Islands’ interests, I have emailed the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) the following additions or amendments to the draft seabed mining regulations.
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We are committed to sustainably and responsibly developing our SBM sector for the benefit of our Cook Islands people. In line with the precautionary approach, any future decision on whether or not we will allow harvesting to occur needs to be science based.
To achieve this, we need more data and information about the nature of our mineral resource and the marine environment so that we can better understand and address the potential environmental impacts and likely commercial viability. This understanding can only be obtained through exploration research work, which is why the Seabed Minerals Exploration Programme is important.
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