The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump over an executive order aimed at fast-tracking deep-sea mining beyond American territorial waters.
Following the order, signed last week, US-based firm The Metals Company filed an application to begin seabed mining in international waters. However, ISA Secretary-General Leticia Reis de Carvalho condemned the move, stressing that no nation has the right to unilaterally extract mineral resources from the global seabed outside the framework of international law.
In a statement, Carvalho said: “No state has the right to unilaterally exploit the mineral resources of the area outside the legal framework established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).” She added that this prohibition applies to all countries, including those that have not ratified UNCLOS—such as the United States.
UNCLOS, adopted in 1982, declares that the mineral wealth of international waters belongs to all humanity under the principle of “the common heritage of humankind.”

Carvalho described the executive order as “a surprising move,” especially given the US’s long-standing role as a technical advisor and active observer in ISA negotiations. “For over 30 years, the US has been a reliable contributor to shaping the ISA’s regulatory framework,” she noted.
Analysts believe the Trump administration may be relying on a little-known domestic law that permits the issuing of seabed mining licences in international waters. But Carvalho dismissed this justification, saying: “The order refers to ‘Unleashing America’s Offshore Minerals and Resources’, which can only apply to areas within US jurisdiction. Everything beyond that is the common heritage of humankind.”
She warned that unilateral action by any country threatens to undermine decades of international cooperation and could destabilise the delicate framework of global ocean governance. “We are all stakeholders in the future of the deep sea,” she said. “Any action taken outside this collective system risks weakening the principles that have underpinned successful global marine stewardship for generations.”
Her remarks come as the international community continues to work on a comprehensive regulatory framework for deep-sea mining, amid growing concerns over environmental impact and the need for equitable resource sharing.