The Cook Islands has reached a significant milestone with the first-ever deployment of three deep-sea environmental monitoring mooring arrays north of Aitutaki (figure 1). Conducted under approved exploration licences, this initiative was a joint effort between Moana Minerals Limited (MML) and Cobalt Seabed Resources Limited (CSR). Expedition MMLCSR03, led by Chief Scientist Michael Wright from ERIAS Group, an environmental and social impact assessment consultancy. The expedition took place from 16–23 February aboard MV Anuanua Moana, a research vessel operated by Kiva Marine. The deployment was closely monitored by three SBMA inspectors, while four independent Cook Islands observers gained firsthand insights into the process and its significance for ocean research (figure 2).
The Importance of Environmental Moorings
Placement of environmental moorings are leading practice worldwide. Each mooring is anchored to the seabed using a heavy weight and suspended vertically via floats. These moorings are usually custom designed as part of wider environmental baseline studies and are equipped with various instruments to collect long-term data on marine conditions, including:
- Variations in ocean temperature and salinity
- Rates of natural sedimentation and associated turbidity (cloudiness)
- Strength and direction of ocean currents
- Natural and existing levels of sound
Emphasising the significance of research and data collection “These moorings will play a vital role in establishing baseline environmental conditions, supporting ongoing scientific research and informed decision-making in the sector,” explained SBMA Knowledge Management Officer and Inspector for the expedition, Tanga “TJ” Morris.
Read more at: SBMA
