Overview
ISO 22787:2023 - "Marine environmental impact assessment (MEIA) - Technical specifications for marine biotic surveys in the international seabed area - General principles" provides general technical recommendations for planning and executing marine biotic baseline surveys beyond national jurisdiction (the international seabed area). The standard supports high‑quality environmental baseline data collection needed for MEIA, especially in the context of deep‑sea mineral exploration (e.g., polymetallic nodules) and regulatory expectations from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and UNCLOS.
Key technical topics and requirements
ISO 22787:2023 outlines core components and practical guidance without normative references. Key topics include:
- Station and survey line design - principles for spatial sampling design across exploration areas.
- Sampling strategy - accounting for temporal variability:
- Interannual, intra‑annual, seasonal, and diurnal variation.
- Sample types and methods:
- Water samples and sediment samples.
- Net samples for plankton and nekton.
- Megafauna and demersal scavenger sampling (visible benthic fauna).
- Video and photographic transects and acoustic surveys.
- Biological categories defined (e.g., megafauna > ~1 cm in imagery, macrofauna retained on 250 μm sieve, metazoan meiofauna on 32 μm sieve).
- Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a biological detection approach.
- Survey items and measured parameters - biotic and environmental variables to record (physical, chemical, optical, biological).
- Research vessel facilities - recommended onboard laboratories and storage:
- general, radioisotope, microbiological labs, and sample/reagent storage.
- Equipment for survey and analysis - main survey gear and analytical instruments for onboard and lab work.
- Sampling, preservation and records - handling, preservation techniques and standardized data sheets (informative Annex A).
- Sample analysis - taxonomic identification, quantitative counts, basic food‑web analysis and sample preservation practices.
- Quality control - procedures to ensure data integrity and comparability, plus video/photo analysis protocols.
Practical applications
ISO 22787:2023 is designed to standardize and improve the quality of marine biotic surveys used for:
- Environmental baseline studies for deep‑sea mining exploration and MEIA.
- Research campaigns assessing biodiversity, benthic ecology, and sedimentary processes in the international seabed area.
- Long‑term monitoring programs comparing pre‑ and post‑disturbance conditions.
- Supporting regulatory submissions to the ISA and scientific reporting.
Who should use this standard
- Offshore contractors and exploration companies conducting baseline surveys.
- Environmental consultants and MEIA practitioners.
- Marine research institutions and laboratories performing taxonomy and sample analysis.
- ISA, regulatory bodies and policymakers evaluating environmental plans.
- Survey vessel operators and marine technicians planning field campaigns.
Related guidance
ISO 22787:2023 complements ISA recommendations and UNCLOS provisions referenced in the standard’s introduction and serves as a technical foundation for consistent, reproducible marine biotic surveys in the international seabed area.
Keywords: ISO 22787:2023, marine environmental impact assessment, MEIA, marine biotic surveys, international seabed area, deep‑sea baseline, eDNA, sampling strategy, polymetallic nodules, International Seabed Authority.