Deep Exploitation

The rush to exploit the seabed is causing real concern as nations vie to extract metals from the deeps, increase the areas occupied by fish farms, build new offshore wind-farms and lay down cables (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/25/race-for-seabed-threat-to-oceans). Somewhat counter-intuitively, one impetus for the first of these activities is a desire to be 'greener' as solar and wind power technologies require rare metals. Fish farms also occupy large areas and may introduce disease into wild fish stocks. The wind farms and communication cables also change the nature of the seabed and their populations.