Deep-sea mining plan alarms US Pacific islands

US plans to open parts of the Pacific Ocean to deep-sea mining exploration have alarmed leaders in American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, where officials say local communities were not properly consulted and fear damage to fisheries and marine life.

Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Governor David Apatang said there had been "no consultations" with his people before Washington announced that nearby ocean areas could be leased for exploration. He said the proposal had caused unease across the island chain of about 40,000 people, including concerns about food security for people who rely on ocean resources.

The United States detailed plans earlier this year to divide parts of the Pacific Ocean for mining exploration. Official documents say an area of US maritime territory near American Samoa could be auctioned as soon as November. Separate tracts around Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are also under consideration.

US President Donald Trump signed a 2025 executive order aimed at "unleashing" seabed resources, citing demand for minerals used in renewable energy and military applications. Deep-sea mining companies are seeking deposits and polymetallic nodules containing nickel, copper and cobalt.

Opponents say the industry could cause lasting environmental harm, including waste plumes that smother marine life and machinery noise that disrupts ocean migrations. The Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa want at least a temporary ban on deep-sea mining in their territorial waters, but the US territories have limited authority over waters outside their three-mile maritime boundary.

Guam passed laws this year banning deep-sea mining vessels from using its ports. Apatang said the Northern Mariana Islands would consider following suit.

Plans are most advanced near American Samoa, where the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is proposing to auction exploration licences for a 125,000 square kilometre block near the Rose Atoll marine sanctuary. Aumua Amata, American Samoa's delegate in the US House of Representatives, said she worried deep-sea mining could disrupt fisheries that provide most of the territory's export earnings, and said she believed most American Samoans were opposed.

The licences would cover preliminary surveys and sampling. Future commercial exploitation would need further approval from the bureau.