MANGANESE NODULES
31
Figure 18 Permitting process.
EIS provides the information that allows interested parties to de-
velop an informed view on the merits of the project. The statutory
function of the EIS process is to enable the appropriate regulatory
authority to decide whether or not to approve the development
and, if so, under what conditions. The EIS is assessed by the rel-
evant government agencies and/or reviewed externally. A work-
shop held by the International Seabed Authority in collaboration
with SPC and the Fiji Government in Nadi Fiji in 2011 developed a
draft template for an EIS (ISA, 2011).
4. Public Hearings: The public hearings process involves a se-
ries of meetings that allow the public and local communities a
chance to provide comments and raise concerns regarding the
EIS and the development proposal.
5. EIS Review: The results of the assessment, along with the out-
come of the Public Hearings, allow the relevant authorities to
make a recommendation on the EIS.
6. Environment Permit: Following the EIS approval and submission
of an Environment Permit Application, an Environment Permit is
awarded if successful. Note that a common condition of the permit
is for an Environmental Management Plan (including monitoring
plans) to be approved prior to the commencement of operations.
Management approaches can focus on a single sector (such as
one geographical area or one human activity) or a single species,
but there is increasing recognition of the importance of an Eco-
system Approach to Management (EAM).
Inherent in EAM is the application of ecological, economic, and
social information, and the underlying acceptance that humans
are an integral part of many ecosystems. The approach requires
integration of information from a wide range of disciplines,
across different levels of ecological and socio-economic organi-
zation, and on a range of temporal and spatial scales.
A second important concept in the exploitation of any resource
is the precautionary approach. One of the primary foundations
The road from exploration to exploitation
PERMITS
and
REQUIREMENTS
TYPE
OF
ACTIVITY
3
2
LEVEL
1
Environmental Impact Statement
Environmental Impact Assesment
Environmental Impact Assesment
Environmental Impact Assesment
Environmental Permit for Level 3
Environmental Impact Statement
Environmental Impact Statement
Environmental Permit for Level 2
Environmental Permit
Exploration activities
and scienti c research
with drilling <2500
cumulative metres
Mining activities
Exploration activities with
drilling >2500 cumulative
metres
Required Not required
