"India Hosts ISA Deep-Sea Taxonomy School for Indian Ocean Researchers"
Macrofauna
organisms retained on a 0.3 mm sieve from seabed sediment; the focus of deep-sea biodiversity surveys.
International Seabed Authority (ISA)
UNCLOS body regulating mineral activities in the international seabed area beyond national jurisdiction.
India's engagement with the deep ocean has grown significantly in recent years. The Deep Ocean Mission, launched under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is the country's flagship programme for deep-sea exploration. It encompasses several sub-projects. Samudrayaan is one such project, under which the Matsya-6000 submersible has been designed to carry three people to depths of up to 6,000 metres for scientific exploration. The mission's institutional home under MoES is important: it is not under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, a distinction UPSC has directly tested.
The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), based in Kochi, is a key MoES institution. Its mandate covers marine biodiversity research, benthic ecology, and living resource assessment in the Indian Ocean. CMLRE conducts surveys of the deep seabed, particularly in India's licensed exploration zones in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. This work requires robust taxonomic expertise, the scientific ability to identify, classify, and document marine organisms, which is precisely the gap this training programme addresses.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), formerly known as IOR-ARC, is a regional cooperation forum. It was not established specifically to address piracy or oil spills, and its mandate extends well beyond maritime security to trade, investment, fisheries, science, and cultural cooperation. IORA's involvement in this training reflects its broader role as a platform for scientific and developmental collaboration among Indian Ocean states.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international body established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It regulates all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area, the area beyond national jurisdiction, known as the "common heritage of mankind." Before any mining or exploration can proceed, ISA requires contractors to conduct environmental baseline studies. These studies depend on accurate biodiversity assessments of the deep seabed, which in turn require trained taxonomists.
Taxonomy, the science of identifying and classifying organisms, is a foundational but increasingly scarce skill globally. Deep-sea macrofauna taxonomy is especially specialised. Macrofauna refers to organisms retained on a 0.3 mm sieve from seabed sediment samples. …
Which of the following statements with regard to India's Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct?
1.It was launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.
2.Matsya-6000 has been designed to carry 3 people for deep sea exploration.
3.Samudrayaan is a project under this mission.
Select the answer using the code given below:
With reference to 'Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)', consider the following statements:
1.It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
2.It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements with regard to India's Deep Ocean Mission:
1.It is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
2.Matsya-6000 is designed to carry three persons to a depth of 6,000 metres.
3.Samudrayaan is a project under this mission.
4.The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) is a key implementing institution under this ministry.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to the International Seabed Authority (ISA), consider the following statements:
1.It was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
2.It regulates mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond national jurisdiction.
3.The international seabed area is designated the 'common heritage of mankind' under UNCLOS.
4.India does not hold any exploration licence in the international seabed area.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Match the following institutions with their correct descriptions:
List I (Institution) — List II (Description)
A.CMLRE — 1. Regulates mineral activities in the international seabed under UNCLOS
B.ISA — 2. Marine biodiversity research institution under Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi
C.IORA — 3. Broad Indian Ocean regional cooperation forum covering trade, science and fisheries
D.MABIK — 4. National Marine Biodiversity Institute of the Republic of Korea
Select the correct answer:
Consider the following statements about the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA):
1.It was established specifically in response to incidents of piracy in the Indian Ocean.
2.Its mandate is limited to maritime security cooperation.
3.It was formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
4.It includes countries from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Gulf region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly describes the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI)?
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