Marine researcher warns oceans may stop functioning

A new UN report on the oceans paints a grim picture, stating that the health of the sea is in serious danger, with ecosystems and their life approaching or exceeding critical tipping points.

Over the past five years, the number of critically endangered species on the seafloor has quintupled, according to the report. Without seafloor organisms, the oceans will not function properly, warns Lis Lindal Jørgensen, a marine researcher at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway, in an interview with Dagbladet.

“The degradation happening uncontrollably in the ocean is what scares me the most, especially on the seafloor, where we have little knowledge,” Jørgensen says. She notes that more species are struggling and temperatures are rising.

The report highlights that seafloor life is “critically underestimated.” If the seafloor lacks life and is covered in plastic, pollution, and dead fish and whales, decomposition could dominate, potentially causing foul bottom water to rise to the surface and destroying fjords.

Seafloor organisms are essential for healthy fjords, as they filter vast amounts of water to capture nutrients like bacteria, plankton, and organic material. “One kilogram of sponge can filter up to 1,000 liters of water per day. This helps keep the oceans clean,” Jørgensen explains.

Between 2019 and 2023, researchers discovered 7,252 new seafloor species, accounting for 60% of all new species found globally in the same period. Yet, Jørgensen emphasizes that much remains unknown. “We found many new species, but we still have a long way to go before we know all the species on the seafloor. Thousands will continue to be discovered. The deep sea is not mapped well enough.”

She stresses the importance of preserving these species, calling the seafloor “the cradle of life” and home to some of the planet’s oldest organisms. “We know less about the deep sea far from land than we do about the moon,” she adds.

Jørgensen expresses particular concern over Norway’s push to open deep-sea mining, despite criticism from the EU, global marine researchers, major corporations, and environmental groups. The report warns that the ocean is already struggling with rising temperatures and human activity.

Most marine researchers argue that deep-sea mining should wait until more is known about deep-sea ecosystems. Jørgensen fears that human activity, such as mineral extraction or seafood harvesting, could devastate the seafloor beyond recovery, causing species to disappear before they are even documented.

She advocates for a full scientific mapping of the deep sea before any future mineral or seafood extraction, ensuring vulnerable habitats are not destroyed. The report also notes that seafloor pollution is already severe in many populated coastal areas, such as the Suez Canal and the Equatorial Belt, while global ocean temperatures continue to rise.