About ISA

• The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• ISA is the organization through which States Parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area for the benefit of humankind as a whole. 
• In so doing, ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities.
• ISA, which has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, came into existence in 1994, upon the entry into force of UNCLOS. 

All States Parties to UNCLOS are ipso facto members of ISA. ISA has more than 160 Members (including India).