The Challenges Faced by the International Seabed Authority in the Management of the Area

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) equally referred to as the Authority was created with a mission to administer the Area and the resources found therein for the benefit of mankind as a whole. The Area in this case refers to the seabed and the ocean floor and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. The principle governing this part of the Ocean is the Common Heritage principle. International Seabed Authority like every other organization has adopted mechanisms and strategies to realize its mission but it faces substantial challenges in this regard. This leads us to the focus of this work which seeks to examine the challenges the Authority faces in the management of the Area. The paper does so by making use of the doctrinal method of data collection, which involves reviewing of legal text and observation. Equally, some articles were revisited and reports. The data collected is analyzed by use of the thematic content approach. The result obtained shows that the international Seabed Authority despite its efforts in realizing its mission through the mechanisms and strategies adopted still faces challenges in this regard