Deep sea ecosystems host diverse animal life whose welfare has received almost no attention, while deep sea mining threatens to cause massive ecological disruption to largely unknown species.
Deep sea animal welfare is at the frontier of both scientific knowledge and moral consideration. We know very little about the inner lives of deep sea species — their sensory capabilities, behavioral complexity and capacity for suffering are largely unknown. However, the precautionary principle applies: before concluding that these animals have no welfare-relevant inner states, we should acknowledge genuine uncertainty. Deep sea mining threatens to irreversibly destroy ecosystems hosting these animals at enormous scale. The ethical status of deep sea animals and the welfare consequences of their destruction deserve consideration in the regulatory frameworks governing seabed exploitation.