Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI)

The Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) is a union of experts from across different sectors which is focused on supporting the sustainable use and management of deep-ocean resources. DOSI works to uphold the voice of the scientific community on the management of deep-sea ecosystems by providing scientists with a network through which they can collaborate and be heard.

Deep ocean ecosystems are complex and under-researched, as well as being extremely vulnerable to disturbance. There is a strong need for greater involvement of science in management decisions, and for this to work, it is fundamental that this involvement is policy relevant so that the science is actually used. This is something DOSI specifically focuses on, by ensuring that its members are informed about how their work and expertise can be applied to policy decisions.

DOSI’s role is to gather expertise across disciplines, jurisdictions, and industrial sectors, to foster discussion, provide guidance, and facilitate communication on deep ocean stewardship. DOSI’s mechanisms of work include holding workshops, producing official submissions, policy briefs and peer-reviewed articles, and connecting scientists and experts with key events and discussions. It currently has 512 members from about 40 countries, and its work is split into 13 working groups focusing on different areas of deep sea management and science.