Volunteers from Greenpeace Suffolk Group took part in a global protest urging the government to call for a halt on deep sea mining.

They gathered at Maggi Hambling's Scallop sculpture on Aldeburgh beach with "Stop Deep Sea Mining" signs on Saturday June 3.

The protest took place ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8 and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting on deep sea mining in Kingston, Jamaica, next month.

Rob Stevenson, a local volunteer from Woodbridge, said: "I joined volunteers from Greenpeace Suffolk Group to send a message to our MP, Therese Coffey, and PM Rishi Sunak that they need to take ocean protection seriously, and call for a ban on deep sea mining. Deep sea mining would destroy the habitat of fantastic sounding but little-known sea life such as ghost octopus, yeti crab, scaly-foot snail or barreleye fish.'' 

The UK government is currently supporting research into deep sea mining having approved exploratory licences 10 years ago to UK Seabed Resources (UKSR).

The UK also sponsors, through UKSR, some of the largest areas for deep sea mining exploration, covering 133,000km2 of the Pacific Ocean, an area larger than the size of England.

Mr Stevenson said: "Rather than a handful of companies exploiting the deep sea for profit, we need to prioritise reusing resources and moving to a sustainable, circular economy. I don’t want the phone I use, or the chips in my computer to be there as a result of damage to such a precious ecosystem which protects us from climate change and provides livelihoods to people across the world.''