Dozens of countries have called for a moratorium on seabed mining, and have urged restraint until an international authority agrees on rules for the practice.

Hawaii leaders are speaking out against an executive order by President Donald Trump that opens the door for large-scale mining of the ocean floor, both within U.S. waters and internationally.

Environmental groups are decrying an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to expedite deep-sea mining for ores and minerals, saying it could irreparably harm marine ecosystems and ignores an ongoing process to adopt international rules for the practice.