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Reaching deep seabed extreme environments and maintaining alive the sampled
organisms, as well as culturing them, requires sophisticated and expensive
technologies. … Typically, the technology associated with research on deep seabed
genetic resources involves: oceanographic vessels equipped with sonar technology,
manned or unmanned submersible vehicles; in situ sampling tools; technology
related to culture methods; molecular biology technology and techniques; and
technology associated with the different steps of the commercialization process of
derivates of deep seabed genetic resources. With the exception of basic molecular
biology techniques, most of the technology necessary for accessing the deep
seabed and studying and isolating its organisms is owned by research institutions,
both public and private. To date, only very few countries have access to these
technologies.
(CBD, 2005 , paras. 12 and 13) 7
Second, the prospects for commercial applications of bioprospecting activities seem prom-
ising:
Deep seabed resources hold enormous potential for many types of commercial
applications, including in the health sector, for industrial processes or
bioremediation. A brief search of Patent Office Databases revealed that
compounds from deep seabed organisms have been used as basis for potent cancer
fighting drugs, commercial skin protection products providing higher resistance to
ultraviolet and heat exposure, and for preventing skin inflammation, detoxification
agents for snake venom, anti-viral compounds, anti-allergy agents and
anti-coagulant agents, as well as industrial applications for reducing viscosity.
(CBD, 2005 , para. 21)
The commercial importance of marine genetic resources is demonstrated by the
fact that all major pharmaceutical firms have marine biology departments. The
high cost of marine scientific research, and the slim odds of success (only one to
two percent of pre-clinical candidates become commercially produced) is offset by
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