right|200px  the international seabed authority (isa) (, ) is an intergovernmental body based in kingston, jamaica, that was established to organize and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, an area underlying most of the worldâs oceans. it is an organization established by the law of the sea convention.chronological lists of ratifications of, accessions and successions to the convention and the related agreements. un: regularly updated. ==origin== following at least ten preparatory meetings over the years, the authority held its first inaugural meeting in its host country, jamaica, on 16 november 1994, the day the convention came into force. the articles governing the authority have been made "noting the political and economic changes, including market-oriented approaches, affecting the implementation" of the convention. the authority obtained its observer status to the united nations in october 1996. currently, the authority has 159 members and the european union, composed of all parties to the law of the sea convention. two principal organs establish the policies and govern the work of the authority: the assembly, in which all members are represented, and a 36-member council elected by the assembly. council members are chosen according to a formula designed to ensure equitable representation of countries from various groups, including those engaged in seabed mineral exploration and the land-based producers of minerals found on the seabed. the authority holds one annual session, usually of two weeks' duration. its fifteenth session was held in kingston
Intergovernmental_organizations_established_by_treaty Law_of_the_sea Mining_law_and_governance Organizations_based_in_Jamaica Organizations_established_in_1994 United_Nations_General_Assembly_observers