Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

04 April 2024   Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

Follow us  |  |

In this issue Foreword   News   OCEAN by Euronews   Stories of the month   Map of the month   Events   Funding   Consultations   Publications and studies

Foreword

Dear readers, After a great winter season filled with exciting events – from the European Ocean Days to the Fishers of the Future kick-off event and Commissioner Sinkevičius’s announcement of the evaluation of the common fisheries policy – we are ready for a busy spring!   In April, we’re launching a very special edition of the Taste the Ocean campaign. This EU-wide sustainable seafood cooking contest is a perfect opportunity for our citizens to learn new recipes and to showcase their culinary talents. We will select six winners, who will receive amazing prizes celebrating the richness of our seas and waters. Stay tuned to our social media channels and website and  get ready to cook!  May promises to be just as exciting. We are looking forward to the European Maritime Day (EMD) in Svendborg, Denmark. The Blue Forum will also meet there, so don’t forget to save the date and register for both events and a chance to celebrate the blue economy in all its forms. As in previous years, EMD events are taking place all over Europe and beyond and will continue until October. You can find out more on the European Maritime Day In My Country webpage, which I invite you to visit regularly.   Warm regards, Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General  Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries @vitcheva_eu

News

Save the date - on 15/04 #TasteTheOcean returns with a cooking competition! Mark your calendar and get ready to cook! From 15 to 29 April 2024, we invite you to join the #TasteTheOceanContest, our EU-wide cooking competition celebrating the simplicity and flavours of seafood dishes.   more     From today’s fishers to tomorrow’s: a recap of the Fishers of the Future event The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries welcomed stakeholders from the public and private sectors at the Fishers of the Future event in Brussels on 19 March 2024.     more     Investments in the blue economy are increasing The BlueInvest Investor Report 2024 shows a remarkable increase in blue economy investments in recent years. Findings show that an investment ecosystem to support blue economy innovation is taking shape, and the BlueInvest initiative has been a driving force behind this change.     more     EIF supports Blue Revolution Fund in boosting sustainable aquaculture investments backed by the InvestEU programme The European Investment Fund (EIF) has announced at BlueInvest its support to the venture capital fund Blue Revolution Fund, providing €20 million under InvestEU and investing in early-stage aquaculture enterprises, driving innovation and sustainability in the sector.   more     European Commission seeks public opinion on ways to improve protection of sharks The European Commission has published a questionnaire seeking the feedback from the public on policy options to better protect and manage sharks and related marine ecosystems.   more     President von der Leyen inaugurates the EU Office in Nuuk and signs cooperation agreements to strengthen the EU-Greenland Partnership On 15 March 2024 the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen was in Greenland to inaugurate the EU Office in Nuuk – Europe's concrete presence in Greenland and in the wider Arctic region.   more     World Water Day: Joint Statement by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius The health and prosperity of people and the planet rely on the stability of the global water cycle.   more     Towards better water quality, quantity management and more sustainable use of seas New measures to enhance the EU’s water resilience and improve water quality and quantity will soon come into effect.   more     Register now for the European Maritime Day 2024! Ahoy, sailors of the maritime world! It’s time to set your sails for the European Maritime Day 2024, docking in the picturesque port of Svendborg, Denmark, on 30 and 31 May.   more

OCEAN by Euronews

Euronews OCEAN Season 6, Episode 3 – Protecting deep sea life   So far, only 1% of the high seas are under some form of protection — far from the globally agreed objective to protect 30% of oceans and seas by 2030. A year after the finalisation of the High Seas Agreement at the United Nations, we meet with researchers..   more

Stories of the month

Ireland: discovering rare ‘sponge reefs’ and new corals with SeaRover When scientist launched the EU funded SeaRover project to explore the depths of Ireland’s oceans, no one expected them to make groundbreaking discoveries.   more     Ocean Ecostructure: promoting biodiversity with BlueInvest Ocean Ecostructure, a Spanish company from Barcelona, is addressing pressing environmental challenges related to the loss of biomass and biodiversity.   more     La Réunion: limiting the impact of fishing on vulnerable shark populations In the French outermost region of La Réunion, small-scale fishers often use surface longlines to target tuna and billfish. But with this technique, fishers sometimes accidentally catch sharks.   more     LIFE Programme protecting life by the sea The marine waters around France are a mosaic of habitats. A LIFE project is helping the French marine Natura 2000 network protect them and reach favourable conservation status.   more

Map of the month

Seabed habitats There are many different types of seabed habitats in Europe's seas, from coral reefs in the North-east Atlantic Ocean to seagrass meadows in coastal waters. Protecting the seabed is important for preserving marine biodiversity. The map of the month shows the classified biological zones used in the EUSeaMap model, which helps determine habitat types. Biological zones are determined based on physical variables and proxies.   more

Events

EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue date 14/05/2024 - 15/05/2024 venue Brussels, Belgium   more   European Maritime Day date 30/05/2024 - 31/05/2024 venue SIMAC Academy- Svendborg International Maritime Academy, Denmark Registration Register before 10 May 2024!   more

Funding

Single Framework Contract for the provision of technical, legal, scientific and logistical support for the ratification and early implementation of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement)   more

Consultations

Survey for the study to support the midterm evaluation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Deadline 15/04/2024   more   Better protecting sharks through sustainable fishing and trade Deadline 04/06/2024   more

Publications and studies

Sample elaborations, data analyses, results and conclusions from the seagoing MOSAiC and SAS expeditions in the Central Arctic Ocean   more     Fresh European Seabass in the EU   more

This newsletter is published by the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Visit our websites: Oceans and Fisheries Commissioner Sinkevičius