EUROPEAN COMMISSSION:Maritime Affairs & Fisheries Newsletter 03/07/2024

 

03 July 2024   Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

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In this issue Foreword   News   OCEAN by Euronews   Stories of the month   Map of the month   Podcast: Ocean Calls   Events   Consultations   Funding opportunities   Publications and studies

Foreword

Dear readers, Exciting times for the ocean world: this month we unveiled a prototype of the European Digital Twin Ocean! This digital ocean replica will make ocean knowledge available to all, empowering scientists and policymakers to make informed decisions backed by science to protect our ocean.   In other news, the Nature Restoration Law has been adopted by the Council, setting binding targets to restore ecosystems, habitats and species.   On the fisheries front, we launched a consultation to assess the effectiveness of the common fisheries policy (CFP). This consultation is the first part of a thorough evaluation that will look at how the CFP has achieved its objectives since 2013, its economic implications, and its relevance in the context of emerging needs.   This week, we are also organising - in and with the Republic of Kenya - BlueInvest Africa 2024! It brings together African entrepreneurs seeking financing and international investors scouting for opportunities, to propel Africa's blue economy forward.  Finally, I wish you all a very happy summer - and don’t forget to participate in the #EUBeachCleanup campaign, to help us raise awareness of marine litter and clean our ocean!  Warm regards,  Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General  Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries @vitcheva_eu

News

The EU is ready to ratify the High Seas Treaty The Commission welcomes the adoption today by the Council of a decision to conclude the United Nations agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also known as the ‘High Seas Treaty’.   more     European Commission unveils European Digital Twin of the Ocean prototype The European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO), announced by President von der Leyen at the One Ocean Summit in Brest in February 2022, is a key deliverable of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters.   more     Commission launches consultation on the common fisheries policy The European Commission has launched a consultation to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the common fisheries policy (CFP). This consultation constitutes the first part of a thorough evaluation that will look at how the CFP has achieved its objectives since 2013.   more     Commission launches consultations on fisheries and maritime activities funding programmes The European Commission has launched two consultations to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of past and current funding programmes for fisheries and maritime activities.   more     New EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community will focus on water, marine, and maritime sectors and ecosystems The Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) will be part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and will aim to tackle the key challenges in the water, marine and maritime fields.   more     Join us in the #EUBeachCleanup campaign 2024! The #EUBeachCleanup Campaign 2024 is kicking off this week, right after World Oceans Day.   more

OCEAN by Euronews

Euronews OCEAN Season 6, Episode 6 – Scientific observers work with fishers shaping future of Malta's marine ecosystem   European seas rank among the most regulated in the world. These decisions on fish stocks, resource management and economic viability are grounded in scientific reports and accurate data.   more

Stories of the month

Turning the tide: How Sardinian fishers are cleaning up their seas Bringing science and fisheries together to tackle a hidden menace: marine litter. Scientists from Cagliari University and Fisheries Local Action Groups and Sardinian fishers joined forces to remove over two tonnes of waste from Sardinian waters.   more     Aquapurna and BlueInvest: farming shrimp while protecting the planet Aquapurna, a German company, is transforming shrimp farming with a sustainable, holistic, and technology-driven approach. Using its innovative Smart Reef System, which reproduces the natural shrimp habitat, the company produces high-quality, sustainable shrimp.   more     Maritime Spatial Planning – Joining forces in the North and Baltic Seas (eMSP NBSR) Planning the use of maritime space is very complex, involving a high number of interrelated interests, also among different sectors. The eMSP NBSR (Emerging ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning topics in North and Baltic Seas Region) project brings together 15 neighbouring countries   more

Map of the month

Vessel density (fishing) Explore the Map of the Month to learn about maritime traffic in the European seas for fishing ships in 2021. The map shows vessel density in each square kilometre, calculated from a dataset of Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages. Understanding vessel traffic is important for marine planning and assessing human impact on ecosystems. Use the Zoom tool (+ and – signs) to see details at different scales.   more

Podcast: Ocean Calls

Ocean Calls Podcast – Season 3 Ep. 7: Beat them or eat them: What should we do about invasive species in the ocean? Should we beat them, or eat them? In this episode of Ocean Calls, we are embarking on a journey to unravel the mysteries of invasive species in EU waters. They unsettle the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, so what can we do about them?   more     Ocean Calls Podcast – Season 3 Ep. 6: What’s the secret recipe to restoring fish stocks? Will there ever be more fish in the sea? Almost 90% of all marine fish stocks globally are now fully exploited or overfished, according to a study from the World Bank.   more

Events

BlueInvest Africa 2024 date 03/07/2024 - 04/07/2024   more   SAVE THE DATE! 2024 Fisheries Science Seminar - Artificial Intelligence date 25/09/2024   more

Consultations

Call for evidence - Common fisheries policy – evaluation Deadline 06/09/2024   more   Call for evidence - EU Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020 – ex-post evaluation Deadline 06/09/2024   more   Public consultation - EU Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020 – ex-post evaluation Deadline 13/09/2024   more   Call for evidence - EU Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027 – midterm evaluation Deadline 06/09/2024   more   Public consultation - EU Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027 – midterm evaluation Deadline 13/09/2024   more

Funding opportunities

Ocean Observation Digital Platform Deadline 03/09/2024   more   Call for proposals - Art and the digital: Unleashing creativity for European water management Deadline 15/09/2024   more   Study on the seabed’s natural carbon sequestration capacity and related impacts from seabed-disturbing activities (Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2025 – part 12 Missions and Cross-cutting Activities) Deadline 29/08/2024   more

Publications and studies

Techno-economic analysis for the energy transition of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector   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