Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

 

19 May 2025   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   Events   Have your say   Funding opportunities

Foreword

Dear readers, Last month brought a lot of good news for the ocean.   At the Our Ocean Conference in Busan, the European Union announced an impressive commitment of over €300 million towards ocean conservation. In total, more than 260 commitments were made by delegates, amounting to $9,1 billion. This is a significant step in our ongoing effort to protect marine ecosystems. At the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission annual meeting, we achieved a historic milestone with the adoption of specific catch limits for all major tropical tuna.  Next week, Cork will be the place to be with the 2025 European Maritime Day. We are eager to welcome over 1000 participants for networking, engaging discussions and exploring the latest trends in the blue economy. There will also be many sessions dedicated to the challenges faced by the fishing industry and coastal communities. For those unable to join us in person, the plenary sessions will be streamed online.  Looking ahead, we are looking forward to adopting and presenting the awaited European Ocean Pact in early June. This unified framework for ocean policies will be showcased on the global stage at the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice to support the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Stay tuned!  Warm regards,  Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General  Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries @vitcheva_eu

News

Commission takes further step to protect biodiversity in the High Seas The Commission has presented a proposal to integrate the landmark international Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction' (BBNJ) Agreement, which aims to protect the ocean, tackle environmental degradation, fight climate change, and curb biodiversity loss, into EU law.   more     EU pledges over €300 million in ocean conservation efforts at Our Ocean Conference in Busan At Our Ocean Conference in Busan, in the Republic of Korea, the European Union announced €301,485,000 in EU funding to support actions in the fields of the sustainable blue economy, marine pollution, marine protected areas, digital oceans, sustainable fisheries, and ocean and climate change.   more     Commission streamlines reporting obligation of small pelagic unsorted catches by listing specific landing ports The European Commission has taken a significant step forward towards simplifying fishing catch reporting for the unsorted pelagic fisheries sector. By publishing a first list of landing ports, the Commission is allowing fisheries operators in these ports to benefit from a margin of tolerance   more     Don’t skip the skipjack The European Union has successfully driven the adoption of several crucial conservation measures at the recent meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).    more     EU welcomes final ruling of Arbitration Tribunal on EU-UK sandeel dispute The European Commission welcomes the final ruling by the Arbitration Tribunal, established under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to settle the EU-UK sandeel dispute, which agreed with the EU's interpretation of several key issues.   more     Water salinity cuts the risk of harmful bacteria riding on microplastics from freshwater to the sea Issue 617: A study of bacteria on microplastics in nine European rivers shows salinity to serve as a barrier stopping serious pathogens travelling large distances on plastic debris.   more

OCEAN by Euronews

Euronews OCEAN Season 7, Episode 4 - Circular blue economy   From France’s Atlantic coast to the Spanish Mediterranean, marine industries are finding new ways to turn their waste into treasure. Discarded oyster shells and abandoned fishing nets, once considered worthless, are now being repurposed into eco-friendly building materials and street furniture through innovative upcycling projects.   more

Stories of the month

BlueAquaEdu: Innovating aquaculture education through gamification and distance learning Blue Career Centre for Aquaculture Education supported by a gamification approach and distance learning platform. The BlueAquaEdu project kicked off in September 2023 as one of the blue careers project supported by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).   more     SeaQurrent is transforming renewable energy with support from BlueInvest Dutch company SeaQurrent uses the steady power of tides for sustainable energy. Their TidalKite System works underwater, moving in figure eights like a flying kite, to capture energy.   more     Pioneering sustainable fishing gear in Puglia Around 550,000 tonnes of fishing gear have accumulated in the European Economic Area, with 12,000 tonnes added annually. The Fishing Without Plastic (PE.S.PLA) project aimed to combat this by developing biodegradable materials for artisanal fishing gear, reducing environmental impact.   more

Map of the month

Mission Actions - EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters The EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters focuses on improving the health of our ocean and waterways through research, innovation, public involvement, and blue investments. Key goals include creating a carbon-neutral and circular blue economy, reducing pollution, and safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity. Check out the map to discover Mission Actions in Europe.   more

Events

European Maritime Day 2025 date 21/05/2025 - 23/05/2025   more   EU Arctic Forum, Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue and Arctic Youth Dialogue date 26/06/2025 - 27/06/2025   more

Have your say

Sustainable imports of fishery products under the EU Autonomous Tariff Quota Regulation Deadline 03/07/2025   more

Funding opportunities

Enhancing coordination and synergies in the field of ocean observation in the EU Deadline 02/06/2025   more

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