| 19 May 2025 | |  | Maritime Affairs and FisheriesNewsletter |
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Foreword |
| | Dear readers, | Last month brought a lot of good news for the ocean. 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! 
Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
@vitcheva_eu | |
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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. | |
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| | | 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. | |
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| | | 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 | |
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| | | 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). | |
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| | | 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. | |
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| | | 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. | |
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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. | |
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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). | |
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| | | 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. | |
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| | | 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. | |
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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. | |
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Events |
| European Maritime Day 2025 | | | | date | | 21/05/2025 - 23/05/2025 | |
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| | | | EU Arctic Forum, Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue and Arctic Youth Dialogue | | | | date | | 26/06/2025 - 27/06/2025 | |
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Have your say |
| Sustainable imports of fishery products under the EU Autonomous Tariff Quota Regulation | |
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Funding opportunities |
| Enhancing coordination and synergies in the field of ocean observation in the EU | |
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This newsletter is published by the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
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