6.12.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 465/5 Tuesday 3 May 2022
G.
whereas the harnessing the potential of the blue economy must not serve as a pretext for subjecting the seas and oceans to forms of resource exploitation and growth models which have already shown themselves to be unsustainable; whereas marine and ocean resources must be used strictly in accordance with the need for their sound management and conservation, without altering marine ecosystem balances;
H.
whereas the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive states that Member States must take into account the interactions of activities and uses such as aquaculture, fishing and installations and infrastructures for the production of energy from renewable sources, as well as submarine cables, and promote the coexistence of relevant activities and apply an ecosystem-based approach;
I.
whereas a blue economy that develops within ecological limits, and hence not only the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, but all marine sectors concerned, must equally respect the environmental, social and economic pillars across the board in order to be considered sustainable;
J.
whereas the common fisheries policy (CFP) seeks to guarantee the proper conservation and management of marine biological resources and that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and of contributing to the availability of food supplies;
K.
whereas the CFP should contribute to productivity growth and a decent standard of living in the fisheries sector, including the small-scale fisheries sector, as well as stable markets, and should ensure the availability of food;
L.
whereas, under SDG 14, it is imperative to conserve oceans, seas and marine resources and promote their sustainable use, while under SDG 2, it is imperative to guarantee food security; whereas sub-target 14.1 sets the objective of preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds by 2025, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution;
M.
whereas the ocean is crucial for life on earth, producing 50 % of the oxygen in the atmosphere, absorbing about 25 % of human-produced carbon dioxide emissions and 90 % of excess heat in the climate system, and for regulating the global climate;
N.
whereas the restoration, preservation, conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity is fundamental to the health of the oceans, which contain millions of species, to protecting the health of the planet and providing the basis for marine and maritime economic activities;
O.
whereas the collection of data for scientific monitoring and assessment of stocks in the seas and oceans, including the evaluation of whether these stocks are within the safe biological limits, is fundamental to their sustainable management;
P.
whereas significant parts of the oceans and sea floor remain unexplored, in particular the deep sea, and whereas further research is needed to ensure that any activities under the blue economy will be fully sustainable;
Q.
whereas fisheries and aquaculture are key sectors in the blue economy and are an important source of protein and micronutrients that are essential for food security and human health;
R.
whereas marine biodiversity in Europe is under pressure, with a high proportion of assessed marine species and habitats as being in ‘unfavourable’ or ‘unknown’ conservation status; whereas the loss of marine biodiversity is having a major environmental, social and economic impact on the EU fisheries sector, on coastal and island territories and on the outermost regions, and must therefore be reversed; whereas biodiversity must restored in cooperation with all stakeholders, and in particular with the fisheries sector and the scientific community;
S.
whereas coastal and island communities are key stakeholders in the debate on the potential of the blue economy and ways to harnessing it;