The European Union recently unveiled the Ocean Pact – a comprehensive strategy it said is intended to protect the ocean and promote a thriving blue economy.
The newly unveiled strategy fulfills a promise made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who pledged to create the strategy in July 2024. The European Ocean Pact was officially adopted on 5 June, and von der Leyen unveiled the new strategy at the start of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, which is running from 9 June through 13 June.
“I am very proud and very grateful that today we can present the first European Ocean Pact. It is our common European vision of ocean governance combined with concrete policy action,” von der Leyen said during a speech at the conference.
The ocean pact contains a set of six priorities: restoring ocean health and productivity; boosting sustainable competitiveness of the blue economy; supporting coastal and island communities; advancing ocean research, knowledge, and innovation; enhancing maritime security and resilience, and strengthening E.U. ocean diplomacy and international governance.
Each priority also includes multiple areas of action, which include a number of initiatives like evaluating the bloc's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), developing a “Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture,” and launching an E.U. ocean observation initiative, among many others.
“For me, it is important that there are not only nice headlines; it also is important to have a clear idea and vision, but we all know: Only what gets measured gets done. We need targets, figures, and goals that we want to reach,” von der Leyen said.
European fisheries trade body Europêche welcomed the new pact and said it was encouraged that fisheries were recognized in the new plan as an essential part of the broader ocean governance framework.
“This pact presents an opportunity to align fisheries policies with a modern ocean governance model,” Europêche President Javier Garat said. “Europêche stands ready to work hand in hand with E.U. institutions, member states and all maritime stakeholders to turn the vision of the Ocean Pact into a more positive future for our fishers.”
Soon after von der Leyen won a second term as European Commission president in 2024, Europêche said it had high hopes that the governing body would provide fisheries more political weight in the commission and begin work on a new CFP that would better address the industry’s concerns. The new E.U. Ocean Pact has followed through on some of those hopes, as reviewing the CFP is a core part of its priority to boost the competitiveness of the blue economy in the E.U.
The trade body said it sees the E.U. Ocean Act as an opportunity to safeguard access to traditional fishing grounds and address the spatial squeeze fisheries are facing in the bloc’s waters.
While Europêche said the pact represents a positive step forward in general, it added it was concerned about the lack of additional public funding to support the objectives it sets out and that some of the language used in the document raises concerns that fishing is being portrayed in a negative light.
“The E.U. Ocean Pact sets out a new framework designed to streamline coordination, simplify reporting obligations, better implement existing legislation, and achieve cross-sector policy goals. However, ambition must be matched by adequate resources and a move away from the negative rhetoric about the fishing sector,” Garat said.
Some of Europêche’s fears about funding were answered during von der Leyen’s speech, in which she pledged that Europe would invest EUR 1 billion (USD 1.14 billion) in 50 projects around the world for those who make their living from the sea.
“This is an important day for the ocean. We now have a clear vision on how to protect our seas, our fishermen and fisherwomen, and our coastal communities. We now must turn that vision into action,” von der Leyen said. “It is good to have a vision; it is good to have it on paper. I want to see it on the ground. I want to see it as true action. It is time to turn the tide and make our ocean thrive again.”
