panel seated at table at national event italy 2022 in naples

A new Blue Economy support ecosystem proposed during Italy’s WestMED National Event in Naples

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Within the beautiful setting of the new museum Darwin Dohrn in Naples, on May 26th and 27th 2022, the WestMED National Coordinators and the National Hubs organized the Italian ‘WestMED in my country’ event: “Blue Accelerators & Incubators: the main challenge for Blue Growth in Italy”.

With the practical support of Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale Blue Italian Growth and Federazione del Mare, the endorsement of the Department of Cohesion within the Presidency of Council of Ministers and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this was also recognized as an official EMD in my country 2022 event.

It was opened with speeches from the Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi (former Dean of the University Federico II) and the Regional Counsellor for Research, Innovation and Start-ups of the Campania Region, Valeria Fascione.

Based on a structural gap in the Italian Blue Economy ecosystem, the idea proposed was implementing a national supply chain of support for innovation, new entrepreneurship and employability, based on an alliance that consists of Maritime Clusters, Accelerators & Incubators and Investors & Fund Managers (public & private).

Such a supply chain could facilitate and expedite the search for partners & financial resources by the promoters of a Blue Economy initiative, while national and regional maritime clusters could help mitigate the risks taken by investors and accelerators/ incubators. They could do so by helping to identify the most deserving and really innovative initiatives.

This two-day event gave the opportunity for Italian stakeholders to:

  • become further acquainted with the WestMED Initiative activities in Italy and in the sub-basin over the last four years;
  • become aware of the strategic agreement among the two national maritime clusters (proposed and supported by the WestMED National Coordinators and Italian National Hub) and the excellent results already achieved;
  • network and meet, (Italian and foreign) representatives in-person from over 50 clusters, accelerators and incubators, venture capital companies, start-ups, research institutes, EU platforms, EU funds managing authorities.

More than 70 experts and professionals from the whole country joined in-person with an average of 40 participants who followed  the event online.

To complement the programme,  the visitors were treated to a guided tour of the museum by Prof Ferdinando Boero, who described the 150 years history of Stazione Anton Dohrn where he highlighted the significant contribution of the two scientists Dohrn and Darwin to marine zoology and their studies preserved in this museum, as well as drawing attention to the Gulf of Naples, as being the richest marine biodiversity site

All participants who joined in-person, received a free conference kit.

As a follow-up, the WestMED National Coordinators and Italian National  Hub are already undertaking the steps subsequent to the opportunities that emerged during this event.

For further info, contact Leonardo Mazari (National Hub Italy) : italy@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

 

Tunisia national event 2022 - partner contract signing

Lancement de l’Economie Bleue en Tunisie avec la signature d’un accord de partenariat entre le Cluster Maritime Tunisien et l’Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer

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Le Hub National Tunisie du projet WestMED a organisé, le 2 juin 2022 à Tunis, l’évènement national sur « L’économie bleue en Tunisie ». Plus de 80 personnes ont assisté à cet événement dont Mme Asma shiri Labidi, la ministre chargée du Secrétariat Général de la Mer, des représentants de l’administration, des entreprises aussi bien publiques que privées, des associations et des universitaires et chercheurs.

A l’ouverture des travaux, et après la présentation du projet WestMed par le Hub National Tunisie, la ministre a affirmé une volonté politique nationale pour développer l’économie bleue en Tunisie et que son département a soumis au gouvernement un document retraçant la stratégie à entreprendre et un plan d’actions pour les trois prochaines années 2023-2025.

Elle a fait un aperçu détaillé des différentes activités de l’économie bleue en mettant l’accent sur les objectifs et les priorités pour chaque secteur. La ministre a insisté sur la coordination entre les différents départements au niveau national mais aussi sur la coopération à l’échelle internationale et notamment méditerranéenne.  Prenant la parole le Coordinateur National du projet a souligné l’importance du projet Westmed et de son approche de réunir les différents acteurs de l’économie bleue autour de différents thèmes afin de débattre des différentes difficultés et d’augmenter la coordination entre eux. Il a insisté sur l’importance de la coopération internationale notamment avec l’Union Européenne dans ce domaine.

Le Hub National a rappelé que la première partie de l’événement est consacrée au rôle des groupes techniques Westmed dans la création d’une dynamique de réflexion des secteurs prometteurs. Il a fait une présentation sur la création de ces groupes, leurs objectifs et priorités et la nécessité de renforcer la coopération entre les deux rives de la méditerranée dans ces domaines. Les représentants tunisiens dans ces groupes ont fait des communications détaillées sur le transport propre, l’aquaculture durable, les clusters et le tourisme alternatif. Le débat était riche et tournait autour du choix des différentes énergies de substitution au fioul lourd dans le transport propre et des coûts d’adaptation de la flotte et des infrastructures.

La nécessité de garantir la croissance équilibrée d’une aquaculture durable étant donné l’inexistence d’un MSP et de l’impact des déchets des poissons sur l’environnement. Les opérateurs du tourisme et notamment de la plaisance ont insisté sur la baisse de l’activité suite au Covid19 et le retard dans la reprise de cette activité et ont insisté sur la nécessité de l’entretien de l’infrastructure des ports de plaisance.

La deuxième partie de l’événement était consacrée à l’économie bleue solidaire, à la recherche et innovation en biotechnologie bleue comme source d’opportunité pour les entreprises, aux défis et perspectives de l’industrialisation de la pêche et de l’aquaculture et aux méthodes et outils pour un aménagement durable du littoral. Le débat était animé et concernait notamment la nécessité des réformes institutionnelles pour faciliter la synergie entre la recherche scientifique et le secteur industriel et résoudre le problème de cloisonnement entre eux et d’ouvrir ces instituts de recherches sur leur environnement et sur les préoccupations des opérateurs et la résolution de leurs problèmes.

Les participants ont insisté sur l’inexistence d’un MSP et d’une GIZC est de nature à créer des conflits entre les opérateurs et à encourager le développement spontané des différentes activités ce qui engendrerait une dégradation du littoral.

L’événement national sur l’économie bleue était l’occasion de la signature d’un accord de partenariat entre le Cluster Maritime Tunisien et l’Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer.

 

Salem Miladi presenting at the Westmed in my country event Tunisia022 westmed in-my-country event 22.conference room

people meeting at event bridging the gap in Malta 2022

Bridging the Maritime Skills Gap. Succesful WestMED event helps identify possible solutions in Malta

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Today the WestMED Initiative (Malta) in collaboration with the Malta Maritime Forum organised an event entitled “Blue Skills: Bridging the Skills Gap through Education and Ocean Literacy”.

The event was successful in bringing together the views of the captains of industry and academia who identified skills shortages and possible solutions to the skills gap shortages that are afflicting the industry.

The event sought to strengthen cooperation between all stakeholders in order to address labour market frictions that hamper employers from their much-needed talent and skills that sustain their business models.

Moreover the event also focused on the important role of ocean literacy in order to bridge the gap highlighting the importance of engaging youths, students as well as NGOs within the industry.

The work conducted by the Union for the Mediterranean on blue skills was also presented in the event and colleagues from the Atlantic Assistance Mechanism presented the work conducted on blue skills and ocean literacy in the Atlantic.

The event was purposely timed to coincide with Maritime Day and enjoyed official recognition as a ‘European Maritime Day (EMD) In My Country’.

Besides key industry and academia representatives, other participants in the event included the Hon Aaron Farrugia, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects; the Hon Ivan Castillo, Shadow Minister for the Maritime Sector; Perit Karmenu Vella, former European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; and Mr Joseph Bugeja, Chairperson and CEO of Transport Malta.

More information: contact Stephanie Vella or Annabel Vella at our WestMED National Hub Malta

conference venue the green

WestMED España organiza una ambiciosa jornada de ‘Diversificación en el Sector Pesquero y Acuícola’ en la sede del Clúster Marítimo-Marino de Andalucía

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El evento se celebra este jueves, 5 de mayo, en el edificio The Green Ray de la capital malagueña y contará con un destacadísimo panel de expertos nacionales e internacionales en ambos campos

Málaga, 4 de mayo de 2022.- La sede del Clúster Marítimo-Marino de Andalucía (CMMA), ubicado en el edificio The Green Ray (bulevar Louis Pasteur, número 47, Málaga), acogerá el evento nacional del Mecanismo de Asistencia de la Iniciativa WestMED en España ‘Diversificación en el Sector Pesquero y Acuícola: Oportunidades dentro de la Economía Azul en el Mediterráneo Occidental’. Será el próximo jueves, 5 de mayo, de 9.00 a 17.00 horas.

Estas jornadas están dirigidas a todos los actores mediterráneos de habla hispana de los sectores de la pesca y la acuicultura, pero también a representantes de la Administración y otros negocios de diversificación internacional. Además, la cita ha sido seleccionada por la Comisión Europea como un evento ‘EU in My Country’, dentro de los eventos en torno al Día Marítimo Europeo de 2022.

Así, a las 9.00 horas se abrirá el registro de participantes y, a las 9.15, será la inauguración. Participarán el director del Clúster Marítimo Español, Fernando Izquierdo Sans, el presidente del CMMA, Javier Noriega, y los coordinadores nacionales de la Iniciativa WestMED, Omar Collado (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación), y José María Solano (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), respectivamente, así como la subdirectora general de este último ministerio, Silvia Solís Reyes.

A las 10.00, tendrá lugar la mesa redonda ‘Diversificación en el Sector Pesquero y Acuícola: Oportunidades dentro de la Economía Azul’, en la que participan Janne Posti, FAME-NET-Vision EU-Thematic and Territorial Officer, Support Unit for Spain; Manuel Pleguezuelo Alonso, de la DG Mare, dará la visión de la gobernanza y la financiación para el Mediterráneo Occidental; formarán parte del panel, asimismo, el presidente de la Federación Nacional de Cofradías Pescadores (FNCP), Basilio Otero, y el funcionario del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación Raúl Rodrigálvarez Fresneda (dará la visión de la política y la financiación española). Aportará la visión autonómica Félix Orellana, vocal de Pesca y Acuicultura del CMMA.

Tras una pausa para el café, a las 12.15 se abordarán ‘Ejemplos de iniciativas exitosas, innovadoras o punteras en la diversificación pesquera y acuícola’, espacio en el que participarán la fundadora de Turismo Marinero, Shonia Cruz Ibarra, la visión de la arqueología submarina será analizada por el representante de Nerea Arqueología Subacuática, Daniel Florido. Luis Manuel Albiol analizará los servicios de limpieza y lucha contra la contaminación de emergencias y su relación con la pesca, acerca de un caso de la Comisión Interfederativa de las Cofradías de Pescadores de la Comunidad Valenciana (Coincopesca), la Fundación Ecoalf & Ecoembes-Iniciativa ‘Upcycling The Oceans’. Pero también Participarán Inma Torres, de Galpemur, para hablar de la conservación, las reservas marinas y la pesca; Sebastián Martín de Catamarán Zostera, para abordar la relación entre gastronomía y pesca; David Camacho, del Grupo de Acción Local del Sector de Pesquero (GALP) de Málaga, se referirá al mismo asunto y, para debatir en cuanto a la creación de valor y nuevos productos, se analizarán los casos de Relicta Bioplastics (Italia) y Bythos Project-Aquabiotech, de Malta.

A las 15.15 horas, tras la comida, se reanuda la sesión con un ‘Workshop participativo sobre la diversificación del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola’, cuyo fin es propiciar un intercambio de ideas, prácticas y experiencias entre los participantes con la base de tres preguntas: ¿cuáles son los valores principales de su zona que pueden ofrecer oportunidades de diversificación? ¿Han sido suficientemente exploradas las oportunidades de diversificación de su zona? ¿Qué se puede hacer para asegurar las oportunidades de diversificación de su zona?

Por último, tendrá lugar un panel de conclusiones finales y el cierre del evento nacional. Estos dos puntos correrán a cargo del presidente del CMMA y de los coordinadores nacionales de la Iniciativa WestMED, concluyendo a las cinco la jornada.

A través del evento de la Iniciativa WestMED, coorganizado por el CMMA, se abordará el importante asunto de la diversificación en los sectores de la pesca y la acuicultura, se explorarán los diversos desafíos para desarrollar esta diversificación a través de ejemplos excelentes de iniciativas y empresas del entorno de la cuenca del Mediterráneo y, finalmente, se discutirá con los participantes cómo podrían diversificar sus actividades, qué falta para lograr esa diversificación y cómo podrían alcanzarse esos objetivos.

Los desafíos socioeconómicos actuales que enfrenta el sector pesquero en Europa requieren de un esfuerzo para mejorar las condiciones de vida de los pescadores y sus familias, así como las de las comunidades pesqueras. La diversificación de la pesca y la acuicultura se sugiere entre las acciones para preservar una Economía Azul Sostenible en el Mediterráneo, con desafíos sociales, culturales y económicos, dice el Mecanismo de Asistencia de la Iniciativa WestMED en España, que añade: “Es fundamental desarrollar actividades económicas complementarias a la pesca y la acuicultura y crear nuevas oportunidades de negocio (y fuentes de ingresos complementarias para los operadores)”.

Ejemplos de la diversificación en la actividad económica de la pesca y la acuicultura incluyen turismo y excursiones en barco, exhibiciones de actividades pesqueras tradicionales, visitas a granjas de acuicultura u otras actividades recreativas.

La diversificación de la economía de las áreas de pesca, a través de estrategias elaboradas y representadas en los Grupos de Acción Local de Pesca (GALPS), puede ayudar a diversificar economías locales y crear nuevas oportunidades para las comunidades pesqueras.

 

Persona de contacto de WestMED España – Marta Pascual: spain@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

Visite la página del evento WestMED

Sigue al Clúster Marítimo-Marino de Andalucía en Twitter, LinkedIn y Facebook

Bulevar Louis Pasteur, 47 – Local 4 – Buzón 11 – The Green Ray | 29010 – Málaga

Para más información: José Antonio Sau (responsable de Comunicación):

635192292-comunicacion@cmma.eu

 info@cmma.eu | www.cmma.eu

euromed academy poster

E-Learning program launched: “Fostering and managing Blue growth Potential in the Mediterranean

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Source: Interreg Mediterranean-Blue Growth

In the context of the INTERREG EURO-MED Academy, the Blue Growth Community is launching the next 16th of May 2022, the online programme “Fostering and Managing Blue Growth Potential in the Mediterranean ».

This e-learning programme is addressed to the next Generation of Mediterranean Leaders on Inclusive and Sustainable Development both from the Northern and Southern shores. This entails a very wide audience having a direct relation to the Blue Growth sector, from young people involved in the blue economy governance to young entrepreneurs and practitioners working in business support organizations (BSOs), NGOs, research institutions, etc.

Therefore, all stakeholders coming from the public/private sectors and civil society interested on Blue Growth will have the opportunity to benefit of this free learning programme that offers a global coverage of all thematic areas of Blue Economy.

Using different training tools such as 7,5h of pre-recorded lectures, available side material for studying (documents, videos, links, etc.), assessment tools (short tests and an exercise), one live webinar and a final event (with key-note speeches and selected presentations of the participants and students), this programme will offer:

  • Modules: 10 short modules structures in the following thematic:
    1. Potential of Blue Economy in the Mediterranean
    2. Marine Renewable Energy (1st part)
    3. Marine Renewable Energy (2nd part)
    4. Sustainable Tourism
    5. Greening the Ports
    6. Fisheries & Aquaculture
    7. Unlocking the potential of Blue Bioeconomy through biotechnologies
    8. Maritime Security & Maritime Surveillance
    9. Maritime Spatial Planning
    10. How to reconcile Blue Economy and Marine Environmental protection

 

  • Course duration: 5 weeks (recommended)

 

Through a dedicated section under each Module, the participants will have the opportunity to overview innovative results and tools produced by the projects of the Blue Growth Community and beyond.

The Blue Growth Community e-learning program “Fostering and Managing Blue Growth Potential in the Mediterranean” will take place from the 16th of May to the 11th of July 2022.

Find more information here.

ENROL NOW!

underwater ray of light

Survey for Nautical Companies to Understand Potential of Innovative Marine Robotics

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Blue Roses is an EU funded project, developed by a consortium of research institutions and companies (Navigo and Aninver – IMC Worldwide among them), to use state-of-the-art marine robotics to develop innovative and sustainable underwater services for marinas and leisure boats.

The aim of the project is to facilitate access to the underwater environment through the use of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and associated ICT. This ‘new dimension’ will help marinas attract and grow interest from diversified users. The robots can be used in a variety of functions, including yacht hull monitoring, remote access to underwater sites, monitoring of sea beds and many other applications.
The three scenarios considered by the project, in which we seek to identify and analyze innovative services and business models, are:
1. Remote access to naturalistic and/or cultural underwater sites (Pilot 1)
2. Robotic-based waters and seabed monitoring inside marinas (Pilot 2)
3. Robotic-based monitoring of yacht hulls for security and support to refit and dismantling

This survey is part of the research to understand the potential of innovative marine robotics services and business models. Your collaboration is highly appreciated. Your personal data will only be used for statistical purposes and none of the consortium members will store or further use this information.

Take me to the survey here

salem miladi ifm radio 2022

Salem Miladi (WestMED National Hub Tunisia) talks about the Blue Economy on National Radio IFM

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On Saturday April 16, 2022 Salem Miladi from the WestMED National Hub in Tunisia was invited by Radio IFM; a popular national commercial radio station in Tunisia. In the program L’univers Marin,’ hosted by Wael Beji,  he was interviewed for 50 minutes  about the blue economy, the WestMED initiative and the situation in Tunisia with its main opportunities and challenges for blue growth.

There was a lot of response after the show – including high viewership of the recording on YouTube.  It was also referenced to in a follow-up meeting with  Secretary of State for the Sea, Asma S’hiri Laabidi who agreed to open the Tunisian WestMED National Event on June 2 by announcing the Tunisian government’s commitment to promote the blue economy and present the first elements of the Blue Economy Strategy

You can watch the full recording here  (in Arabic)

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EU and Mauritania announce the conclusion of negotiations for a new fisheries agreement

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Source: EC.Europa website  | 29 July 2021

The European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania have concluded on Wednesday 28 July 2021 the negotiations for the renewal of the bilateral agreement on sustainable fisheries.

Fishing boats, Mauritania @ Patrick CHAZOT / Adobe Stock
This new agreement, which replaces the one in force since 2008, contributes to further strengthening the political partnership between the EU and Mauritania and confirms several decades of cooperation in the field of fisheries, a key sector for the development of Mauritania’s economy and one of the pillars of European blue growth.

Consistent with the European fisheries policy, the new agreement comes after a long negotiation, which took place in a phase of reform of Mauritania’s fisheries management and incorporates the priorities of the new national sectoral strategy recently adopted.

The Implementation Protocol accompanying the new agreement was concluded for a period of five years and aims at a gradual alignment of the fishing opportunities offered to Union vessels operating in Mauritanian waters with their actual activity, taking into account the best scientific advice in the context of increased monitoring of the state of the fisheries resources concerned. For this reason, the protocol includes, inter alia, a review clause before the third year of application in order to allow the possible adjustment of the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution paid by the Union in the light of the actual use made of these possibilities by Union vessels.

The new protocol contributes to responsible fishing and sustainable management of fisheries resources under improved technical and operational conditions and transparency. It aims in particular to minimise the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems and respects the activities of Mauritanian coastal and artisanal fleets.

The protocol provides for access by the European fleet to Mauritanian waters for the fishing of crustaceans, demersal fish, tuna and small pelagics, for a total of approximately 290.000 tonnes per year. For the first years of application of the protocol, in addition to the catches paid by European fishermen, the EU will devote EUR 57,5 million per year to this partnership. The European Union will pay Another EUR 16,5 million, spread over the duration of the protocol, as sectoral support to accompany the implementation of the Mauritanian national strategy by measures approved jointly.

 

Read the full news announcement on the ec.europa website

westmed cluster alliance logo

The WestMED Maritime Cluster Alliance helps pave the way for establishing a Mauritanian Maritime Cluster

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In the framework of the activities of the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance, and thanks to the organization of the WestMED Mauritanian National Coordinator and National Hub, the first event aimed at the establishment of a Maritime Cluster in Mauritania, has shown the importance of such a process in the growth and consolidation of local ecosystems for the Blue Economy and beyond.

Taking inspiration from the good practices from Tunisia, with its CMT (Cluster Maritime Tunisien), the participation of the Secretary General of the Union of Arab Maghreb and the President of the Central African Francophone Maritime Cluster (together with the main European networks of maritime clusters – ENMC, ECA), well represents the significance of a joint undertaking of the same challenge at regional level.

Countries where this process is at its early stage, find a strong support in this common effort and the requests expressed by the Mauritanian actors, during the networking session, have clearly underlined the need for support: institutional anchoring, sustainable model for clusters establishment and development, financial resources to encourage research &i nnovation, progressive inclusion of local ecosystems in European supply chains (towards Euro-Mediterranean ones).

The WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance, through its inclusive activities, is going to ensure and facilitate suitable answers to this capacity building demand, within South-South and also North-South through actions/partnerships/projects.

The next event related to this topic, during event during the SEAFUTURE 2021, will mark another step of this ongoing process, in the same direction.

More information
Contact the National Hub Italy for more information

screenshot of Algerian press service website with news article

Pêche et aquaculture: près de 2400 diplômés du secteur pour l’année scolaire 2020-2021

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Source: www.aps.dz 

ALGER – Le nombre de diplômés des instituts et des écoles de formation relevant du secteur de la Pêche et des Productions halieutiques s’est élevé à 2360 étudiants au titre de l’année scolaire 2020-2021, indique samedi un communiqué de la tutelle.

En dépit de la conjoncture sanitaire particulière que traverse le pays, en raison de la propagation de la pandémie de Corona, les instituts et les écoles du secteur ont pu assurer la formation de plus de 10.000 étudiants, dont plus de 2360 diplômés dans les spécialités en lien avec la pêche et l’aquaculture, a précisé la même source.

Read more on the website of aps.dz