Articles

fishing boat-trawler with seagulls

La Commission propose des possibilités de pêche pour 2024 en mer Méditerranée et mer Noire

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La Commission a adopté aujourd’hui sa proposition relative aux possibilités de pêche pour 2024 pour la mer Méditerranée et la mer Noire. Cette proposition encourage la gestion durable des stocks halieutiques en mer Méditerranée et en mer Noire et concrétise les engagements politiques pris dans les déclarations «MedFish4Ever» et de Sofia.

La Commission propose d’utiliser les mêmes outils que ceux introduits dans les possibilités de pêche pour 2022 et 2023, qui s’appuient sur les derniers avis scientifiques disponibles. Parmi ces instruments figurent l’effort de pêche pour les chalutiers et les palangriers ainsi que des limites de captures pour les crevettes du large. Ces mesures ont été établies dans le cadre du plan de gestion pluriannuel pour les stocks démersaux en Méditerranée occidentale, dans le but d’atteindre, au plus tard le 1er janvier 2025, le rendement maximal durable (RMD), c’est-à-dire la quantité maximale de poissons que les pêcheurs peuvent capturer dans la mer sans compromettre la régénération et la productivité future du stock.

La plupart des possibilités de pêche seront proposées à un stade ultérieur, sur la base des résultats de la session annuelle de la Commission générale des pêches pour la Méditerranée (CGPM), qui se tiendra du 6 au 10 novembre 2023, et des avis scientifiques pour les stocks démersaux couverts par le plan de gestion pluriannuel pour la Méditerranée occidentale, qui est prévu pour la fin du mois d’octobre.

En mer Méditerranée, la proposition ne modifie pas les mesures pour le corail rouge. Pour la dorade rose et les crevettes du large, la proposition de cette année continue à réduire progressivement les captures pour les deux espèces, conformément aux nouveaux plans de gestion de la CPGM adoptés à partir de 2022. La proposition relative à la coryphène commune et aux autres stocks pour lesquels les mesures transitoires de la CGPM expirent à la fin de 2023 sera mise à jour après la session annuelle de la CGPM de 2023.

Lire le communiqué de presse complet sur le site web de la CE avec plus d’informations

MedFish4Ever rollups for the conference

Mediterranean fisheries and aquaculture: outcomes of GFCM high-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives

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This week, the European Commission and 20 EU and Mediterranean states renewed their commitments to deliver on their sustainability pledges made in the MedFish4Ever Declaration.

The 2017 MedFish4Ever Declaration has been a cornerstone in regional fisheries governance, catalysing action to build a regulatory framework for sustainable management and development.

Six years down the road, Mediterranean states met again in Malta to review progress and renew their commitment to live up to the promises of the Declaration, while looking into the future challenges that this region is facing in pursuing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

Special adviser to Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Karmenu Vella, speaking on behalf of Commissioner Sinkevičius, set the tone:

“Halfway through the 10-year roadmap, we can say with confidence that MedFish4Ever has changed the way we manage our fisheries in the Mediterranean! Forever and for the better!”

Renewed commitments on key priorities

The parties confirmed their renewed commitments to reinforce efforts in reaching these objectives:

  • protecting marine resources
  • combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
  • strengthening the viability of coastal communities through the support to the small-scale fisheries prevailing in the region
  • ensuring decent working conditions and social protection of fishers
  • making fisheries more attractive to the young generation and giving equal recognition of the work of women
  • building sustainable aquaculture and strengthening the value chain.

Special adviser to Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Karmenu Vella, speaking on behalf of Commissioner Sinkevičius, reiterated the commitment of the EU to the goals of MedFish4Ever Declaration:

“Today, the GFCM stands stronger than ever. We have built a robust framework with the 2030 Strategy and its action plan. Now we need to continue showing political will to fully implement our commitments.The EU’s commitment to deliver on MedFish4Ever and the GFCM 2030 Strategy remains unabated, now and for the future!

It is up to us to create a resilient future for our local communities, to restore and to protect the stocks and marine ecosystems, and to create a sustainable and a dignified working environment for generations to come – the future they all deserve.”

Financing a sustainable future

All these commitments will require additional resources, as well as keeping up the exemplary cooperation and partnership among all the countries and among all the stakeholders in the region.

The European Union, as main donor for the implementation of the MedFish4Ever Declaration, reconfirmed its financial support through the dedicated GFCM Grant of €8 million, calling upon new donors to join.

Rewarding innovative practices in fisheries and aquaculture

6 projects were awarded for their work:

Innovation in fishing technology category:

  • Reinforced seine as a mitigation measure against depredation by bottlenose dolphins by the National Institute for Fisheries Research, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Morocco
  • Assessment of the carbon footprint of the fishing fleet and application of decarbonization measures by the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Croatia

Innovative practices in aquaculture research category:

  • Larvae counting system by AquaDeep, Tunisia
  • Innovative salt water aquaponic system by the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Spain

Innovative practices in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing category:

  • Use of remote electronic monitoring, including closed-circuit television technology, as a control and monitoring tool by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Cyprus
  • Remote sensing data shedding light on the Mediterranean fishing footprint, by the Global Fishing Watch

 

Read the full press release on the EC website with additional information

group photo of people celebrating launch of EMFAF projects 2023

New EMFAF Regional flagship projects just kicked off their work!

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Source: CINEA website

The EMFAF Regional flagships call, with a budget of EUR 7.6 million, focused on EU sea basins cooperation; in particular the Atlantic, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea Region and the EU Outermost Regions. Ten new projects just kicked off.

Four projects are related to the Mediterranean: Green Marine Med, POWER4MED, CALLMEBLUE and the GreenMED. The first three projects received active assistance from the WestMED Assistance Mechanism in the application process.

GREEN MARINE MED  – Mediterranean Green Shipping Network: Linking Ports, Industries, Investment and Innovation for Monitoring and Technology Foresight on Green Shipping in the Mediterranean

GREEN MARINE MED will bring together, engage and mobilise the comprehensive Mediterranean Green Shipping stakeholder community, representing the full value chain including actors from the full vessel community, ports and marinas, fuel and energy, as well as finance, investment, innovation and other stakeholders. The comprehensive Network will create the foundation to enable the most broadly supported and useful Monitoring and Technology Foresight on Mediterranean Green Shipping.

Duration: 24 months – EU contribution: EUR 932 469.91

 

GreenMED – Green Shipping Pathways Towards a Clean Energy Transition in the Mediterranean

GreenMED is a regionally oriented project aiming to effectively support green shipping efforts in the Mediterranean Sea basin, by promoting plausible scenario-based decarbonisation pathways. The GreenMED’s ambition is to contribute directly and actively to the emission targets established by the EU under the 2030 and 2050 milestones. This goal´s realization relies on the comprehension and integration of innovative technologies, taking into consideration the regional ship energy demands, the fuel supply chains in both shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and the variety of emerging green shipping technologies, leading to the establishment of a decarbonisation hub: the Mediterranean Sustainable Shipping Observatory (MSSO).

Duration : 24 months – EU contribution: EUR 740 868


POWER4MED – local emPOWERment of fuel transition FOR a green MEDiterranean

Transition toward carbon neutrality in maritime transport requires short & medium-term solutions, the former based on transition fuels (LNG), the latter on not yet fully available alternative fuels (green hydrogen, methanol, electricity & wind). Dealing with such complexity is difficult for the operators of smaller ships and POWER4MED has the ambition to support them by developing the POWER4MED Supporting Structure, a “Supporting Team” of multidisciplinary experts and a set of toolkits facilitating the path toward carbon neutrality of the 3 sectors targeted by the project: fishing boats, commercial vessels and marinas.

Duration: 18 months – EU contribution: EUR 638 435

CALLMEBLUE  – Cluster ALLiance MEd BLUE

CALLMEBLUE aims to strengthen existing maritime clusters alliances in the Mediterranean area in order to accelerate north-south regional cooperation processes towards the emerging of strategic maritime clusters in North Africa area (south-south cooperation). The project will aim to create a strategic vision and transferable models of interregional cooperation, by implementing concrete actions at both local and regional level in order to raise awareness on the relevance of Maritime clusters as key actors for sustainable blue economy policies such as promoting exchange of best practices and knowledge transfer between north and southern area.

Duration: 24 months – EU contribution: EUR 780 987.86

Read the full article with the other projects on the CINEA website

people on stage during WestMED desalination event 2023 at the BluePlanet expoforum

WestMED Hub National Italie organise avec succès un événement sur le dessalement lors du BluePlanet Economy Forum 2023

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Le 11 octobre 2023, le Hub national italien de WestMED a organisé un événement très réussi sur le dessalement en collaboration avec BIG (Blue Italian Growth) et Federazione del Mare lors du BluePlanet Economy Forum 2023 à Rome.

L’accent a été mis sur l’urgence et l’importance du dessalement en Méditerranée, avec une attention particulière pour la chaîne d’approvisionnement italienne.

Leonardo a été interviewé lors de l’événement par la chaîne de télévision Teleambiente. Vous pouvez regarder l’enregistrement ci-dessous (YouTube) – à partir de 2:05

 

screenshot television interview Leonardo Manzari at the BluePlanet Economy expoforum

 

Download the agenda for the desalination workshop

 

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Joint Italian-Maltese WestMED national event in Catania boosts blue opportunities in the Mediterranean

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For the first time since the launch of the WestMED Initiative and the set-up of the Westmed Technical Assistance Mechanism, a joint national event was coordinated by the Italian and Maltese National Hubs, in Catania on Oct 4-6 2023.

Substantial support
This event was also made possible through the support by the respective National Coordinators, the decisive contribution of the Region Sicily-Dept of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishery, the Italian national clusters Federazione del Mare and CTN BIG.

With Malta and Italy both centrally located in the Mediterranean, these countries play a pivotal role in strengthening exchanges as well as synergies across the seabasin, particularly towards the Southern Shore countries.

Therefore Sicily, home of the Managing Authority of INTERREG Italy-Malta and INTERREG NEXT Italie-Tunisie, and Catania in particular (with its rich ecosystem of high tech companies, university and research centers) was  the natural place to exploit the potential of a North-South event with representatives attending from Italy, Malta, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia.

Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare– Laboratori Nazionali del Sud
The event took place at Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare – Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, which is a branch of the largest Italian research institution, located in Catania. The Institute has sought to valorise the opportunity offered by the WestMED in terms of networking and hosted the event on its premises. The Institute, strongly reaffirms the importance of internationalization and networking, with the national director general and INFN-LNS’s warmly welcoming all participants to the event.

The event also served to highlight the deep-sea research project currently being undertaken by the Institute (KM3NeT) and the application of this research to maritime fields. Participants also benefited from a guided tour of the INFN-LNS premises and visitor center.

Thematic sessions
Apart from the Opening Session on the 4th October, which was reserved for institutions and speakers, the following days of the event were dedicated to thematic sessions, building upon the outcomes of the technical and working groups of the WestMED, as well as the rising challenges experiences in this area of the Mediterranean. These thematic areas focused on:

  • Network of Ports and Infrastructures
  • Marine Renewables and Desalination,
  • Sustainable Fishery and related Biotech Supply Chains,
  • Oceanography-Geology-Marine Biology and Ecology
  • 2023 edition of MEDBLEUE was also discussed which included participation by CTN BIG, Maritime Tunisien and the Malta Maritime Forum.

Furthermore, the availability of EU funds, particularly the INTERREG ones, were discussed, with the Managing Authorities of Italy, Malta and Tunisia present. Presentations were delivered on the respective programmes from the Managing Authorities of EU Funding Programmes and from the Italian Agency for Cooperation Development AICS.

Many project ideas
The event also gave the opportunity to experienced entrepreneurs and researchers to present their project ideas to potential project partners.

Worth noting is the identification of project ideas stemming from Transport Malta, Port Authority of Northern Tyrrenean, INSTM Tunisia, Mauritanian Marine Cluster, SWAP-TOX project, DuWo srl and Le Vie dei Tesori, Signo Motus who are actively seeking partners and funding opportunities for their project proposals.

Forty participants took part in-person on October 4,  50 on October 5 and  30 on October 6. Between 15 to 30 participants joined remotely online each day.

Finally, the event marked the interest of INFN-LNS to join WestMED activities with the support of the WestMED’s Italian National Hub.

More information
Leonardo Mazari, National Hub Italy  |  Stephanie Vella, National Hub Malta

Press articles: La Sicilia and Catania Metropolitana

 

General manager Region Sicily Department of Fisheries  Libyan WestMED National Coordinator Masauda Abuarosha

overview conference room with presenter during WestMED joint Italy Malta 2023 national event in Catania Sicily

National WestMED coordinators Italy and Malta

Visit at the INFN-LNS visitor Center, guided by Prof Giacomo Cuttone and Prof Piera Sapienza

INFN-LNS-visitor-Center

 

 

 

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Corallo Stakeholder event july 2023 with Professor Alan Deidun

Ocean Literacy digital tools highlighted during CORRALO’s stakeholder event

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Sources: Diving info Malta |  Interreg Italia-Malta

On 20 July 2023, the National Hub Malta attended a stakeholder event hosted by the Corallo project in Zurrieq, Malta.

CORALLO supports the dissemination and use of the natural heritage through a diverse range of edutainment tools and non-intrusive infrastructure interventions within Natura 2000 (N2K) sites.

Through the project, state-of-the-art educational services and facilities are developed in each of the target sites, including extensive use of virtual and extended reality as well as documentaries and short video clips. In addition, the iconic species and habitats encountered at each of N2K’s target sites will be exhibited in different centers identified for intervention, thus capitalizing on the unique strengths and resources held by each site.

The CORALLO project also provides mobile awareness tools, i.e. scientific campaigns for citizens, a boat of project information, smartphone apps and games and online tools, which will allow to reach a wide range of end users.

Initiatives developed
During the event, project coordinator, Prof. Alan Deidun from the University of Malta, provided an overview of the initiatives developed to present the Natura 2000 marine sites to the general public, including people who are unable to go underwater themselves.

  • 60 degree video footage of the underwater environment for use in conjunction with VR headsets
  • 3D models of Filfla, St. Paul’s Islands and Qawra Point
  • 3D models of various marine species
  • 3d Stand-up digital banner showing marine species
  • Production of Educational TV spots that were found to be very effective with the older generations that were aired on the national broadcaster in prime time
  • Events at various locations and presence at public events
  • Interactive totem at Ghar Dalam
  • A publication titled: “Correct enjoyment (and awareness raising) of Natura 2000 locations”
  • Information boards at various Natura 2000 sites
  • Upgrades at the Dwejra Interpretation Centre
  • Corallo Mobile App (still in development but to be launched soon)

Main conclusions:

  1. Visuals motivate people. However, through feedback gained from the public, via citizen engagement and awareness events held under the auspices of this project, it has been noted that taking a more positive approach, such as showing people the beauty of the marine environment, may be more effective at engaging citizens than exposing them to negative images. Because of social media, people are becoming desensitized to negative images.
  2. It has also been noted that there is limited awareness of the environmental impact by users on Natura 2000 sites, yet there are several opportunities for educational and responsible enjoyment initiatives. Furthermore, it is observed that the use of social media for citizen engagement is crucial, yet considerable resources in time and money need to be mobilized in order to be able to maintain the momentum.
  3. Long-term citizen-science campaigns may play a dual role of awareness-raising as well as long-term data collection shared by the public via the app, that would of marine developments. It may also serve as a means for the general public to influence policy-making.

During his presentation Professor Deidun also highlighted Corallo’s presence at the WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2023, with an exhibition and presentation.

Main next steps foreseen

  1. Different actors, both scientific and non-scientific, need to work together to create an educational plan, potentially focusing on the education of children, as it has been noted that the general public is willing to engage.
  2. Look into the potential of ‘getting the sea where the sea doesn’t exist’ such as to hospitals, care homes and prison, through the use of interactive digital tools.

For more information visit visit the Corollo website
Read their booklet with information on the project and the sites

Corollo Project is part-financed through the EU Interreg Italia-Malta Programme

Corallo robot at Lets dive in stakeholder event July 2023

 

CIPON approves national plan of the sea in Italy

Italy’s Interministerial Committee for Sea Policy approves National Plan of the Sea

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Source:  website Ministro per la Protezione civile e le Politiche del mare
Date: 31 July 2023

Italy has its own National Plan for the Sea. It was approved this afternoon by Cipom, the Interministerial Committee for Sea Policy, which met at Palazzo Chigi under the chairmanship of Minister Nello Musumeci.

The Plan for the Sea, envisaged by Article 12 of Legislative Decree 173 of 2022, is the planning tool that the government and parliament will use to launch a unitary and strategic maritime policy.

It was drafted after several months of comparisons and hearings, by a special committee of experts, with the main public and private players operating in the « sea system » and, according to the law, must be updated every three years. This afternoon’s approval of the document was attended by representatives of the Defence, Infrastructure, Environment, Culture, Finance, Agriculture, Tourism, European Affairs, PNRR, Foreign Affairs, Enterprise and Made in Italy, and Regional Affairs Ministries.

The National Plan for the Sea will be forwarded to the government and parliament.

« The first important step has been taken, » said Minister for Sea Policies Nello Musumeci, « Italy, according to the government’s objectives, intends to look at the sea beyond the horizon with new eyes, increasingly attentive to its protection and enhancement. I would like to thank my government colleagues from Cipom, the Committee of Experts coordinated by Luca Salamone, and all the associations and individuals, both public and private, who have provided their essential contribution of ideas and proposals ».

L’Italia ha il suo Piano nazionale del mare. Lo ha approvato questo pomeriggio il Cipom, il Comitato interministeriale per le politiche del mare, riunitosi a Palazzo Chigi sotto la presidenza del ministro Nello Musumeci. Il Piano del mare, previsto dall’articolo 12 del DL 173 del 2022, è lo strumento di programmazione di cui si dotano governo e parlamento per avviare una politica marittima unitaria e strategica. È stato redatto dopo alcuni mesi di confronti e audizioni, a cura di un apposito comitato di esperti, con i principali attori pubblici e privati che operano nel “sistema mare” e secondo la norma di legge, dovrà essere aggiornato con cadenza triennale. All’approvazione del documento, oggi pomeriggio, hanno partecipato i rappresentanti dei dicasteri Difesa, Infrastrutture, Ambiente, Cultura, Finanza, Agricoltura, Turismo, Affari europei, PNRR, Esteri, Imprese e Made in Italy, Affari regionali.
Il Piano nazionale del mare verrà trasmesso al governo e al parlamento.

”Il primo importante passo è stato fatto – ha dichiarato il ministro per le Politiche del mare Nello Musumeci – L’Italia secondo gli obiettivi del governo intende guardare al mare oltre l’orizzonte con occhi nuovi, sempre più attenti alla sua salvaguardia e valorizzazione. Desidero ringraziare i colleghi di governo del Cipom, il Comitato degli esperti coordinato da Luca Salamone, e tutti i soggetti associativi e singoli, pubblici e privati che hanno fornito il loro essenziale contributo di idee e proposte”.

Bay of Cala Spinosa Sardinia

WestMED Success Story: EMFAF Flagship Projects Accelerating Tourism Sustainability

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The popularity of the Mediterranean sea and its coastal regions amongst tourists remains at an all time high. After a temporary covid dip, the latest figures show that numbers of tourists have already reached pre-pandemic levels and are further on the rise.

Traditional model no longer viable

Traditional ‘sun, sea and sand’ tourism has resulted in improved livelihoods for many local communities, averaging 11.5% of total employment in Mediterranean countries. It is therefore, one of the leading sectors of the economy in the region.

At the same time, it also puts tremendous pressure on the environment. Mass tourism is one of the main causes of increased pollution and a driver for uncontrolled building along the coastlines. This, coupled to a growing demand for water, food and energy and the structurally rising temperatures (sea and land), severely impacts the region’s resources, and is therefore not viable in the long run.

Additionally, these same pressures lower the attractiveness of tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.

Sustainable blue economy at the heart

The European Commission is actively addressing many of these issues to safeguard the connection between economic welfare and the environment with the ‘Sustainable blue economy’ concept.

This has been an ongoing process since 2013 – as part of the Commission’s targeted approach for several European Sea basins with dedicated blue strategies for the Atlantic (Atlantic Action Plan), the Black Sea (Common Maritime Agenda) and the Western Mediterranean (WestMED Initiative).

Flagship projects lead the way

In 2021 the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) decided to fund so-called flagship projects (pilot strategic initiatives) for each of the sea basin strategies with 5.5 million euro to accelerate achievement of their respective goals.

For the Western Mediterranean the main objective of this EMFAF flagship funding  was to ‘strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the coastal and maritime tourism sector, as part of a smart and resilient blue economy – one of the key goals of the WestMED Initiative.  This, by preserving the marine and coastal environment as well as marine cultural heritage, and contributing to the attractiveness of coastal areas by means of ecotourism, digitalisation and mobilising private-public investments.’

Eco-tourism, cross-border cooperation and multiplying results

Given the fact that tourism plays such a significant role in the Western Mediterranean as one of the key contributors to both the upside gains as well as the downside risks of the blue economy, three projects that function as a catalyst for change, were selected for co-financing.

All three are focused on enhancing eco-tourism in the region, cross-border cooperation (including non-EU WestMED countries as partners such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Mauritania) and actively sharing knowledge amongst stakeholders from both the northern and southern shore, to multiply results.

These projects are also examples of the rapid development and transformation of the tourism industry to a more modern sector by adopting digital platforms, digital marketing and information technologies such as the internet of things, augmented reality and virtual reality.

The three  Flagship projects:

ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR

This project boosts new managerial, blue, green and digital skills to pave the way for an eco-friendly, zero-impact cruising sector.

The project designs innovative, sustainable and smart theme-based cruising packages targeting Millennials and Gen Z, aimed at minimising the impact of large groups of visitors.

The project also develops and delivers a specialised capacity building programme, enabling cross-border cooperation, exchange of good practices and unlocking new business opportunities around the eco-cruise sector.

The target group consists of small and medium sized companies in the West Mediterranean area, as well public and private stakeholders in charge of the promotion of EU and West European coastal and maritime destinations.

According to project coordinator Marika Mazzi Boém from X23, the company leading the project, the timing after Covid is critical for the cruise industry to reinvent itself:

“Rather than focusing on strategies to grow tourism, what we need now is to implement actions for containing mass tourism in favour of sustainability. So innovation is key at different levels: in technology, to increase environmentally friendly practises and reduce carbon footprint; in the travel experience, as personalization is a must; and in business modeling, to bring tangible economic and social benefits to local communities”.

More info about ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR
Budget Overall: €990 222

EU Contribution: €792 178

 
Partners/ Countries Coordinator: X23 The Innovation Bakery (Italy)

Italian Tourist Board-ENIT (Italy)

Celestyal Ship Management (Greece)

Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (Cyprus)

Green evolution (Greece)

Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Tunisia-CCIT (Tunisia)

Leancubator (Algeria)

Tanger City port management Company – SGPTV (Morocco)

ASCAME (Spain)
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Duration 1 September 2022- 31 December 2024

EU WeMED_NaTOUR

This project supports local tourism SMEs and involves them in the creation and delivery of eco-tourism packages targeting the growing school-trip tourism market.

It will do so, by creating immersive ‘learning by visiting’ school trips for the ‘new generations’: primary and secondary school students in three age ranges; 6-10 years, 11-13 years, and 14-16.

Schooltrip tourism is beneficial as it not only helps to reduce seasonal peaks but also diversifies the market, increasing awareness of the value and vulnerability of Western Mediterranean marine ecosystems, coastal destinations and culture.

Claudia Iglesias, Project Design and Policy Specialist from X23 is clear on the benefits of this approach:

“Benefits will go two ways: children will have the opportunity to learn, by visiting beautiful landscapes and to contribute preserving the fragile and unique ecosystems; and local tourism SMEs will be actively involved at destination, crucial players to the new value chain that we want to create”.

 

More info about EU WeMed_NaTOUR
Budget Overall: €995 270

EU contribution: €796 683
Partners/ Countries Coordinator: X23 The Innovation Bakery (Italy)

Turismo de Portugal (Portugal)

Travel without plastic (Spain)

Office National de Tourisme – ONTM (Mauritania)

International Social Tourism Organisation – ISTO (Belgium)

Italian National Tourism Board-ENIT (Italy)

Balearic Marine Cluster (Spain)
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Duration 1 July 2022 – 31 October 2024

REBOOT MED

REBOOT MED (Recovering, Experiencing and Boosting eco-tourism in the WestMed area) is a project that encourages public-private partnership, co-defining Blue Economy Action Plans for the Recovery of the tourism sector, and to incubate, accelerate and test eco/blue economy tourism products and packages in Mauritania, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, Italy and France.

This is done by engaging local multi-stakeholder clusters that have been created in 6 WestMed countries and 10 pilot areas as well as accompanying ecotourism ideas to be tested in real conditions.

Tommaso Scavone, project designer and project manager from Petra Patrimonia Corsica, is proud of the results achieved so far:

“We are demonstrating that when citizens, public stakeholders and private actors are willing to co-develop long-term visions, it is possible to activate sustainable processes at all levels. On the ground there are several ideas and initiatives carried out by pioneers – women, youth, start-uppers – looking for collaboration and partnerships: all of them are linked together by a ‘fil rouge’ that is “the love for their territories. And we as partners are there – on the ground – to support all of them and to try together to reboot ecotourism in the WestMed area!”

 

More info about Reboot Med
Budget Overall: €1 200 000

EU Contribution: 999 380
Partners/ countries ·         Coordinator: Coopérative Petra Patrimonia Corsica (France)

·         PRISM Impresa Sociale s.r.l. (Italy)

·         Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions-CPMR (France)

·         F.A.R. Maremma (Italy)

·         WWF Med (Tunisia)

·         Balearic Islands Tourism Agency (Spain)

·         Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tanger-Tetouan- El Hoceima (Morocco)

·         Diawling National Park (Mauritania)

·         Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry – ASCAME (Spain)
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Duration 1 September 2023-31 August 2024

References

presentation at AquaBioTech site visit on June 23, 2023 in Malta

Aquaculture Collaboration in the Mediterranean – site visit at AquaBioTech

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This site-event, back to back to the WestMED Stakeholder Conference took place on June 23, 2023, at the AquaBioTech Group in Malta.

The event was organized by AquaBioTech Group with the aim of showcasing ongoing Mediterranean aquaculture projects, objectives, and achievements in line with  WestMED’s AquaWest Technical Group goals.

The event focused on addressing the specific challenges of the Mediterranean sub-regions, exploring innovation perspectives, and establishing synergies between business ecosystems, academia, research performing organizations, and regulatory frameworks.

Three experts from WestMED Assistance Mechanism: Thanos Smanis, Leonardo Manzari and Samir Bachouche

The event started at 09:30 am and concluded at 12:30 pm. It began with a series of engaging presentations that provided insights into ongoing projects and initiatives aligned with the priorities of the WestMED Initiative.

These presentations aimed to foster collaboration between the established AquaWest Technical Group and Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) across the Mediterranean region, promoting expertise, sharing and bridging research, innovation, and diversity across generations of experts and stakeholders.

In addition to the presentations, participants had the opportunity to explore AquaBioTech Group facilities through a guided tour to gain firsthand knowledge of the infrastructure and technologies used in their aquaculture operations.

One of the main outcomes of the meeting was the identification of innovative solutions to address environmental challenges associated with aquaculture.

Participants discussed the implementation of advanced technologies and best management practices to minimize the industry’s ecological footprint and enhance resource efficiency. Additionally, the event highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships between research institutions and industry players to drive innovation and facilitate the adoption of sustainable aquaculture practices.

Furthermore, the event provided a networking session that aimed to facilitate developing future collaboration frameworks between businesses, research institutions, and policymakers in the WestMED region.

The networking session served as a platform for participants to exchange ideas, explore potential partnerships, and discuss opportunities for advancing the aquaculture sector in the WestMED region. This to drive the development of the aquaculture sector and contribute to sustainable growth.

AquaBioTech site visit with group picture of participants

Maritime Clusters workshop at SeaFuture 2023 with speakers at table in a conference room

WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance presenting major achievements and developments at SeaFuture 2023

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LaSpezia, 8 June 2023

With the support of the WestMED (WM) Assistance Mechanism and the Italian national clusters CTN BIG and Federazione del Mare, the Maritime Clusters Alliance organised an event during SeaFuture 2023 in LaSpezia Italy focused on the WestMED Maritime Cluster Alliance

The main objective was to provide an overview of the cooperation among maritime clusters that are part of the WestMed Maritime Cluster Alliance (WM MCA) after two years since its inception- including:

  • jointly created, submitted and awarded projects requesting funding;
  • the significant impact on the southern shore dynamics (thanks to the proactivity of the Cluster Maritime Tunisien and the establishment of the Mauritanian Marine and Maritime Cluster);
  • the intensified Italian-Portuguese cooperation;
  • the inclusive approach of CTN BIG and Federazione del Mare towards the Mediterranean ecosystem as a whole.

Daniele Bosio and Luca Palazzo, WestMED National coordinators for Italy highlighted the importance of the Maritime Clusters Alliance Alliance towards the creation of a real Mediterranean ecosystem, particularly for a country like Italy that is currently preparating its first national strategic “Piano del Mare” (Plan for the Sea), as the main action after the establishment of the newly formed  ‘Ministry of the Sea and Civil Protection.’This Ministry is going to coordinate the competencies thgat is currently spread over 13 ministries.

Also, the inclusive role of Italy during its WestMED co-presidency was underlined, particularly for its embedding effort, to let regional and INTERREG managing authorities adopt WestMED priorities in the new 2021-2027 programmes and workplans.

Manuel Pleguezuelo (EC-DG MARE) reminded the priority given by DG MARE to the Maritime Cluster Alliance, considering the already achieved results, highlighting the work of the dedicated WestMED Workgroup and the role to include the outcomes within the recent EMFAF call that expired in late January 2023.

Adriana Salazar Olivan presented the role of the Union for the Mediterranean role in support of the WestMED Initiative, putting in evidence the impact that theresults achieved are having on the broader scenario of the whole Basin. This is witnessed by the involvement of Turkish, Greek, Egyptian, Jordan, Croatian etc organizations within the partnerships supported by the WMAM.
This has confirmed the validity of the Assistance Mechanism concept, as a “bottom-up” team, supporting and staying beside stakeholders instead of above.

Shaun Patrick Ebejer (Malta) confirmed the importance that the Maltese co-presidency is giving to the topic of clusters, also for the benefit of its small but vital ecosystem. Not for a case, the interaction with the Italian clusters is growing and the two countries are possibly joining forces for a common national event in October.

Main Achievements of the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance and its members
Among the multiple achievements of the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance, Anja Detant remarked the attention that the European Commission and CINEA paid to the opening the EMFAF calls to third countries, particularly those of the WestMED sub-basin, and to the priorities of the WestMED Technical Groups and Work Groups.

Hamadi BABA HAMADI, summarized the process and the importance for his country towards such a move, as a starting point to fully integrate Mauritania in the common ecosystem and tighten cooperation with northern and southern WM countries. The centrality of the Fishery sector, of Maritime Transport and of Blue Skills are indicated as priority for Mauritanian dynamics and networking activities with the Mediterranean stakeholders.

On June 9th in Rome, the president of the Mauritanian Marine and Maritime Cluster has signed an MoU with the Italian national clusters, aiming at a closer cooperation, including the research activities.

Emna Sohlobji, in her position of secretary general of the CMT (but also as elected Leading Woman in African Blue Economy) has witnessed the boost that her cluster gained in EU funded projects, but also in the capacity to provide internationalization opportunities to their associated members, for the benefit of the national Blue Economy. A bright example was illustrated as the MEBLEUE 2022 speeded up this process, with the concrete cooperation cases fostered among training institutes, research institutes, ports etc.

Ruben Eiras, secretary general of Forum Oceano and National Hub for Portugal, presented the Hub Azul Dealroom (a comprehensive digital stakeholders’ platform), a service that is part of the larger Portuguese strategy for the Blue Economy and the need to enable a faster matchmaking between innovators, policy makers, promoters and investors. The Dealroom is a tool at disposal of the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance, to enlarge networks and foster new knowledge and partnerships.

Laurence Martin and Thanos Smanis, presented the European Blue Forum that was launched during the recent European Maritime Day in Brest, and the key role that maritime clusters will be playing there too.

ForMare, Forum Oceano, CTN BIG, Strategis Cluster, SGD4MED, Federazione del Mare, Pole Mediterranée described concrete project proposals  that have been supported by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism to apply for funding – also with the perspective of possible capitalization actions. Most of these proposals were approved: ERASMUS+ – MARMED and MAQUAM, COSME Euroclusters – MedBan, IKAT and ELBE Alliance, EMFAF Women in Blue Economy – WINBIG, EMFAF Maritime Clusters CALLMEBLUE and Green Marine MED, EMFAF Ports & Maritime Transport POWER4MED.

 

Established cooperation agreements and synergies

Antonio Novo Guerrero, founder and president of the European Clusters Alliance (ECA), and Axelle Salvage fromEuropean Network of Maritime Clusters (ENMC) explained the efforts undertaken by the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance in liaising with their leading aggregations of clusters

The fruitful exchanges with ECA are now aimed at integrating networking agendas reciprocally, enlarging cross-sectoral exchange opportunities for WM MCA members and open the Blue specialization to the ECA. ENMC at their end, recognises the importance of the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliamce as a way to gain more direct access to and interact with a broader spectrum of maritime clusters within the Mediterranean region, and its Assistance Mechanism.

Finally Walter Wassallo, promoter of the Blue Marina Award (that recognises Italian marinas for their coherence with sustainable Development Goals-SDG’s), presented the second edition of the awards to be held in Trieste in 2023 and is already looking at its cross-border Mediterranean scope from 2024 on, thanks to the technical assistance of the Italian National Hub in close cooperation with National Hub colleagues from the WestMED countries.

Conclusions
Conclusions were then summarized by the intervention of Giovanni Caprino, President of CTN BIG, and the remote intervention of Matteo Bocci, who coordinates the WestMED Maritime Clusters Alliance together with WestMED’s Italian National Hub.

Along these conclusions also the opportunities represented to increase exchanges with Black Sea and Atlantic Sea Basins’ stakeholders were underline, as a further contribution to the internationalization strategies and synergies of the“WestMED Maritime Clusters Community”.