Euronews OCEAN Season 7, Episode 10 - Blue economy

Where does Europe’s blue economy stand today, and how are we identifying its main challenges and trends?

This episode of Ocean explores how data flows power Europe's blue economy, beginning in Galicia, Spain, where students at IGAFA aquaculture school learn their trade, and demonstrating the critical role of environmental monitoring through INTECMAR's network of autonomous underwater sensors. This local data doesn't stay local — it flows through institutions like CETMAR in Vigo into vast European databases that inform regional and EU-level decision-making.

The data journey culminates at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy, where the Ocean and Water Unit analyses information from fisheries, aquaculture sectors, Eurostat, EU agencies and EU countries. The findings shape the annual EU Blue Economy Report, which informs policy, including the common fisheries policy and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and guides billions in investment. All this research becomes publicly accessible through the EU Blue Economy Observatory, a free online platform offering interactive dashboards, charts and maps.

The episode concludes back in Vigo, where the city port's new 'blue path' walkway and planned underwater observatory demonstrate how the blue economy connects to everyday life, reminding that the ocean is a living system requiring sustainable, data-based management.

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OCEAN is a Euronews magazine in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE). It features monthly 8-minute videos, where we discover fascinating projects and developments related to the ocean and coastal communities.

Broadcast since 2019, OCEAN features episodes on marine protected areas, small-scale fisheries, ocean energy, aquaculture, IUU fishing, sustainable fisheries and much more. Missed one? Check them out on the Euronews website! You will also find some nice extras about these topics.

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