Success stories

Fishing always comes with a certain degree of unpredictability and uncertainty. This is equally true for professional fishers as it is for enthusiasts. When they cast their nets or fishing lines, they never know if and what they might catch.

Women are underrepresented in fisheries and the maritime world: many gender stereotypes still prevent women from working on board vessels, even when they have relevant diplomas. In the EU as a whole, 3% of the crews of high seas fishing vessels are women, and in Spain the figure is just 1%.

Among the many fundamental issues that our planet faces today, two are particularly concerning: how to provide healthy, nutritious food in the face of food security challenges, and how to transition to a circular, low-carbon economy?

So maybe you have your opinion about charter tourism. That’s fine. It’s not for everyone. But be honest with yourself. As in: really honest.

In 2009, the Swedish authorities established a national marine park in Kosterhavets in western Sweden. The park covers an area of some 390 km2 and is home to around 12,000 animal species.

Let’s suppose you are a young worker looking for employment in the blue economy sector. That you are an experienced professional in that sector, looking to update your skills.

With some help from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Irish firm XOCEAN is well underway to become the first company to commercialise robotic vessels for ocean data gathering.

Dutch researchers and fishers are developing a digital tool to implement fully documented fisheries (FDF), with support from the EU.

Marine litter not only has negative environmental impacts, it is also bad for local business, from tourism to small-scale fishing and aquaculture. The “Litter Spain” project in Galicia, shows how to foster new opportunities in the circular economy.