Community Fund Mar 2023 Program

For Portugal, the sea is a strategic asset that presents potential for growth opportunities in various areas, such as research and innovation, employment and social cohesion, with respect for preserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainability.

The Portugal 2030 Strategy constitutes the reference for planning public policies to promote the country's economic and social development and a guidance document for the design of support instruments financed by European funds. Among the 4 agendas that are established in the Portugal 2030 Strategy, the “Climate transition and resource sustainability” stands out, which dedicates a specific section to the sustainable maritime economy, which advocates objectives relating to the reduction of carbon impact, the promotion of energy efficiency, strengthening the circular economy, sustainability and resilience, promoting traceability and certification systems, and promoting nature and biodiversity conservation actions. This Strategy also frames the sectoral strategies - the National Strategy for the Sea 2021-2030 (ENM 2021-2030), ensuring their coherence. ENM 2021-2030 foresees 10 strategic objectives in promoting a healthy Ocean, valuing marine ecosystems and recognizing their role as a vector for the development of consolidated or emerging sectors of the blue economy. Additionally, in the specific case of aquaculture, national priorities, goals and objectives are defined in the Strategic Plan for Aquaculture.

The seas and oceans are also elements that stabilize biogeophysical processes, such as the carbon cycle, which today are weakened by acidification, increased average temperatures, the presence of plastics and less oxygen, consequences of pollution, pollutant discharges, climate change , between others. The potential of the sea can only be realized if the oceans remain stable and resilient systems, from which resources can be exploited in a balanced and effective way, ensuring sustainability and the preservation of the fundamental values of the marine environment.

The Economy of the Sea has assumed increasing relevance in the context of the national economy in recent decades, and it is worth highlighting that the country has the 7th highest share of Gross Value Added in the national economy among the EU MS, according to the data from the Sea Satellite Account and information contained in the European Commission’s “The EU Blue Economy Report 2020”.

Portugal is responsible for around 3% of the EU's total catches, 9.6% of the number of vessels, 5.6% and 5.7% of the gross tonnage and power of the EU fishing fleet (2019, pre-pandemic year ) respectively. The management of this sector has been carried out with a high sense of responsibility by all economic agents, making it necessary to improve habitability and safety conditions on board, ensuring decarbonization and digitalization.