Background and rationale 

The EU Green Deal sets the context for Europe’s blue economy to become sustainable and climate-neutral by 2050. The Blue Bioeconomy represents an important component of the broader blue economy, delivering food, feed and bio-based products for internal and export markets. With the completion of the Horizon 2020 BlueBio ERA-Net in 2023, the SBEP becomes a key implementing mechanism in Horizon Europe for blue bioeconomy R&D. To achieve sustainability, it is important to consider all stages of the bioresources value chain, from production (capture fisheries, aquaculture etc) to seafood processing, extracting value from waste streams, developing new types of biomasses, new food and non-food products, as well as advanced extraction technologies such as those used in biorefineries. Cooperation will be sought with the FutureFoodS partnership, which will focus on the post-farming and -fishing part of food systems.

Key considerations to be taken on board in this Intervention Area include the importance of engaging with industry and stakeholders and if relevant, the application of multi/trans-disciplinary approaches to address complex challenges, including social sciences and humanities. 

Key thematic areas 

Sustainable Fisheries and Harvesting    

Overexploitation and the cumulative impact of overfishing with the effects of pollutants, climate change and other drivers on susceptible species and ecosystems is leading to unsustainable scenarios for the next decades. To bring Europe's fish stocks back to sustainable levels, there are important challenges remaining. More food, feed or biotic resources for other purposes can be obtained from more targeted fisheries and harvesting by improved management of overfished stocks, optimized fishing technologies and practices to reduce bycatch and discards, and increased fishing and harvesting of underutilised species (i.e., zooplankton, other invertebrates, macroalgae). A forward-looking ecosystem-based management (EMB) approach under EU legislation yet tailored to local conditions will reduce adverse impacts of fishing and harvesting on marine ecosystems, particularly sensitive species, and on vulnerable habitats. The sustainability of mesopelagic fisheries is still being assessed and there is a unique opportunity to ensure that EBM is embedded from the outset. New digital tools such as remote electronic monitoring systems, catch reporting using mobile applications, ecosystem modelling and artificial intelligence tools can optimize both small- and large-scale fishing operations. At the same time such technologies can enable data collection and analysis that can support development of sustainable management practices, while providing full traceability for our seafood. Assessments and solution scenarios should consider the impact and social implications of combined drivers such as habitat degradation, pollution, warming, water stratification and acidification, as well as their effects, such as changes in ecosystem composition, higher frequency of toxic algal blooms and alterations with species migration and phenology.

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• Integrated approaches to innovation for fishing vessels to improve vessel operations and practices including technology for e.g., location (also to contrast illegal fisheries), and water characteristics, catch logistics, while reducing the use of fossil fuels.  
• Exploring and co-developing with industry the potential for new fishing techniques, technologies, and new resources for small-scale fisheries, and seaweed harvesting.  
• Research to inform policy options and management of migratory fish stocks that spend different parts of their life cycle in different jurisdictions. This is a critical issue for the EU Common Fisheries Policy and co-management of stocks between EU and third countries.  
• Supporting the application of ecosystem-based management approaches to inshore and small-scale fisheries management.  
• Understanding the impacts of climate change and human activities including pollution on commercial fisheries, fish stocks and other species with commercial potential.
• Understanding cross-compliance, alignment and trade-offs between fisheries policy and management with other policy domains (Marine spatial planning, marine strategy framework directive, The Water Framework Directive ) and the implications of measures associated with the EU Nature Restoration Law on fishing and fishers.  
• Technological advancements to preserve the nutritional value and use for new types of catch or harvest.  
• Increased R&I efforts to improve the understanding of species’ role in the trophic webs, as well as their growth potential as seen in an integrated sustainability and biodiversity-resilience perspective, including the knowledge in concrete management solutions (based on managers’ needs).
• Understanding the social and economic drivers of change in commercial fisheries to inform both fisheries, economic and regional development policy and planning.
• R&I that supports new digital tools for monitoring for well-informed and timely decision making and sustainable management considering the impact and societal costs of stressors such as habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change.  
• Development of more selective fishing gears that reduce environmental impact, particularly in the bottom-contact fisheries, and for harvesting new species including macroalgae. Focus can also be on improving fish welfare and increasing traceability. 

Aquaculture 

Production of safe, secure food and sustainable bioproducts through aquaculture, has a margin for improvements in respect of diversification, competitiveness, and environmental performance. Aquaculture production should be rethought to satisfy growing consumer demand for blue food, as well as the need for innovative blue bioproducts, while enhancing the social, economic, and environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality of the production. This requires targeted technological advancements and diversified production solutions also considering regional and local differences throughout Europe. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), off-shore production, closed systems, or land-based infrastructure with use of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), are options for culturing of established and new species. Diversification of species, in particular the expansion and production of organisms of the primary and/or low trophic levels, face several challenges that need technological advancements. For macroalgae there is a need for R&I that supports spatial considerations as well as new offshore production techniques that require further development and facilities, including larger-scale farms, mechanisation, and methods for further processing after harvest. The new and modified technological and digital systems should favour and promote the health and welfare and quality of the farmed fish.

Activities should address the following aspects:  

• Challenges and opportunities associated with further development and expansion of seaweed production, including but not limited to environmental concerns, e.g., light, nutrients’ uptake, vectors for diseases, parasites and spread of invasive species; risk of genetic impact on wild seaweed populations; challenges of insufficient seed quality and varying nutritional levels; food safety challenges due to bioaccumulation of heavy metals; new methods for processing harvested seaweed, taking into account the subsequent value chain (e.g. through biorefinery).  
• Development of biologically, technically, and economically feasible onshore recirculating aquaculture systems opportunities for fish, shellfish, and seaweed.
• Challenges and opportunities associated with mollusc production, including but not limited to algal blooms as potential threats for food safety; cost/benefits for longer distance offshore production.
• Innovative alternative solutions to produce established and new species, including integrated multitrophic aquaculture, new systems associated with other economic off-shore activities, closed or land-based systems.  
• New high value and sustainable feed sources to ensure sufficient and balanced feeds that promote fish quality, health, and welfare.
• Challenges and opportunities for growth in fed mariculture, including but not limited to sustainable and healthy feed, fish health optimization environmental concerns, and food safety issues due to bioaccumulation and biomagnification of xenobiotics. 

Enabling a circular blue bioeconomy 

Transitioning to a circular blue bioeconomy, whereby the entire biomass of fish, shellfish and seaweed sourced from capture fisheries and aquaculture is utilised, presents both challenges and opportunities. Current policy and regulation can be a barrier to developing new bio-products from waste or side streams (by-catch, rest raw materials etc.), and there is a growing body of evidence to support policy reform. New, sustainable, high-value products can be developed through a biorefinery approach, by e.g., valorisation of waste streams, and contributes to minimising waste and enhancing the value chain. Further exploration of the synergies between blue (aquatic farming) and green (agriculture) is another opportunity in a fully circular blue bioeconomy. For example, side streams from agriculture could be used in aquaculture or bio stimulants derived from marine sources could be used in agriculture. New solutions are also needed for existing challenges e.g., seaweed as bioplastic.  

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• Opportunities for developing new sustainable bio-based products (food/feed/chemical/pharmaceutical/material) or services to accelerate the ocean economy and provide solutions for existing challenges.  
• Post-harvest or processing technology to overcome sensory and other drawbacks to increase consumer acceptance for new products.  
• R&I in support of traceability of bio-based products from marine sources through digitalisation.
• R&I that supports policy reform with respect to regulations on use of waste or side streams for a variety of new bio-based products (food/feed/chemical/pharmaceutical/nutraceutical/material). 

Implementation, enablers, and synergies  

R&I topics will be formulated for calls for proposals, where projects will be expected to involve a broad range of scientific disciplines, industry partners, citizens, and policy stakeholders order to meet the stated objectives and the quadruple helix ambition. Relevant additional activities could include bringing together diverse marine stakeholder to co-develop objectives, assessing the access and status of research, testing, and demonstration facilities, or supporting the uptake of innovative solutions.

Synergies and complementarity will be sought through dialogue with other relevant and potential overlapping initiatives, particularly EU partnerships Biodiversa+, FutureFoodS, Water4All, and Animal Health and Welfare; actions under the Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters (Mission Ocean); the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU) and Waterborne platform. It is important to ensure that new knowledge, products, or services stemming from Cluster 5 and 6 calls are taken up in relevant blue sectors (by both production and value chain stakeholders). 

Outcomes and Impacts 

• Examples of outcomes from R&I investment in this area: Sustainably produced, nutritious, affordable and climate friendly blue food; diversification of food, feed and other feedstock for products with focus on lower trophic levels; more healthy food, fish, fish stocks and healthier marine ecosystems; improved production efficiencies, for seafood products; greater understanding of the impacts of climate change and human activities on commercial fisheries and fish stock; value chain approaches; aquatic bio-productions that are regionally adapted, well integrated into area-based management, with more selective and less damaging fishing techniques; deployment of new technical solutions, digital, nature-based and social innovations as well as community-led and purpose-driven technology for the blue food sectors.  
• Environmental impacts: reduced overfishing by supporting legislation to reducing fishing pressure on overexploited species; optimized technology for reduced bycatch and disincentivising its exploitation; supporting the industry shift towards carbon neutrality by development of more selective and less energy-consuming technologies and procedures; Reduced impact of fisheries on marine habitats.
• Social impacts: more informed consumers; improved understanding of social and economic drivers of change in the blue bioeconomy and in economic and regional development policy and planning; uptake of innovative fishing gear
• Economic impacts: productive and competitive greening of the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors; improved traceability and labelling of blue food; increase in the number of blue-green companies, products, processes and services; reduced import dependencies and strengthened tech industries; policy and management options to inform EU (common fisheries policy) and third-party negotiations in respect of migratory species.  

Background and rationale 

The development of digital twins, including DTOs, offers realistic digital representations of assets, processes, or systems in the built or natural environment. DTOs enable users to provide answers to “what if” questions in the context of ocean development, a sustainable blue economy and effective maritime spatial planning. By combining large amount of data and information with data-driven models and observations for relevant sea systems and their interdependency, DTO applications will allow for user-driven scenario building of effects of natural processes and anthropogenic activities on the marine environment. This ability will enhance planning rapid responses to unexpected events at sea and provide innovative, interactive, and user-driven tools available to citizens, entrepreneurs, scientists, and policymakers. R&I efforts in this area will also help improving our understanding of the abilities and the limitations of DTO applications as decision support tools and to ensure responsible usage in management decisions. 

Actions under this Intervention Area will be dedicated to development and use of DTO systems integrating and observations at sub-basin scale, i.e., spatially limited areas within sea-basins considering also the wider data issues such as collection, treatment, availability, dissemination and gaps. Different types of datasets such as from monitoring, research and observation are included. This will provide accurate information on the limits and knowledge gaps of single/interconnected sub-modules (physical, biogeochemical, ecosystem, socio-economic) and details for integrating spatial hierarchical models.  

This Intervention Area complements the development of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO). The EDITO is a core element of the Digital Ocean Knowledge System and flagship initiative of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters with its core data infrastructures and ocean services, including Corpernicus Marine Service and EMODnet. The activities in this IA are closely linked with the assessment and improvement of the EU observing system under EOOS framework, and it will require deployment and coordination with ocean related ESFRI Research Infrastructures. 

Key thematic areas 

The concept approach of this Intervention Area – the development, validation, observation and use of DTOs at sub-basin scale – is a multidisciplinary, long-lasting research and innovation activity. The initial focus will be on some spatially limited areas at sea-basin level at low TRL to improve our understanding of the relations among the essential processes and system components of the marine environment. The aim is to develop holistic types of DTOs that include and model all essential processes and their interactions: circulation and currents, waves, tides, interaction with the atmosphere, but also seabed and sediments, coasts and estuaries, animal and plant life, the ecosystem, and socio-economic activities and impacts. Considering that a major requirement for the development of any DTOs is the availability of appropriate and high-quality data, this intervention area also covers data acquisition from observations, quality control, storage, availability, dissemination, and analysis and incorporation of data into the DTOs through AI and data assimilation (DA).

DTO applications for scenarios should connect to the marine environment but also to blue economy activities at local level. The development of validated, fit-for-purpose DTOs at sub-basin scale will include several phases, notably the selection of targeted sub-basins, the collection of relevant data for these areas, the development of process-driven, data-driven dynamic models representing the essential processes that characterize these basins, and the evaluation of the mutual interactions among the systems. Further steps include the combination with relevant models, the development of digital systems and new sensors, fit-for-purpose observations, connecting and contributing to a data-lake for storage of constantly increasing and heterogeneous data (to eg. validate models and feed AI simulators), the development of the framework for computation of multidisciplinary equilibrium among the systems, and numerical solution via large High-Performance Computing (HPC) architectures. Finally, this DTO approach will require constant test and validation of models' predictions, delivering an assessment of risks and uncertainties as well as specialized tools for access, rapid analysis, and dynamic visualization of the data and the predicted solutions.

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• Mapping and understanding user requirements for models, based on input from relevant communities (research, business, management), and turning this knowledge into applications based on stakeholder requirements.
• Assess data availability from multiple sources at regional level and identify possible data gaps that limit DT development.
• Using available data for uncertainty quantification of the data and models relevant to selected use cases at a sub-sea-basin scale.
• Demonstrate new sensors and innovative approaches to fill identified data gaps to provide more and more accurate information on sub-systems.
• Understand the trade-offs and risks associated to the holistic management of selected areas and map the needs for advancing fit-for-purpose observations and models where existing models do not apply.  
• General frameworks for exchanging information between models.  

A close scientific and expert cooperation and coordination is needed to ensure appropriate timing, complementarities, convergence, and interoperability with other ongoing and planned DTO initiatives, notably under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, Horizon Europe actions (Cluster 6), national projects, and DTO core infrastructures.

Implementation, enablers, and synergies 

In addition to cash calls for R&I proposals, there is good potential for in-kind contribution and engaging observing systems and national monitoring efforts to ensure harmonization of data collection and better coverage and frequency of measurements to improve the fundamental modelling.

Relevant SRIA enablers for achieving the targets include FAIR data; social sciences and humanities (SSH) integration and social innovation, considering the socioeconomic and coastal community aspects of area specific modelling; training activity that address human capacity needs; social innovation and rules for practical applications; sustainable financing of infrastructures.  

Synergies will be sought with activities under Horizon Europe, including EU Mission actions, Copernicus, EDITO and EMODnet, EOOS UN Decade, relevant RIs, and other EU and national/international projects and activities.

Outcomes and Impacts  

• Examples of outcomes from R&I investment in this area: Sub-basin ODT; Intelligent environmental monitoring systems and new sensor technology; synergies between available data networks.  
• Environmental impacts: Planning and adaptation strategies put in place to tackle environmental and climate change.    
• Social impacts: better stakeholder engagement (incl. citizens), inter-institutional collaborations & investments.
• Economic impacts: Higher use of intelligent decision support system (DSS) by industry, municipalities and coastal communities, and potential for circular business models.  

Background and rationale 

Planning and managing sea-uses are essential for sustainable resource management, conservation of marine ecosystems, conflict resolution, disaster risk reduction, economic development, and addressing climate change challenges. By adopting an integrated and holistic approach to planning and management, societies can ensure the long-term health, productivity, and resilience of the ocean. This is particularly relevant in coastal areas, where enhanced anthropic pressure, intensified land-ocean fluxes of matter and energy and overlapping of multiple human uses and users should coexist with ecosystem conservation goals, aiming at achieving a good environmental status.  

The boundaries and operational objectives for sustainable development and Good Environmental Status are defined under the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Within this framework, ecosystem-based management (EBM) of human uses and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) plays an important role in achieving Europe’s objectives of decarbonisation and biodiversity protection by supporting more efficient use of marine space, while reducing conflicting uses and inefficiencies in transport and related facilities (EC COM (2021)240 final). MSP plays a crucial role in defining suitable space for Blue Economy sectors to operate, while assessing and mitigating their cumulative impacts and promoting coexistence with other sea uses.

The overarching goal of this Intervention Area is to support science-based decision making that takes stock of environmental status, the legacy of human impacts, climate change trends, and future scenarios, considering multitude of pressures from uses of marine space and marine resources. The Intervention Area focuses on R&I needs related to Ecosystems-based management and Maritime Spatial Planning, aiming to support cross-border cooperation and management of marine protected areas, innovative tools for decision making that combine data from various sectors, as well as knowledge generation on areas such as Good Environmental Status (GES), focussed on land-ocean fluxes of nutrients and energy and emergent pollutants derived from urban systems, intensive agriculture and industrial activities and on the valuation of ecosystem services, particularly the carbon sequestration capacity of coastal blue carbon ecosystems. The Intervention Area also encompasses reconstructions of seafloor changes in 4D in areas of significant natural dynamic and/or heavy human impact, R&I needs within maritime surveillance, the development of innovative solutions to reduce the ecological impact of commercial ports as well as more inclusive processes for development of decision support-systems. Co-design, co-development, and co-use with MSP competent authorities at national and regional level will be essential to ensure direct capitalization of results and to widen the information basis available to relevant authorities, particularly by including socio economic data sources. 

Key thematic areas 

1. Fostering the full use of scientific knowledge for effective management and conservation   

Assessments of ecosystem health is a prerequisite for effective environmental management and conservation. Innovative research on this topic will provide essential data for the identification of suitable areas for diverse uses, minimizing conflicts and maximizing sustainable development. Ecosystem based management, including MSP, requires high resolution mapping of marine underwater morphology and marine uses and quantification of indicators describing ecosystem status and pressures caused by human uses. The temporal evolution of the monitored variables, either abiotic (seafloor morphology, sediment dynamics, etc.) or biotic (community structure and function) are relevant for MSP, and other marine policies, notably the MSFD. Innovative strategies of repeated bathymetric surveys should be adopted in dynamic coastal and nearshore areas characterized by consistent sediment transport and consequent modification of the sea floor morphology. Scientific knowledge will provide essential tools for the evaluation of ecosystem services and for the maintenance or restoration of their supply. Effective management and conservation of the carbon capture capacity of coastal blue carbon ecosystems will help launching ecologically viable carbon sequestration management strategies within the EU Green Deal policy and to provide the needed knowledge to implement the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) regulation. This thematic area will provide innovative tools for the assessment of ecosystem health and for the implementation of management strategies in complex socioecological systems at the land-ocean interface where intense human-derived pressures (nutrients, pollutants, sound, etc) derived from urbanization, agriculture or industrial activities occur, in close interaction with the Water Framework Directive.  

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• Research to better implement integrated economical, ecological, and social ocean health indicators into marine ecosystem management tools.
• Provision of essential data for enhanced understanding of marine ecosystems and effective environmental management and conservation and supporting the identification of suitable areas for different uses, minimizing conflicts, and maximizing sustainable development.  
• Performing intelligent seafloor sampling surveys and assessing seafloor ecosystem health, damage/degradation of marine habitat and effectiveness of restoration measures.
• Generation of knowledge and tools for improving currently available risk assessment procedures and management strategies for extreme events in the coastal realm.    
• Development of suitable ecosystem-based population dynamics models to support management and conservation strategies in the marine domain (considering also ecological connectivity and including MPAs)
• Research focussed on innovative tools for ocean health assessment and for the implementation of management strategies at highly anthropized land-ocean interface ecosystems, including those affected by large inputs from intensive agriculture, highly urbanized areas or industrial activities.
• Research aiming at gaining understanding on the resilient supply of key ecosystem services in complex multi-use and multi-users marine socio-ecological systems.
• Assessment of the spatial extent, carbon reservoir size and resilience and development of effective conservation and restoration strategies in coastal blue carbon ecosystems.  

2. Sustainable commercial and industrial ports integrated in the coastal socio-ecological system  

The thematic area closely interacts with the Partnership Zero-emission Waterborne Transport e.g. working group, and others, e.g. DUT, CET). Trying to minimize the overlapping between that partnership and SBEP, this thematic area is proposed to restrict its scope to the interaction between ports and the marine environment and to their role within the local coastal socio-ecological system though their interaction with other coastal and marine and maritime uses and users.

Commercial and industrial ports occupy a significant fraction of the littoral boundary in highly urbanized areas affecting coastal diversity being one of the main economic activities operating at the land-ocean interface. They are a source of nutrients, pollutants, energy and alien species entering local marine systems and are key players in the coastal socio-ecological system frequently interacting and generating conflicts with other uses (fisheries, tourism, recreative activities etc). The decarbonisation process of ports may have impacts on the marine environment associated to the development of renewal energy platforms. Moreover, strategic and operational planning of port areas is crucial in determining maritime transport routes and heatmaps and therefore their interactions and potential conflicts with other uses and with marine ecosystems (e.g. NIS, emissions of pollutants, underwater noise).

Activities within this thematic area should focus on:  

• Development of new technological and management tools towards zero-waste (including all types of pollutions) and carbon neutral ports  
• Adapting port infrastructures to future maritime climate scenarios, including sea level rise and extreme events (Blue infrastructures to be considered)
• Restoration of highly modified water bodies and sedimentary systems affected by port activities
• Investigating innovative Nature based Solutions (see definition NbS) to enhance marine diversity associated with port infrastructures.
• Reducing environmental impacts of port renewable energy systems on the marine environment  
• Identifying and testing solutions to improve the coexistence of maritime transport with other uses and reduce impacts on ecosystems within MSP processes at national and transboundary level
• Identifying and testing solutions to improve the coexistence of maritime transport with other uses and reduce impacts on ecosystems within MSP processes at national and transboundary level  

3. Enhanced Marine and Maritime Surveillance

Maritime Surveillance includes the protection of marine resources from illegal activities (fishery control, oil spill detection, environmental degradation monitoring etc.), food security, transport safety and the monitoring of critical marine infrastructures (e.g., renewable energy and aquaculture offshore platforms), key issues for a sustainable blue economy. Different observation systems for data acquisition (satellite and stratospheric-platform, including ship-borne observations), sharing and management are the fundamental tools of Maritime Surveillance.

Activities should explore obstacles and opportunities for: 

• Integrating platforms and services for maritime surveillance through data sharing between the existing EU and national platforms.
• Implementing platforms allowing the integration of marine and maritime data analytics with socio-economic data.  
• Data from maritime surveillance to inform the implementation of monitoring processes. 

4. Development of innovative Decision Support Tools (DSTs)  

MSP is recognized today as an essential tool to prevent conflict between policy priorities and to reconcile nature conservation with economic development (EC COM (2021) 240 final). Its complexity requires sophisticated tools to analyse and visualise data, assess potential conflicts, and identify optimal solutions. DSTs can significantly enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of MSP processes. By integrating multiple data sources and modelling techniques, DST will allow decision-makers to evaluate different scenarios and provide for a better-informed decision-making by considering the broader impacts and interdependencies among different sea-uses.

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• New methodologies for integrating and operationalising socio-economic and socio-ecological aspects in MSP to quantitatively estimate environmental, social, and economic benefits of MSP in present and future scenarios.
• Filling knowledge gaps on pressures, states, and ecosystem functioning, as well as re-use potential of relevant data from existing repositories and broader sources.
• Explore transboundary scenarios and multi-lateral solutions (e.g., international protected areas; protection of highly mobile species and shared stocks and resources; environmental disasters; preparedness to marine hazards).
• Identifying environmental and socio-economic trends and drivers and building scenarios at sea basin and sub-sea basin scale for informed adaptive planning and management.  
• advanced models for integrating multiple disciplines to create digital intelligent supporting tools (including Artificial Intelligence based) able to consider environmental processes, anthropogenic activities (coastal and sea uses), socio-economic and socio-ecological aspects. case studies and demonstrators of the concrete added value of the developed DSTs for specific sector planning demands, with a focus on coastal areas and land-sea interactions (e.g., offshore renewable energies, aquaculture, fisheries, maritime transport, coastal and maritime tourism, commercial ports and multi-use of marine space).  
• Overcoming technical and non-technical barriers in co-using advanced DSTs in institutional MSP processes. 

Implementation, enablers, and synergies  

R&I calls for proposals are important to address knowledge gaps, develop solutions, and build R&I capacity within the area. There is good potential for engaging observing systems and RIs through additional activities (in-kind contributions), e.g., in relation to maritime surveillance and seafloor sampling and observation. Development of blue economy sectors and the optimal use of resources etc are addressed in IA: "Transitioning Blue Economy Sectors", and part of other IA's.

Innovative governance and integration of SSH are key enablers to achieve the goals. Research and innovation efforts are needed to address the lack of data standards and challenges of combining data from a variety of sources.  

The Intervention Area will build on input from relevant projects under HE (Cluster 6 Destination 1 topics in particular). It will align with EU Missions ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’ and 'Adaptation to Climate Change' and the DTO initiative. Among European Partnerships Biodiversa+; Artificial Intelligence (AI), data and robotics, Zero Emission Waterborne Transport, and FutureFoodS will be of relevance.  

Many organizations and initiatives at global and sea-basin scale are involved in promoting and implementing MSP, including from United Nations to the UNESCO/IOC to executing authorities of the Regional Sea Conventions to national governments implementing relevant European directives.

Outcomes and Impacts 

• Examples of outcomes from R&I investment in this area: enhanced capacity for R&I in support of MSP; co-designed AI-based DSTs for MSP; application of DSTs to case study areas/topics; framework conditions for a stronger ocean industry collaboration across sectors; identification of data-gaps; improved MSP plans, transferring DST results in the formal MSP processes & plans; tools for the implementation of relevant policies, strategies and directives; transdisciplinary and socio-ecological approaches for MSP processes at different scales; more coherent MSP in the same sea basin and overall; common tools and decisions and transfer of tools among stakeholders in the involved regions; several regions and MS involved in the process of MSP and development; more climate resilient and ecosystem-based MSP; improved co-design / co-planning, from strategic objectives to specific management measures; skills and education to enable use of digital support tools.
• Environmental impacts: avoidance of negative impacts on environment based on early identification.
• Social Impacts: improved public trust in the research-innovation-management chain; Improved public literacy regarding transformations of the seafloor and water mass.
• Economic impacts: evidence-based decision making that greens the industry; decreased carbon footprint of blue economic drivers. 

Background and rationale 

The ocean industries face several common challenges which can be tackled more efficiently by stimulating cross-sectorial technological cooperation and ensure the transitions needed. The key drivers of technological development are sustainability, safety in operation, green and cost-efficient solutions.

Within the broader policy framework of the Partnership, the aim of the Intervention Area is to bolster long-term sustainable purpose-driven technological innovations. The Intervention Area is not limited to any sector or activity but covers the entire blue economy, focusing on the prerequisites for a green and digital transition of these sectors and on the conditions for co-existence and multi-use of activities and infrastructures at sea. Through this Intervention Area the Partnership will support marine and maritime contributions to curbing greenhouse gas emissions towards net zero and solutions for climate related mitigation and adaptation (e.g., Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal, production of blue renewable energy) that strengthen societal and economic resilience against climate-change impacts and addressing other environmental concerns. The Intervention Area focuses on actions that will bring us closer to sustainability, whether in relation to materials (cf., EU Waste Framework Directive, Critical Raw Materials initiative) and/or helping to minimise conflicts deriving from the demands for space at sea or at the coast.

The activities within the Blue Economy sectors represent highly complex multi-actor social-ecological systems. The transition of these sectors will therefore include broad industrial stakeholder involvement and a diversified funding strategy. Common challenges within all highlighted target areas include regulatory and legal constraints and opportunities, social acceptance of the developments for existing and emerging sectors, socio-economic considerations for a just transition, and broad and inclusive approaches based on principles of social innovation (attitudes and perceptions; learning, networking, and collaboration; and scale, scope, and resonance). Other common challenges are related to corporate social responsibility and social acceptance and license to operate, and the need for new or improved tools and regimes to manage complex safety, security and risk conditions arising from increased co-existence and multi-use structures, including considering biodiversity and cross sectoral issues.   

Key thematic areas 

This Intervention Area contains two strongly connected sub-areas. There are equally strong linkages with the intervention areas on digital twin solutions, and on marine spatial planning. The focus here is on the material and spatial intervention aspects. 

1. Transitioning the Blue Economy through innovations

Actions under this Intervention Area should emphasise technology and process development, solution orientation, and integrated approaches to develop the sustainable Blue Economy in the context of climate change and other environmental challenges. Projects and their clusters should plan a clear path (e.g., value chain perspective) from new knowledge and innovative services and/or products to a possible service offer to end-users and how to address demands by end-users. Actions can also explore opportunities for connections between different functions of activities, private as well as public, in the marine domain.

In relation to the climate, biodiversity and other environmental challenges, there is a need to: 

• improve resilience to natural disasters,
• increase natural capital (enhancing marine biodiversity), and
• restore ecosystems (e.g., advance nature-based solutions (NbS) (see definition NbS), and  
• to consider safe and acceptable possibilities for the sequestration of carbon in a biotic or abiotic form in the marine domain.  

Activities should address the following aspects: 

• Tools, techniques, and processes, to facilitate, monitor and/or assess impacts of interventions in the marine domain that address the above, contributing to understanding and quantifying the ecosystem responses to direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures.
• Promoting standardisation in innovation and procurement processes to scale up the application of new solutions at higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL).
• Developing co-creation and collaboration to enhance understanding for scientists and policymakers to assess overall environmental, social and economic impacts (including multi-use) on the ocean and society.
• Creation of markets and business models: identification of opportunities for profit within appropriate bounds of social license. 

The high material intensity of maritime activities, taking account of rapid changes in energy systems requires full consideration of transition to circularity for existing and upcoming sea-based activities. This includes enabling novel materials and technologies for sustainable manufacturing and product life cycle management, as well as ensuring safe and acceptable possibilities for the sequestration of carbon in a biotic or abiotic form in the marine domain. Activities should address the following aspects:

• Decommissioning options in existing and upcoming segments of the transport and energy sectors at meso (type) and macro (sector segment) level,  
• Sustainable and cost-efficient solutions for construction, maintenance, reuse of offshore structures.
• Business models for possible investment mechanisms to facilitate the re-use of installations in the marine domain addressed from a legal, environmental, and economical perspective.
• Innovation for minimizing any impact and reducing environmental footprint of new structures, small- and medium-sized vessels and recreational boating, installations.
• Nature-based Solutions: compatibilities and incompatibilities of material use(s) in view of enhancing natural functions using a combination of approaches.
• Carbon: activities and their consequences in relation to sequestration of carbon in the marine domain. 

2. Improve co-existence and multi-use infrastructures 

In view of the increasing demand for space, activities and functions at sea, multi-use spatial concepts, including multi-use infrastructures, bring a potential for synergistic benefits for associated sectors. At the same time, the risk of conflicts and negative environmental effects needs to be minimised. Any multi-use of installations or space increases the complexity compared to a ‘single-use’ situation and requires cost-benefit analysis to understand and valorise its economic and social value chain (e.g., research and innovation, new job profiles, diversification of the tourism sector) and make informed decisions as to its benefit for society and the environment. As an example, industry actors can support multi-use by proposing possible investment mechanisms to facilitate the re-use of installations from a legal, environmental, and economical perspective.  

Crowding of space may result in industrial activities moving to further offshore areas, and climate change will generate a more hostile environment for marine and maritime operations (higher sea states, more frequent extreme events). Activities should address the following aspects: 

• How to deal with increased challenges for operations and platforms, for which management and monitoring of operations will need intelligent, faster, and more reliable control systems for remote intervention, including data simulation of potential accidents and spills, efficient strategies for prevention/containment, and consequent environmental remediation approaches.  
• Mechanisms to promote sustainable, safe and secure coexistence of several spatial functions and activities (e.g., energy production and habitat protection, or energy production and sustainable integrated aquaculture) within the Blue Economy, and how to address such coexistence within the legal, economic, social, management, and policy context.
• How to combine infrastructure, functions, and logistics: For example, energy produced at sea can be used for aquaculture farms, hydrogen production, and desalinization, whereas hydrogen can also be used as a vector to transfer energy on shore, or to refuel ships propelled by hydrogen.  

Implementation, enablers, and synergies  

Direct engagement with stakeholders from the industry is foreseen to reflect the range of sectors addressed within this Intervention Area. R&I activities will involve multiple domains including mathematics/physics, maritime, marine and aquaculture sciences, science diplomacy, economics, legal studies, and political sciences, and extend to research infrastructures and their authorities responsible at national level, and NGOs. Co-creation is foreseen by aligning activities with those of the EU Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters' and their regional lighthouses.  Maritime spatial planning (MSP), the marine strategy framework directive (MSFD), common fishery policy (CFP), and the marine protected areas (MPAs) with a focus on the regional dimension, are addressed in IA: "Managing sea-uses".

A range of tools are foreseen to enable R&I, including Knowledge Hubs, fora with industry to understand gaps and needs, capacity building for countries without expertise in marine structures, and R&I call(s). A successful implementation will need the support of innovative NbS and purpose-driven and smart digital technologies, e.g., simulations, risk assessments and planning purposes, automated data collection and monitoring, models, taxonomy. There is good potential for engagement of in-kind infrastructures such as test-basins, simulation facilities, Digital Twin technologies, and research platforms. 

Outcomes and Impacts 

• Examples of outcomes from R&I investment in this area: solutions for curbing greenhouse gas emissions, targeting climate neutrality in the Blue Economy, strengthening societal and economic resilience against climate-change impacts, and targeting climate neutrality from marine and maritime infrastructures. Improved assessments of ecological dynamics versus socioeconomic needs; New knowledge, tools, information, platforms, and incentives to support actors from all sectors to drive the just and inclusive transition; piloting of multi-use structures; science-based recommendations for blue economic development to policymakers; support for bio- and ecological observation networks through multi-use of structures.
• Environmental impacts: Improved marine biodiversity & ecosystems and increased clean (renewable) energy generation (e.g., coupling energy production with habitat protection through the creation of OECM- Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures); Better planning of marine areas suitable for the production of reviewable energy. More agile frameworks developed to cater to environmental challenges; Increased uptake of nature-based solutions; Increased resilience of the whole ecosystems (including fisheries).
• Social impacts: Generation of sustainable blue growth and markets in alignment with stakeholder interests and consumers’ rights; opportunities for new working life skills and knowledge; social acceptance of improved and new uses of ocean structures, including within the Blue Economy sectors, is achieved, and affected citizens and workers are engaged in the development.
• Economic impacts: generation of sustainable blue markets and opportunities; introduction into the EU legislation the allocation of areas devoted to renewable energy production. 

Background and rationale 

The EU Green Deal sets the context for Europe’s blue economy to become sustainable and climate-neutral by 2050. The Blue Bioeconomy represents an important component of the broader blue economy, delivering food, feed and bio-based products for internal and export markets. With the completion of the Horizon 2020 BlueBio ERA-Net in 2023, the SBEP becomes a key implementing mechanism in Horizon Europe for blue bioeconomy R&D. To achieve sustainability, it is important to consider all stages of the bioresources value chain, from production (capture fisheries, aquaculture etc) to seafood processing, extracting value from waste streams, developing new types of biomasses, new food and non-food products, as well as advanced extraction technologies such as those used in biorefineries. Cooperation will be sought with the FutureFoodS partnership, which will focus on the post-farming and fishing part of food systems, avoiding overlaps as much as possible.

Key thematic areas 

1.    Sustainable Fisheries and Harvesting

Overexploitation and the cumulative impact of overfishing, with the effects of pollutants, climate change and other drivers on susceptible species and ecosystems, is leading to unsustainable scenarios for the next decades. Moreover, as stated in the Misalignment of EMFAF Operational Programmes with EU Environmental and Social Objectives (2021–2027) Policy Brief, there is a persistent mismatch between the measures that need financial support to achieve the EU’s environmental and social objectives and the way EU public funds are actually used. In the marine sector only, this misalignment is particularly stark. In Europe, a significant share of EMFAF resources continues to support activities that harm marine ecosystems rather than funding solutions that protect them. To bring Europe's fish stocks back to sustainable levels, there are important challenges remaining. More food, feed or biotic resources for other purposes can be obtained from more targeted fisheries and harvesting by improved management of overfished stocks, optimised fishing technologies and practices to reduce bycatch and discards, and increased fishing and harvesting of underutilised species (i.e., zooplankton, other invertebrates, macroalgae, invasive species). A forward-looking ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach under EU legislation, yet tailored to local conditions, will reduce adverse impacts of fishing and harvesting on marine ecosystems, particularly sensitive species, and on vulnerable habitats. The sustainability of mesopelagic fisheries is still being assessed and there is a unique opportunity to ensure that EBM is embedded from the outset. New digital tools such as remote electronic monitoring systems, catch reporting using mobile applications, ecosystem modelling and artificial intelligence tools can optimise both small- and large-scale fishing operations. At the same time, such technologies can enable data collection and analysis that can support the development of sustainable management practices, while providing full traceability for our seafood. Assessments and solution scenarios should consider the impact and social implications of combined drivers such as habitat degradation, pollution, warming, water stratification and acidification, as well as their effects, such as changes in ecosystem composition, higher frequency of toxic algal blooms and alterations in species migration and phenology.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Integrated approaches to innovation for fishing vessels to improve vessel operations and practices, including technology for e.g., location (also to contrast illegal fisheries), and water characteristics, catch logistics, while reducing the use of fossil fuels.
• Exploring and co-developing with industry the potential for new fishing techniques, technologies, and new resources for small-scale fisheries, seaweed harvesting and new invasive species, and ways to support fishers in this transition.
• Research to inform policy options and management of migratory fish stocks that spend different parts of their life cycle in different jurisdictions.
• Supporting the application of ecosystem-based management approaches.
• Understanding the impacts of climate change and human activities, including pollution, on commercial fisheries, fish stocks and other species with commercial potential.
• Understanding cross-compliance, alignment and trade-offs between fisheries policy and management with other policy domains (MSP, MSFD, WFD) and the implications of measures associated with the EU Nature Restoration Law on fishing and fishers.  
• Technological advancements to preserve the nutritional value.
• Increased R&I efforts to improve the understanding of species’ role in the trophic webs, as well as their growth potential as seen in an integrated sustainability and biodiversity-resilience perspective, including the knowledge in concrete management solutions (based on managers’ needs).
• Understanding the social, economic and regulatory drivers, and consequences of change in commercial fisheries to inform both fisheries, economic and regional development policy and planning.
• R&I that supports new digital tools for monitoring for well-informed and timely decision making and sustainable management.
• Development of more selective fishing gears that reduce environmental impact, particularly in the bottom-contact fisheries, and for harvesting new species including macroalgae.
   

2.    Aquaculture

Production of safe food, ensuring food security, and producing sustainable bioproducts through aquaculture have room for improvement in diversification, competitiveness, and environmental performance. Aquaculture production should be rethought to satisfy growing consumer demand for blue food, as well as the need for innovative blue bioproducts, while enhancing the social, economic, and environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality of the production. This requires targeted technological advancements and diversified production solutions also considering regional and local differences throughout Europe. Regenerative aquaculture, integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), offshore production, including in multi-use platforms, closed systems, or land-based infrastructure with the use of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), are options for culturing established and new species. Diversification of species, in particular the expansion and production of organisms of the primary and/or low trophic levels, faces several challenges that need technological advancements. For macroalgae, there is a need for R&I that supports spatial considerations, as well as new offshore production techniques that require further development and facilities, including larger-scale farms, mechanisation, and methods for post-harvest processing. The new and modified technological and digital systems should favour and promote the health and welfare and quality of the farmed fish.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Challenges and opportunities associated with further development and expansion of seaweed production (including macro- and microalgae), in relation to environmental, health and safety concerns, e.g., vectors for diseases, spread of invasive species, bioaccumulation, etc.
• Development of biologically, technically, and economically feasible onshore recirculating aquaculture systems opportunities for fish, shellfish, and seaweed.
• Challenges and opportunities associated with aquaculture, including potential threats for food safety such as algal blooms, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of xenobiotics; production of sustainable and healthy feed, cost/benefits for longer distance offshore production.
• Innovative alternative solutions to produce established and new species, including integrated multitrophic aquaculture, regenerative aquaculture, new systems associated with other economic offshore activities, and closed or land-based systems.
• Development/adaptation of aquaculture to work as a Nature-Based Solution (NbS) towards environmental challenges and climate change.   
• New high-value and sustainable feed sources to ensure sufficient and balanced feeds that promote fish quality, health, and welfare.
• Development of Digital Twins for a holistic approach, including design, build and operation phases.
• Identifying the socio-economic challenges of integrating aquaculture into the existing sea-based economy, or the socio-economic consequences of replacing existing activities. Providing evidence for policy development to mitigate the ‘crowding out’ effects related to challenges accessing investment funding, skilled labour markets, and the licensing and regulatory barriers faced by potential small and medium-sized aquaculture start-ups.
   

3.    Enabling a circular blue bioeconomy

Transitioning to a circular blue bioeconomy, whereby the entire biomass of fish, shellfish and seaweed sourced from capture fisheries and aquaculture is utilised, presents both challenges and opportunities. Current policy and regulation can be a barrier to developing new bio-products from waste or side streams (by-catch, rest raw materials etc.), and there is a growing body of evidence to support policy reform. New, sustainable, high-value products can be developed through a biorefinery approach, e.g., by valorising waste streams, thereby minimising waste and enhancing the value chain. Further exploration of the synergies between blue (aquatic farming) and green (agriculture) is another opportunity in a fully circular blue bioeconomy. For example, side streams from agriculture could be used in aquaculture, or bio-stimulants derived from marine sources could be used in agriculture. New solutions are also needed for existing challenges, e.g., seaweed as a bioplastic.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Opportunities for developing new sustainable bio-based products (feed/chemical/pharmaceutical/material/food) or services to accelerate the ocean economy and provide solutions for existing challenges.
• Technology challenges to overcome sensory and other drawbacks to increase consumer acceptance for new products.  
• R&I in support of traceability of bio-based products from marine sources through digitalisation.
• R&I that supports policy reform with respect to regulations on use of waste or side streams for a variety of new bio-based products (feed/chemical/pharmaceutical/nutraceutical/material/food.
   

Implementation, enablers, and synergies 

R&I topics will be formulated for calls for proposals, where projects will be expected to involve a broad range of scientific disciplines, industry partners, citizens, and policy stakeholders in order to meet the stated objectives and the quadruple helix ambition. Relevant additional activities could include bringing together diverse marine stakeholder to co-develop objectives, assessing the access and status of research, testing, and demonstration facilities, or supporting the uptake of innovative solutions.

Synergies and complementarity will be sought through dialogue with other relevant and potential overlapping initiatives, particularly EU partnerships Biodiversa+, FutureFoodS, Water4All, and Animal Health and Welfare; actions under the Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters (Mission Ocean); the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU) and Waterborne platform. It is important to ensure that new knowledge, products, or services stemming from Cluster 5 and 6 calls are taken up in relevant blue sectors (by both production and value chain stakeholders).

Outcomes and Impacts

The R&I investments in this Intervention Area are expected to yield tangible outcomes and impacts across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

• R&I investment impacts: Sustainably produced, healthy, nutritious, affordable and climate friendly blue food; diversification of food, feed and other feedstock for products with focus on lower trophic levels; improved production efficiencies, for seafood products; greater understanding of the impacts of climate change and human activities on commercial fisheries and fish stock; value chain approaches; aquatic bio-productions that are regionally adapted, well integrated into area-based management, with more selective and less damaging fishing techniques; deployment of new technical solutions, digital capabilities such as AI and DTOs, nature-based and social innovations as well as community-led and purpose-driven technology for the blue food sectors.
• Environmental impacts: healthier marine ecosystems; reduced impact of fisheries on marine habitats; reduced overfishing by supporting legislation to reducing fishing pressure on overexploited species; optimized technology for reduced bycatch and disincentivising its exploitation; supporting the industry shift towards carbon neutrality by development of more selective and less energy-consuming technologies and procedures.
• Social impacts: more informed consumers; improved understanding of social and economic drivers of change in the blue bioeconomy and in economic and regional development policy and planning; uptake of innovative fishing gear; better support to fishers in this transition.

• Economic impacts: productive and competitive greening of the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors; improved traceability and labelling of blue food; increase in the number of blue-green companies, products, processes and services; reduced import dependencies and strengthened tech industries; policy and management options to inform EU (common fisheries policy) and third-party negotiations in respect of migratory species.

   

Background and rationale 

The boundaries and operational objectives for sustainable development and Good Environmental Status are defined under the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Within this framework, an integrated and holistic approach to planning and management i.e. ecosystem-based management of human activities (EBM),  and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) play an important role in achieving Europe’s objectives of decarbonisation and biodiversity protection by supporting more efficient use of marine space, while reducing conflicting uses and inefficiencies in transport and related facilities (EC COM/2021/240 final). MSP plays a crucial role in defining suitable space for Blue Economy sectors to operate, while assessing and mitigating their cumulative impacts and promoting coexistence with other sea uses. MSP also needs to ensure that these human activities are compatible with restoration goals, as defined in the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) and take into account existing and planned marine protected areas (MPAs). Furthermore, MSP should consider knowledge on climate change, be flexible to changing conditions and support climate mitigation and adaptation (Frazão Santos et al, 2024). This is particularly relevant in coastal areas, characterised by enhanced anthropogenic pressure from overlapping multiple uses and intensified land-ocean fluxes of matter and energy, which render ecosystem conservation and restoration goals, aiming at achieving a good environmental status, even more challenging.

The overarching goal of this Intervention Area is to support science-based decision making that takes stock of environmental status, the legacy of human impacts, climate change trends, and future scenarios, considering the multitude of pressures from uses of marine space and marine resources. The Intervention Area focuses on R&I needs related to ecosystem-based management and Maritime Spatial Planning, aiming to support cross-border cooperation and management of marine space and marine protected areas, innovative tools for decision making that combine data from various sectors (eg, decision support systems), as well as knowledge generation on areas such as Good Environmental Status (GES). Co-design, co-development, and co-use with MSP, MSFD and NRR competent authorities at the national and regional levels will be essential to ensure direct capitalisation of results and to widen the information basis available to relevant authorities, particularly by including socio-economic data sources. The implementation of ecosystem-based MSP is currently hindered by a lack of standardised procedures and indicators, fragmented governance with weak cross-border coordination, and significant data and knowledge gaps, particularly regarding ecosystem functioning, cumulative impacts, and socio-ecological linkages. Through targeted actions at a sufficient scale, this IA has the potential to contribute significantly to the implementation of the MSFD and the review of the MSP Directive, its relationship with nature restoration and to the EU Ocean Pact. 

Key thematic areas

1. Fostering the full use of scientific knowledge for effective management, conservation and restoration  

Assessment of ecosystem health is a prerequisite for effective environmental management, conservation and restoration. Innovative research on this topic will provide essential data for the identification of suitable areas for diverse uses and setting boundaries for these uses through licensing, thereby minimising conflicts and maximising sustainable development and protection of marine ecosystems. Ecosystem-based management, including MSP, requires high-resolution mapping of ecological features and human uses and quantification of indicators describing ecosystem status and (cumulative) pressures caused by human uses. The temporal evolution and spatial patterns of the monitored variables, either abiotic or biotic (community structure and function) are relevant for MSP and other marine policies, notably the MSFD and NRR. Scientific knowledge will provide essential tools for the evaluation of ecosystem services and for the maintenance or restoration of their supply. Effective management and conservation of the carbon capture capacity of coastal blue carbon ecosystems will help launching ecologically viable carbon sequestration management strategies within the EU Green Deal policy and provide the needed knowledge to implement the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) regulation. This thematic area will provide innovative tools or strategies for the assessment and restoration of ecosystem health and for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions and management strategies in complex socioecological systems. At the land-ocean interface, where intense human pressures (nutrients, pollutants, sound, etc) derived from urbanisation, agriculture, or industrial activities occur, close interaction with the Water Framework Directive implementation is needed.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Research focused on status and ecosystem service assessment, through development of monitoring programmes and methods to assess ecological status, including of MPAs, notably of protected species and habitats therein, and evaluate management effectiveness, both for individual MPAs and regional MPA networks. Digitalisation of monitoring processes enables more efficient and accurate data collection and analysis.
• Development of approaches, eg, using natural capital accounting or simulation tools, can help predict ecosystem responses and optimise management strategies, for the integrated assessment of ecosystem services to provide more information on the links between the ecosystem and the social-economic system to support the implementation of ecosystem-based management of human activities and marine policies.
• Research focused on pressures and their impact, through improve data coverage of physical and chemical human pressures affecting seafloor integrity, and of benthic habitats, eg. by performing intelligent seafloor sampling surveys, to assess the s3e3tatus of these habitats and evaluate the effectiveness of restoration measures. Artificial intelligence can be applied to analyse complex datasets and identify patterns in human pressures and ecosystem changes.
• Research focused on developing reduction targets for anthropogenic pressures, such as for pollution through quantification of nutrients, hazardous substances and litter sources that lead to inputs to the sea, especially in highly anthropised land-ocean interface ecosystems, and quantification of efficiency of measures that can curb these sources. Sources are both land-based (agriculture, urban and industrial wastewater, ports) and sea-based (shipping, offshore energy production, aquaculture). With regard to sea-based sources of pollution/introduction of energy, underwater noise and electromagnetic fields are also of concern. For underwater noise, the EU threshold values still need to be specified regarding the target species and relevant habitats to be considered.

• Research focused on the effectiveness of measures, including Nature-based Solutions, with the identification of areas, as well as development and improvement of methods, for the restoration of benthic habitats/biotopes, e.g. habitat-forming species such as seagrass beds, macrophyte stands and reefs, along with improving the understanding of the wider synergistic effects of habitat restoration efforts. This aims to support effective measures to improve biodiversity and nature-based solutions for tackling climate change and its impacts, using, for instance, the carbon sequestration capacity of coastal blue carbon ecosystems.

   

2. Development of innovative Decision Support Tools (DSTs) 

MSP is recognised today as an essential tool to prevent conflict between policy priorities and to reconcile nature conservation with economic development (EC COM/2021/240 final). However, the effective implementation of an Ecosystem-Based Maritime Spatial Planning (EB-MSP) framework is hindered by insufficient operational guidelines, poorly defined and time-bounded objectives, lack of standardised indicators and monitoring mechanisms, inadequate spatial and temporal boundaries for the assessments, and fragmented governance structures. Furthermore, data and knowledge gaps, such as limited information on ecosystem functioning, socio-ecological systems, and future spatial-use scenarios, combined with weak stakeholder engagement and a lack of adaptive management tools, collectively impede coherent, evidence-based, and cross-sectoral decision-making. The complexity of MSP and EB-MSP requires new digital tools to analyse large, heterogeneous datasets from various sources, as well as sophisticated tools to analyse and visualise data, assess potential conflicts, and identify optimal solutions that support predictive modelling. DSTs can significantly enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of MSP processes. By integrating multiple data sources and modelling techniques, DSTs will allow decision-makers to evaluate different scenarios and make better-informed decisions by considering the broader impacts and interdependencies among different sea uses. Following open science practices must ensure that research outputs of DST’s support policy-making, enhance public engagement, and remain widely accessible, fostering transparency, reproducibility, and innovation. The blue economy benefits from shared knowledge and resources.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Development and improvement of digital tools (Artificial Intelligence based) Decision Support Tools that can perform qualitative and quantitative analyses to support implementation of the ecosystem-based management of human activities.
• Development of new digital and simulation-based methodologies to be included in DSTs to improve quantitative estimates of environmental, social, and economic benefits of MSP in present and future scenarios, taking into account climate change, at a transnational scale.
• Identifying environmental and socio-economic trends and drivers, including environmental disasters and preparedness to marine hazards, and building scenarios at sea-basin and sub-sea basin scale for informed adaptive planning and management, including deployment of nature-based solutions.
• Development of case studies and demonstrators of the concrete added value of the developed DSTs for specific sector planning demands, with a focus onthe  coastal areas and land-sea interactions (e.g., offshore renewable energies, aquaculture, fisheries, maritime transport, coastal and maritime tourism, commercial ports and multi-use of marine space). Case studies and demonstrators could identify and test for example:
  • solutions to improve the coexistence of maritime transport with other uses and reduce impacts on ecosystems within MSP processes at national and transboundary level.
  • embedding strictly protected areas, as well as dedicated fishing areas and maritime surveillance into MSP, through dedicated zoning and management measures.
  • using nature-based solutions or nature-inclusive design of coastal structures such as harbours, breakwaters, etc.
• Contributing to overcoming technical and non-technical barriers in co-using advanced DSTs in institutional MSP processes.
   

Implementation, enablers, and synergies 

R&I calls for proposals are important to address knowledge gaps, develop solutions, and build R&I capacity within the area. A significant leverage effect for creating sufficient scientific impact at the European level could be realised through transnationally synchronised pilot projects for large-scale knowledge and capacity exchange and intensified policy follow-up, resulting from joint programming of fieldwork, including needed experiments. This can apply to both thematic areas of this IA. There is good potential for engaging observing systems and RIs through additional activities (in-kind contributions), potentially synchronised with a transnational R&I call, e.g., in relation to seafloor sampling and observation, experimenting with an agreed range of tools and methodologies for specific targeted habitats and their communities (remote sensing, acoustics, eDNA, biologging, underwater camera’s, comparing no-take zones with others, etc.). The joint programming aspects can also take the form of a transnational task description and implementation for desk- or other research to fill urgent gaps in knowledge related to the assessment of environmental status efficiently, such as for underwater noise, hydrographical conditions, optimisation of eutrophication assessment, etc. R&I efforts are also needed to address the lack of data standards and the challenges of combining data from a variety of sources.

Development of blue economy sectors and the optimal use of resources are addressed in SBEP IA: "Transitioning Blue Economy Sectors" and are also part of other IAs. The present Intervention Area will build on input from relevant projects under HE (in particular, Cluster 6 Destination 1 topics). It will align with EU Missions ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’ and 'Adaptation to Climate Change' and the DTO initiative. Among European Partnerships Biodiversa+; Artificial Intelligence (AI), data and robotics, Zero Emission Waterborne Transport, and FutureFoodS will be of relevance.

Many organizations and initiatives at global and sea-basin scale are involved in promoting and implementing MSP, MSFD and NRR, including from United Nations to the UNESCO/IOC to executing authorities of the Regional Sea Conventions to national governments implementing relevant European directives. These organisations have an interest in improving the scientific basis of their programmes and measures and are approachable for co-design of effective R&I projects. Accessible science agendas published by the Regional Sea Conventions OSPAR, HELCOM and the Black Sea Commission, and the Mediterranean Quality Status Reports provide background and concrete descriptions of the R&I needed for ecosystem-based management. It should be noted that each Region represents specific challenges regarding ecosystem status economic developments and the geopolitical situation. Governance and implementation systems depend on collaboration with non-EU countries and on available resources. This Intervention Area therefore requires basin-specific adaptation of research. 

Outcomes and Impacts

The R&I investments in this Intervention Area are expected to yield tangible outcomes and impacts across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Expected impacts are enhanced capacity for R&I, including decision-support tools, to support the implementation of the MSP, MSFD, NRR, and CFP, and to contribute to the upcoming EU Ocean Pact and Water Resilience Strategy. This relates to the following impacts of R&I projects:

• Knowledge that contributes to management measures that effectively minimise current environmental impacts, prevent future harm through the early identification of potential impacts and facilitate evidence-based nature restoration. This includes contributions to the implementation of environmental policies and MSP.
• Knowledge that supports decision making with societal and environmental benefits, improves public trust in the research-innovation-management chain, improves public literacy regarding transformations of marine ecosystems caused by climate change and direct human impacts and enhances opportunities to engage in citizen science, including staff of blue economy sectors like fishermen and offshore energy maintenance staff.
• Knowledge that broadens and deepens the evidence base for decision making to create long-term perspectives for entrepreneurship in maritime sectors that should be green and not cause any significant harm to environmental objectives.  

Background and rationale 
 

Coastal communities across Europe, notably those located in rural or peripheral areas and lacking large-scale or heavy industry, face a range of challenges, some common and others specific to their local geographical, economic, social, and cultural conditions. Many of these communities rely on seasonal business opportunities provided by coastal and marine tourism and its value chain activities. While tourism represents an important economic activity and source of income for many coastal dwellers, an over-reliance on the sector presents specific challenges, including low wages, seasonality and higher housing costs for locals due to high touristic demand. According to the 2025 EU Blue Economy Report, remuneration for those employed in the tourism sector is lower on average than in other blue economy sectors (just 50% of those working in ports, for example).

Technology, working patterns and demographic shifts (including remote working) are enabling many workers to live or relocate to rural coastal areas, bringing new economic opportunities. However, such demographic changes bring their own challenges (e.g. cost of housing), and the lack of diversity in the economic ecosystem undermines economic and community resilience to exogenous shocks.

Coastal economic activities, including tourism, aquaculture, and small-scale fisheries, are highly dependent on the quality of marine and coastal environments but can also negatively impact them. Such commercial activities depend too on coastal infrastructure, including, for example, small harbours, marinas, and coastal protection infrastructure that provide an interface between the land and the sea but are in themselves exposed to risks from climate change and extreme weather impacts.

All of these elements, physical, economic, technological, social, cultural, ecological and climatic, interact with and impact upon coastal communities and businesses in complex and interconnected ways. Enabling the development of economic and social sustainability in coastal community settings through evidence-informed policy interventions, nature-based solutions and related concepts is a key downstream impact for this intervention area. 

Key thematic areas 

1. Resilient small-scale coastal businesses

Small-scale coastal businesses operate in a continually evolving socio-economic context where seasonality, limited access to high-skilled and flexible labour markets and low productivity and ‘innovation’ are commonplace. These businesses are also highly dependent on the quality of the marine and coastal environment and are in the front line of climate and weather impacts. An improved understanding of the challenges for existing small-scale businesses and the barriers for ‘start-up’ businesses to locate in coastal regions needs to be investigated. Also relevant is to understand how social innovation, hardly funded by European or National funds, can support the identification, investment in, and sustain small-scale coastal businesses. Policy interventions to encourage more diverse business ecosystems require a strong evidence base to be more effective in supporting planning and product development. Local, national, and EU public policy requires the development of multi-level strategies to foster resilience in small-scale coastal communities and businesses and to support the diversification of coastal and marine-based enterprises.

Activities should address the following aspects:

• Understand risks posed to coastal business and communities by climate change impacts (ocean warming, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, etc.) and extreme weather events.
• Understand the social and economic disruptions arising as a consequence of rapid change in economic sectors experienced by coastal communities, in particular those with ‘cultural’ significance and the tourism sector.
• Assess the impacts of diverse coastal activities on marine and coastal environments, ecosystem health and the interdependencies with establishing resilient business ecosystems.
• Examine the impact of technologies on major societal changes caused by long-term and seasonal migration flows, which contribute to socio-political tensions.
• Explore how social innovation can help to enable diversification of coastal and marine-based enterprises.
• Define strategies for strengthening resilience and preparedness against natural and man-made shocks to coastal businesses, including through social innovation.
• Examine approaches to enable meaningful community participation and stakeholder ‘consent’ for significant policy and planning initiatives in coastal settings, including deployment of NbS.
• Improve understanding of the social and cultural costs and benefits as the coastal community transitions from traditional economic activity into a more diverse, low-impact, regenerative business ecosystem.
• Improve understanding of financing instruments and incentives for innovation, including social innovation, that support job creation in coastal communities.

2. Resilient coastal infrastructures

Coastal businesses (e.g., small-scale fisheries, aquaculture, and marine tourism) rely in large part on built infrastructure such as small harbours, piers, coastal protection, marinas, accommodation, restaurants, and other related infrastructure. These infrastructures are by nature of their location, highly exposed to the impacts of climate change (e.g. sea-level rise), geological hazards, coastal erosion and extreme weather events. Understanding the risks to existing infrastructure and advancing innovative approaches to the design and adaptation of coastal structures are key components underpinning sectoral resilience. 

• Analysis of risks posed to coastal infrastructures by climate change and extreme weather events, and strategies to protect /re-design built structures (including Nature-based Solutions) and mitigate against risks that potential damages to such structures may pose to the safety and security of coastal communities and businesses.
• Advance opportunities to embed technologies in coastal infrastructures that can monitor environmental conditions, deliver early warning of risks/hazards and support long-term data on coastal conditions and environmental change.
• Enabling diversification on the use of coastal infrastructures by working with existing and emerging maritime sectors to foster an integrated ”business ecosystem”
• Mapping accurately specific public policies around water provisions, desalination and marine-based infrastructure management.
• Access the diversity of the demand per region of the necessary infrastructures (stable or mobile ones) and provide feedback to policy makers in approaching coastal development for local economic activities.
• Investigate options for a coastal economy ‘industrial strategy’ to identify effective policy interventions to encourage both private and public investment or subsidies to accelerate sustainable business start-up and relocation to coastal regions, particularly regarding coastal infrastructure.
• Compare regulatory frameworks across different European regions to stimulate and support coastal infrastructures; identify and better understand the successful ‘enabling regulation’ that minimises system frictions, costs and participation.

Implementation, enablers, and synergies 

Interdisciplinary approaches, including technology, data, digitalisation, social science and humanities, can provide solutions to enable coastal and marine businesses, not only to transition to more sustainable, regenerative business models, but to create new integrated economic ecosystems to support new business sector development. In a European context, marine environmental data portals such as EMODNet and Copernicus provide users with access to a major source of information that can be used to improve decision-making and product development. Data and technological innovation are also critical enablers to inform the design and maintenance of coastal infrastructures. 

Technology also underpins the possibilities promised by greater innovation, but this needs to be aligned with a better, comparative understanding of the social and cultural factors affected, which can reduce the positive impact of technology-supported interventions. It can also enable a range of activities in support of business development such as, building skilled and flexible labour markets and responsive/enabling regulatory frameworks.

A transition towards Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and related concepts (see definition see 2020-020-En.pdf) is an important opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of activities linked to coastal businesses. NbS can, for example, promote the development of sustainable blue tourism in coastal areas, including strategies to combat coastal erosion, control the spread of harmful alien species, and potentially ensure the quality of bathing waters.

Outcomes and Impacts

The R&I investments in this Intervention Area are expected to yield tangible outcomes and impacts across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

• Knowledge and guidance for public authorities and development agencies (national, local), to inform policy and planning to enable a just and efficient transition for coastal and marine businesses to a sustainable and regenerative business model.
• Greater understanding of the social and cultural context underpinning coastal businesses and strategies to ensure that the transition to a new sustainable business model safeguards the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of local communities.
• Greater understanding for key stakeholders (coastal businesses, community leaders, local authorities, etc.) of the risks posed by climate change impacts, extreme weather and geological hazards on small-scale businesses and coastal infrastructures, with the aim to develop strategies to foster greater resilience for coastal businesses and coastal infrastructures.
• Greater understanding of the role nature-based solutions or related concepts can have in strengthening coastal community resilience against risks posed by climate change impacts, extreme weather, and ecosystem degradation
• Greater deployment of innovative technologies, and use of data and digital products to strengthen resilience in small-scale coastal businesses and coastal infrastructures.
• Identification of effective models for ‘business ecosystems’, entrepreneurship ecosystem and innovation policies, including social innovation ones.
   

Background and rationale 

As ocean-based industries expand and climate-induced pressures intensify, Europe must ensure that its ocean governance models are supported by robust data infrastructure, participatory processes, and equitable innovation pathways. The Partnership asserts that several common challenges can be tackled by stimulating cooperative cross-sectoral technological actions and developments. Embedding ocean and water governance into the EU’s strategic agenda, the recent EU Ocean Pact endorses actions and developments across all sectors, member states, and society that address the accelerating threats to marine biodiversity, climate resilience, and the economic viability of the European blue economy by consolidating fragmented policies into a unified strategic vision. The related Ocean Act will be logically interlinked with the EU's competitiveness strategy by serving as the core legislative tool to implement the "Boosting the competitiveness of the EU sustainable blue economy" priority of the EU Ocean Pact and expected follow-up initiatives and actions, such as the EU Ocean Observation Initiative and the Industrial Maritime Strategy. 

The Partnership accelerates these efforts, because improving conditions for sustainability and reducing environmental pressures provides pathways to greater competitiveness and strategic autonomy, for example by enhancing productivity, developing cost-efficient solutions and fostering technological innovation. In addition, the activities under this IA contribute to the just and digital transition, as well as co-existence and multi-use of activities and infrastructures at sea. Altogether, these aspects are embedded within a context of targeted funding and public sector support, the existing business R&I environment, opportunities for training and knowledge exchange with industry-academia collaboration, and ideally a supportive regulatory environment. 

The IA is focusing on the blue economy sectors of energy, food, underwater domain and communication infrastructures, representing central prerequisites for the transition. The integrity of key infrastructures is essential, while ensuring sustainability, security and safety for the environment and society remains the premise. Quintessential connectivity to closely related IAs extends to the IA Managing Sea Uses with reference to the development of innovative Decision Support Tools (DST) and ecosystem-based management of human activities for sustainable resource management, conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems, conflict resolution, disaster risk reduction, economic development, and addressing climate change challenges. Intrinsic relations extend to the IA Blue Bioresources in relation to the production and processes of blue bioresources, as well as to the IA Resilient Coastal Communities and Businesses in relation to commercial activities and coastal infrastructures. To deliver truly systemic transition pathways, the IA mobilises broad industrial stakeholder involvement and diversified funding, while addressing regulatory challenges, social acceptance of the developments of the sectors (license to operate), socio-economic dimensions of transition, corporate social responsibility, and new ocean data collection and sharing models needed for a knowledge-driven ocean economy.   

Key thematic areas 

Through this IA, the Partnership will support activities that accelerate the transition by improving the security, safety, and integrity of infrastructure, enhancing the sustainability of sector value chains, increasing the circularity of infrastructure materials, and providing sustainable solutions for climate-related mitigation and adaptation. These efforts aim to strengthen societal and economic resilience, grounded in principles of inclusive social innovation.

All activities should develop and apply tools, techniques and processes that facilitate, monitor and assess the impacts of marine interventions, develop new or improve tools and regimes for mitigating human-induced stressors in support of Cumulative Effects Assessments (CEA), and improve the understanding and quantification of ecosystem responses to direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures. 

Activities should also promote standardisation in innovation and procurement processes to scale up the application of new solutions to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL). 

In addition, projects are expected to channel data into the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO) platform and ideally apply digital twinning and/or artificial intelligence (AI) approaches. The activities may apply digital twins and/or Virtual Research Environments (VREs) to enable both direct developments (e.g., real-time simulation, mission planning, anomaly detection, remote research capabilities), and indirect developments, including collaborative data analysis, the facilitation of complex marine operations, and broadening access to data and analytics (c.f. IA Managing Sea Uses). The development of advanced technologies, intelligent systems and data-driven solutions will further expand this capacity, as advanced sensors and smart imaging devices, next-generation imaging instruments, hyperspectral radiometers and acoustic systems, integrated on autonomous platforms – either individually or in concert – augment the monitoring of the physical, chemical and biological environment, improve the spatial and temporal resolution, and ultimately support ecosystem health assessment and regulatory compliance. 

Activities should foster co-creation and collaboration to improve the ability of scientists and policymakers to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts (including multi-use) on the ocean and society. Finally, activities should support the creation of markets, business and funding models by identifying opportunities for profit within appropriate bounds of social licence, including at regional level (cf. EMFAF).

1. Secure and Sustainable Marine Infrastructures for Strategic Autonomy 

The thematic area focuses on the sustainability, accessibility, security, and safety of all activities across the blue economy and how to address these within the legal, economic, social, operational, and policy context. It supports the development of intelligent, AI-driven monitoring and control systems for remote intervention on critical offshore assets, spanning renewable energy installations, aquaculture, and communication infrastructures such as underwater cables. 

The R&I activities are expected to address the following aspects:  
Management of complex safety, security and risk conditions and activities within an overall sustainability context.

• Management, control and securing the integrity of key infrastructures, including the establishment of integrated monitoring of strategic infrastructures in their natural surrounding through robotic and sensor-based systems for the surveillance and maintenance of key underwater infrastructures ensuring their safety, resilience and sustainability as critical components of the growing blue economy.
• Management and monitoring of operations requiring knowledge-based decision-making, supported by faster, reliable, safe and secure control systems for remote intervention, alongside efficient strategies for preparedness, prevention, containment, and subsequent environmental remediation approaches.
• To address current geopolitical shifts, R&I efforts shall deliver new strategically reoriented methodologies, tools, and approaches that fundamentally enhance the EU strategic autonomy beyond mere technical refinement.
• Digitally assisted exploration and observation of the underwater domain to monitor, understand, and sustainably manage the ocean environments.
• Improvement of autonomous and intelligent robotic systems for deep-sea exploration, enabling efficient and continuous monitoring and high-resolution data collection, overcoming the limitations of traditional vessels and stationary observatories.
• Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning to analyse large, heterogeneous datasets from multiple sensors and platforms strengthening the informed decision-making for sustainable blue economy activities.
• Through development of "local digital twins" R&I activities will contribute to building Europe's critical digital infrastructure and enhance its capacity for maritime surveillance and energy security.

2. Enabling Circularity and Ecosystem-Based Transition  

Recent experience indicated that a more targeted and coherent approach is required to effectively support the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and related marine environmental policies. Within this thematic area, R&I activities are therefore expected to address the following aspects:  

• Promoting circularity and reducing/preventing waste and pollution (especially regarding new materials), sustainable solutions for the construction, maintenance, and decommissioning of marine infrastructures.
• Elaborating business models for possible investment mechanisms to facilitate the re-use of installations in the marine domain, addressed from a legal, environmental, and economic perspective.
• Enabling the pursuit of climate neutrality, including consideration of activities and consequences related to safe and acceptable possibilities for the sequestration of carbon in a biotic or abiotic form in the marine domain.
• Improving resilience to natural disasters, including adaptation to extreme events in offshore operations.
• Increasing natural capital (enhancing marine biodiversity), and contributing to ‘good environmental status’ of the marine environment, such as:
  • contributing to restoration of ecosystems in the form of nature-based solutions (NbS) and their scaling up to higher TRL-levels
  • taking a holistic approach to the effects of interventions with attention to cumulative impacts and the extent of compatibility (/trade-offs) between different functions.

3. Co-creation of a Just and Inclusive Digital Transition 

This thematic area places strong emphasis on the socio-economic and legal dimensions of the green and digital transitions shaping the future of the blue economy. Implementing activities will be expected to contribute to science-based research and innovation to support more inclusive, equitable, and resilient pathways for ocean-dependent societies and sectors, and support the following aspects: 

• Diversification and promotion of social innovation and, business models, as well as legal frameworks for ensuring co-existence of sectors and social license to operate, with a focus on empowering coastal communities and smaller actors.
• Development of new technologies and data models ensuring equitable access to and benefit-sharing from new digital technologies and data (e.g., Digital Twins and Artificial Intelligence).
• Improvement of marine data sharing across science, policy, society and the private sector based on FAIR and CARE Principles.
• Socio-economic research on the just transition of blue economy workforces, identifying opportunities for new skills and upskilling in support of a digitalised and circular economy.

Implementation, enablers, and synergies 

The proposed IA will be implemented not just through a single R&I call but rely on a comprehensive portfolio of activities that span the entire R&I value chain. The Partnership’s multi-faceted implementation strategy, as evidenced in its past cycles, allows it to go beyond traditional calls. The IA is designed to activate different tools, making it a truly "realised" concept. Successful delivery will depend heavily on the integration of innovative Nature-based-solutions (NbS) and advanced digital technologies across the supported activities.

Furthermore, implementation will include a Pilot Action on Public-Private Data Sharing. This activity seeks to acquire observational data from non-academic actors, including industry, for integration into the EDITO data lake and for use in associated applications and decision-support tools. Direct and meaningful engagement of stakeholders is essential, ensuring that all sectors addressed by this IA are represented. The R&I activities will draw on expertise from a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics, physics, marine, maritime and aquaculture sciences, economics, legal studies, political sciences, and science diplomacy, and will actively involve research infrastructures as well as national competent authorities. Co-creation processes will be aligned with the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and its regional lighthouses. 

Complementary policy frameworks, including the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Common Fisheries Policy, and the management of Marine Protected Areas with a particular focus on regional implementation, will be addressed through connections with the IA Managing Sea Uses.

Outcomes and Impacts

The R&I investments in this IA are expected to yield transformative and measurable impact across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. By focusing on a "digital and resilient" approach, the IA will ensure that these outcomes are directly measurable against the Partnership key performance indicators (KPIs) and SRIA objectives.

• Environmental Impact: The R&I will fundamentally contribute to marine biodiversity and ecosystems restoration by strengthening the scientific basis for effective management measures. This focus will enhance ecosystem resilience, including for vital sectors like fisheries, through the development of agile frameworks to address environmental challenges. A key deliverable is the increased uptake of sustainable practices and measurable reduction in the environmental footprint of blue economy sectors, driven by a strong emphasis on circularity and Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
• Social Impact: The Partnership is committed to fostering a just and inclusive transition, notably by promoting social innovation models and providing opportunities for developing new work-life skills and knowledge across the blue workforce. Crucially, the IA aims to secure the social acceptance of new and improved offshore structures by actively engaging citizens and workers in the development process. This approach, which supports the resilience of coastal and island communities (see also IA5), ensures that the Partnership contributes directly to the well-being and prosperity of those who rely on the sea by addressing the socio-economic dimensions of the transition.
• Economic Impact: The IA will generate new, high-value knowledge, sophisticated tools, and robust platforms that empower actors to driving a just and inclusive transition. This translates directly into the creation of sustainable blue markets and opportunities, providing science-based, cost-efficient solutions and strategic recommendations for economic development to policymakers. Ultimately, the IA will strengthen the global competitiveness of European blue economy sectors by promoting standardisation and scaling up of new technologies to higher TRLs.

Additional activities

In addition to our core initiatives, we believe in the power of collaboration and engagement to create a lasting positive impact on our oceans and coastal communities. That's why we offer a range of additional activities that complement our mission and provide opportunities for individuals, organisations, and businesses to get involved.

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