Blue Economy Archives - Page 2 of 2

Canada makes commitments to bolstering blue economy

December 14, 2020 — Over the past two weeks, the Canadian government has made multiple funding and administrative commitments to bolstering the country’s blue economy – both in terms of growing ocean and inshore fisheries and in boosting salmon survivability.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and 13 other heads of state or government announced the endorsement of the “Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: a Vision for Protection, Production, and Proseprity.” The new document is a product of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a multi-nation panel committed to sustainably manage all of the ocean under the countries’ respective national jurisdictions by 2025.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

SEN. ROGER WICKER: Governor’s testimony spotlights blue economy

April 8, 2019 — Mississippians have inherited, harvested, and benefited from our oceans. That is why our state is a leader when it comes to the Blue Economy – the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.

Late last month, Gov. Phil Bryant joined the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which I chair, and provided testimony at the committee hearing, “Our Blue Economy: Successes and Opportunities.”

As Governor Bryant said at the hearing, “On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we have embraced the Blue Economy with all our energy and ingenuity.” The best seafood anywhere comes from the Gulf. Recreational and commercial fishermen up and down the coast contribute billions of dollars to our economy and support tens of thousands of jobs. Looking out at our coastal ports, you can see 55 million tons of goods flow in and out annually. Those goods are often transported on ships made in Mississippi and destined for harbors around the world.

Ocean conservation and development go hand-in-hand. In Mississippi, we take these lessons to heart.

Congress made significant progress on the Blue Economy when my colleagues and I passed the Modern Fish Act and the Commercial Engagement through Ocean Technology Act, or CENOTE, at the end of 2018. Both of these bills attracted bipartisan, bicameral support and were signed by the President.

Read the full opinion piece at the Daily Journal

Sea Grant Announces 2018 Aquaculture Research Awards

October 22, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Sea Grant announces the award of $11 million in grants for 22 projects to further advance the development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the U.S.

The research will address specific priorities of the 2018 Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative including, supporting the development of emerging systems or technologies that will advance aquaculture in the U.S., developing and implementing actionable methods of communicating accurate, science based information about the benefits and risks of U.S. marine aquaculture to the public; and increasing the resiliency of aquaculture systems to natural hazards and changing conditions. The projects, which will be conducted over a three year period, include a 50% match by non-federal partners. One hundred proposals were submitted requesting a total in $48 million in federal grant funds.

Sea Grant’s investment in aquaculture research, outreach and education programs continues to produce results for coastal communities and their economies. Between February 2017 and January 2018, Sea Grant invested $11 million in aquaculture research, with additional funds and resources dedicated to outreach and technology transfer, and reported $78 million in economic impacts, including support of 792 businesses and 1,387 jobs.

As part of the Department of Commerce, NOAA facilitates the growing uses of and demands on our ocean resources. One of the most urgent opportunities in the “Blue Economy” is the need to expand sustainable seafood production in the U.S. —both through the better utilization of our wild-capture fisheries and the expansion of marine aquaculture.

See some of the impacts resulting from Sea Grant-funded aquaculture research and learn more about aquaculture in the U.S.

Diverse teams tasked with encouraging Alaska’s ‘blue economy’ entrepreneurs

October 17, 2018 — Alaska lays claim to over half the nation’s coastline and a third of the U.S. exclusive economic zone, making it prime real estate for those wanting to get in on the push to develop our oceans. That’s requiring new ways of thinking about traditional sectors such as fisheries, tourism, marine trades and oil/gas, as well as providing opportunities for new “blue economy” business ventures.

To encourage a wave of entrepreneurs, a second Ocean Technology Innovation Sprint will task 30 Alaskans this month with finding a problem and creating a prototype solution for a venture of their choice. They will be assigned to five teams and meet one day a week for five weeks before revealing their ideas to the public.

While the meetups are mostly in Anchorage, teams also can connect virtually from anywhere in the state.

“The remote teams are livestreamed to every event and they can work together on a digital whiteboard as if they were in person,” said Meg Pritchard, marketing and communications manager for the Alaska Ocean Cluster and OTIS co-organizer. “There was so much interest last year, it has become a huge part of OTIS, because it’s meant to bring together people from diverse locations.”

The goal of OTIS, which is modeled after a Google Ventures program, is to create an “economic ecosystem” of innovators, educators, mentors and businesses to help grow new products from the bottom up.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

Hillary Clinton Reveals Her Ocean Policies

August 30, 2016 — In response to a letter sent by 115 ocean leaders to the leading presidential candidates, Secretary Clinton has released a two-page response on what she will do to protect our coast and ocean. With just over two months until the election this marks the first time in the campaign where a candidate has fully addressed the daunting issues confronting America’s public seas.

In her letter on August 27 she lays out a range of solutions she says she will act on if elected including growing the “Blue Economy,” supporting coastal adaptation to climate change, ending international pirate fishing, expanding sustainable and transparent U.S. fishing and seafood practices and ratifying the Law of the Seas Convention that has been held up by the U.S. Senate for over 20 years.

Read the full story and letter at Blue Frontier