Spain reinforces its commitment to the blue economy with a new contribution of €125,440 to the FAO's Blue Ports Initiative

The Official State Gazette (BOE) has published the new agreement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Puertos del Estado, the Vigo Port Authority and the Regional Government of Galicia to support the Blue Ports Initiative's capacity-building programme, with a combined financial contribution of €125,440.

The contribution will be funded equally by the four signatory institutions, each contributing €31,360, and will sustain the momentum of training, knowledge exchange and capacity-building activities carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) within the framework of this international initiative.

The Blue Ports Initiative, promoted by the FAO, aims to promote the sustainable development of coastal areas by improving the management and operation of fishing ports. Key areas of focus include the dissemination of best practice in environmental sustainability, improving waste management, strengthening the fisheries value chain and promoting quality employment.

This new agreement builds on the institutional collaboration that began in 2022 with the institutional declaration on promoting the blue economy in fishing ports at an international level, and consolidates a stable framework for cooperation between the relevant authorities to support the FAO's activities in this field.

This new funding represents the third joint contribution made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Puertos del Estado, the Port Authority of Vigo, and the Xunta de Galicia in support of the Blue Ports Initiative. Since the start of this institutional partnership, the four organisations have jointly raised more than over €333,000 to support the initiative's training and capacity-building activities. This has led to the establishment of a stable framework for cooperation to promote sustainability and innovation in fishing ports.

The training programme is one of the cornerstones of the initiative and is designed to strengthen the technical capabilities of fishing ports worldwide, facilitating the exchange of experience and knowledge amongst professionals, public authorities and organisations involved in port and fishing activities.

Furthermore, the agreement provides for the organisation of outreach and publicity activities to highlight the institutional support provided to the initiative, including the holding of an event in Vigo to present the results achieved and to continue promoting Spain's experience in the field of sustainable fishing ports internationally.

With this new contribution, Spain reaffirms its commitment to the objectives of the Blue Ports Initiative and strengthens its position as an international leader in promoting port management models aligned with the principles of the blue economy and sustainable development.

Non official translation