“Ocean with David Attenborough” - beautiful, terrifying, and hopeful. The footage of destructive fishing is a gut punch - and it beggars belief that we still allow ocean bulldozers to destroy our #MPAs. Will #UNOC offer action, or just more hopeful words? #ProtectedMeansProtected

Commissioner @CostasKadis stresses that ocean pressures are large, and growing, and that urgent action is needed. He announces that the #EUOceanPact will set ambitious goals and priorities. This would be a welcome and substantial improvement to the draft that was recently leaked

At the opening of the European Maritime Day on Cork, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin reiterates Ireland’s commitment to protecting 30% of its maritime area by 2030, and the importance of a healthy ocean for people’s wellbeing and for the prosperity of coastal communities

Great to see that the fair allocation of fishing opportunities to those who provide the most benefits to society is becoming an increasingly discussed topic at EU level. Time to implement the CFP’s provisions and to #MakeFishingFair! #CFPreality #OceanPact

Monica Verbeek, director of @seasatrisk.bsky.social, highlights the #BlueManifesto call for new legislation to ban destructive activities (such as #bottomtrawling) from #MPAs in one go, with a whole-site approach rather than just looking at piecemeal features in very limited sites. #OceanPact

I really appreciated @humbertodrosa.bsky.social's description of sustainability - not as a three-pillar concept, but as a layered concept (similar to a wedding cake 🍰). It reminded me of this graph, which I always found a much more helpful depiction of sustainability than the three-legged stool...

Humberto Rosa of @EU_ENV heeds MEP Clergeau’s call: let’s be disruptive and implement existing legislation. If the #CFP, Nature Directives etc were heeded, we would be in a much better position. Yet, calls for implementation such as the Marine Action Plan are met with resistance

MEP Christophe Clergeau highlights that the real challenge for the #OceanPact is NOT to reconcile human activities with ocean protection. The challenge is to recognise that ocean health is the pillar upon which a sustainable blue economy is possible. #BlueManifesto

DG @CharlinaVitcheva opens the Fisheries & Ocean dialogue by highlighting the importance of the #ocean for the EU and its citizens, as well as the negative impacts we have on it. Question for today: how will the #OceanPact tackle these pressures in a coherent way? #BlueManifesto

MEP @IsabellaLovin reminds the audience that non-legally binding targets have simply not been met. The ocean is in crisis, and people are suffering as a result, despite policy and legislation - and this is very clear in the Baltic. The #OceanPact must deliver a step change

On the issue of a legally binding framework, Commissioner @CostasKadis says we must be careful to not add more burden through new legislation - the key is implementation of existing legislation and better coordination to achieve sustainability. Question remains: HOW? #OceanPact

Commissioner @CostasKadis highlights “the immense importance of the ocean”, not just (!) for planetary health but also for a resilient blue economy. To be meaningful, the #OceanPact will need to be implemented. This will be ensured through progress indicators & legislative action

Glad to be at the POLITICO, Oceano Azul and Europe Jacques Delors event on the #OceanPact to discuss how to achieve a healthy ocean and a regenerative #BlueEconomy within this EU mandate. We need a strong roadmap to deliver clear and binding targets. #BlueManifesto #OceanDeal #OceanOptimism

Planetary crisis and demand for EU-caught fish will be the primary drivers of future for EU fishers. Whether the scenarios for the future will be more or less positive will depend on the action we take today. #CFPreality #OceanPact #OceanDeal

Commissioner Costas Kadis: study will feed reflections on #OceanPact, aimed at policy coherence in ocean policies; research & innovation strategy; evaluation of the CFP; & reflections on social dimension of fisheries - with view to developing a 2040 vision for EU fisheries #CFPreality #OceanDeal