In the past ten years, the fund has achieved great results, supporting fisheries science and innovative blue economy solutions for citizens, companies, fishing and coastal communities and the environment. This year, CINEA will be celebrating the great achievements of the fund and give extra visibility to the projects funded via several actions.

Two inspiring cross-border projects turning an invasive species threat into an opportunity with the backing of (EU) policies. Featuring WestMED Award winner 2023 Bleu-Adapt and ARIBiotech.

WestMED was highlighted at DEPORTIBUS 2024 ; the first European festival with 3 days celebrating port-related themes, including maritime exploration, sustainability, smart cities, and more. Activities ranged from technical summits, guided tours and concerts to author meet-ups, regattas, and film screenings. The festival engaged at various locations across La Spezia-Italy, making it a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the city’s maritime spirit.

A national stakeholder consultation and validation workshop for Libya's national blue economy strategy was held under the auspices of the African Union from 13 to 15 May 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya. Numerous ministries, the oil sector, the Libyan Ports Authority, the General Secretariat, the National Aquaculture Project in Libya and other sector representatives took part. Leonardo Manzari and Matteo Bocci, both from the WestMED Assistance Mechanism, shared their experiences of developing the sustainable blue economy in Africa and Libya in particular.

On 29 April 2024 WestMED’s Aquaculture Technical Group AquaWest organised a meeting with the EU Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism and the FAO/GFCM with the aim of identifying synergies and intensifying cooperation to drive progress and achieve shared goals.

Samir Bachouche (WestMED National Hub Algeria) and Kessar Abderrahmane (ENSSMAL-Algiers) were interviewed by Siham Djebbaron on Algerian national television TV7 - El Maarifa. This 50 minute interview that was aired on 21 April 2024, focused on the blue economy and the role of scientific research. Samir also outlined the history of the WestMED initiative, how cooperation supports the sustainable blue economy in the region and funding opportunities available.

On April 17, 2024, the workshop ‘Prototypes for the decarbonization of Ports, Fishing and Recreational Vessels‘ took place in Mahón, Menorca. By using the principles of ‘design thinking,’ participants identified and discussed possible prototypes, energy sources, technological solutions, regulatory frameworks, general opportunities and challenges to move towards decarbonization.

On 16 April 2024, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism organised a side-event at the 9th edition of the Our Ocean Conference in Athens, Greece. Attendance to the Conference was by invitation only; extended to representatives from countries, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, academia, philanthropists, and the private sector, all of whom demonstrate a dedicated commitment to the protection of the ocean.

On April 4 2024, the Maltese WestMED National Hub, met with the International Ocean Institute (IOI). Since its foundation in 1972 the IOI has grown into a world leading independent, non-governmental non-profit organisation conducting training and capacity building in Ocean Governance with the aim of creating knowledgeable future leaders. The scope of the meeting was to explore areas of collaboration between the WestMED and IOI. Especially because ‘improved maritime governance’ is one of WestMED’s leading goals.

This workshop at EMD2024 will focus on the power of synergies between the three EU Sea Basin Strategies and what’s in store for the years to come. It is organised by the EU sea Basins Assistance Mechanism, responsible for implementing the EU Sea Basin Strategies for the Western Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea.

This annual summit stands as the world’s largest gathering for the Mediterranean transport, global transport and logistics event. Within two consecutive days, ministers with responsibility for transport, business leaders, heads of international organizations, and policymakers, along with representatives of business associations and leading researchers discuss the future of transport and logistics and explore how to foster connectivity and cooperation and also how to enhance global competitiveness.

The Kingdom of Morocco's Department of Maritime Fisheries, in collaboration with the WestMED initiative, is organising a HIGH-LEVEL NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON THE BLUE ECONOMY, which aims to help forge a common vision among the main players in the blue economy based on a participatory approach by discussing their priorities, sharing best practice and supporting current and future cooperation at national and regional level.

WestMED will play an active role during a workshop organised by the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership at POSIDONIA 2024: the international Shipping Exhibition. The workshop is an opportunity for the maritime industry from the Mediterranean sea basin to learn more of what the Partnership can offer in terms of funding, networking and investment opportunities.

This year the EU Macro-regional Strategies Week becomes a two-day onsite event where sessions will cover topics of interest to both the Macro-regional strategies and the Sea Basin Strategies. Under the slogan Strategies4Cooperation, the focus will be on present and future synergies between the seven EU macro-regional and sea basin strategies.

This report focuses on the ‘Sustainable Blue Economy’ in Tunisia’s maritime space, taking into consideration the traditional sectors and the emerging sectors, the main challenges and how it can enhance the tourism sector. The document is structured in 8 chapters.

The BlueInvest Investor Report 2024 provides a comprehensive overview of investment activities and opportunities in the EU blue economy. It delves into the Blue Economy's sectors, offering an in-depth analysis of the deals landscape for each sector separately. Additionally, the report updates the financial landscape and highlights key technologies that may shape the EU Blue Economy in the coming years.

Recognizing the importance of taking the roles, needs and experiences of women into account when addressing social, economic and environmental issues related to the fishing sector, this study aims at narrowing research gaps in the region regarding gender and fisheries, as well as supporting the commitments of Mediterranean and Black Sea countries to promoting gender equality.

Want to know all about the Barcelona Convention, its protocols and how to advance this? UNEPMAP prepared a practical guide with useful information, tools and recommendations aimed at parliamentarians and their staff in the Mediterranean.

Download the key outcomes and messages of this event that took place in Athens on 19-20 February 2024. The Conference was visited by over 350 people, and featured 11 workshops on topics ranging from marine research and innovation to sustainable tourism and blue finance. The WestMED Assistance Mechanism was proud to actively support this conference in terms of both organization and participation.

A new EUR 2.2 million call for proposals has opened for a Pilot Project on a demonstrator fishing vessel to promote energy transition in the fisheries sector (PPPA-2024-FISHVESSELDEMO). The call seeks to finance a pilot project on a demonstrator fishing vessel that will be retrofitted with alternative propulsion technologies and other solutions to improve energy performance, cut emissions and reduce underwater noise.

In 2020, BeMed launched a call for projects aimed at reducing plastic pollution in the Mediterranean islands. Five projects and a capitalisation programme were supported, ending in 2022. To reinforce its impact, BeMed has launched a second edition of this call on 10 April 2024.

This call aims to mobilize communities of actors across the European Union to take decisive action in restoring, protecting, and preserving our ocean, seas, and waters. The call will support community-led pilot actions and transition agendas, as well as provide technical assistance tailored to the needs of Mission communities. Community-led actions will focus on implementing innovative solutions that transcend traditional approaches, incorporating technological, nature-based, social, cultural, regulatory, and financial innovations.

The EU Sea Basin Strategies will be prominently featured with a high level workshop on the main stage and a workshop on synergies between the Atlantic Action Plan, Black Sea Common Maritime Agenda and the WestMED Initiative