Exchanging views with European parliamentarians on the Blue Transformation

What are theobjectives, challenges and opportunities of a blue transformation? This was the issue on the agenda when Director of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division Manuel Barange met European Parliamentarians at the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries. Barange briefed Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on the on-going transformation of aquatic systems and showcased the various ways in which FAO connects blue transformation initiatives to the UN Food Systems Summit.

Barange underlined the importance of ensuring that fishing activities are not conducted at the expense of the environment and ecosystem health, pointing out that global fisheries have reached a plateau. He reminded the MEPs that incorporating environmental issues into topics of food security is essential and outlined the three objectives for FAO’s blue transformation strategy: feeding the world through aquaculture expansion; transforming fisheries through better management; and improving value chain efficiency, viability and inclusiveness.

He added that, this blue transformation aims to maximize the contribution of aquatic foods to hunger eradication and achieving the SDGs: a roadmap of how aquatic food systems can be transformed to a more sustainable future while providing healthy foods to those that need them most.

He noted that FAO envisions that this transformation can contribute to reconciling the predominantly environmental sustainability narratives of the Global North, with the food security and livelihood priorities of the Global South.

MEP Pierre Karleskind, Chair of the European Parliament Fisheries Committee and Member of the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition welcomed the principle of linking fisheries and aquaculture policies with food policies, saying that “Fisheries policies are food policies first”.

Isabel Carvalhais, Member of the European Parliament and of its Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition expressed her enthusiasm for a new blue transformation that can help to feed the world.

MEPs pointed to the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) as a key moment to determine pathways for sustainable fisheries management and stressed the importance of European Parliamentarians’ involvement in the UNFSS discussions.

You can read more about FAO's work on responsible fishing practices for sustainable fisheries here.