A leaked draft of the European Commission’s long-awaited Ocean Pact has sparked serious concerns among ‘Blue NGOs’ for failing to offer concrete actions that address some of the “most pressing threats” to marine life and biodiversity.

While groups including WWF EPO, BirdLife, and Oceana acknowledge that the document does outline steps towards better enforcement of existing laws, they have too expressed ‘alarm’ that it does not go far enough.

The NGOs have welcomed the document’s emphasis on improved implementation of EU and international commitments, particularly the proposal for a new ‘Enforcement Strategy’. However, the document is said to ‘fall short’ of concrete measures to tackle the fisheries sector’s resilience in the face of climate change and ecological collapse, or key issues such as bottom-trawling in Marine Protected Areas, overfishing, growing microplastic pollution, and a lack of funding commitments for marine protection.

In a press release issued this week, the NGOs have stated that “the lack of reference to the 2023 Marine Action Plan – which outlined specific actions to align fisheries and marine protection, such as the phase out of bottom-trawling in Marine Protected Areas and a just transition to low-impact fisheries – is worrying and the Commission must concretely address these gaps.”

“The Ocean Pact, as it stands, fails to address the elephant in the room: the bad status of European seas comes from human activities on land and at sea,” the consortium of NGOs, which includes ClientEarth and the Surfrider Foundation Europe, said in a joint statement.

“We need to move to a regenerative and inclusive blue economy that is good for people and the planet. Coastal tourism and fisheries, where most of the jobs in the blue economy are created, directly depend on a healthy ocean.”

The greatest surprise has been expressed over a lack of new action, particularly after extensive stakeholder consultations were held with detailed measures proposed by over 140 organisations in their Blue Manifesto – a roadmap for EU decision makers to achieve a healthy ocean. 

“The draft Pact signals that the Commission understands the need to close the gap between legislation and action. But good intentions without decisive action are not enough. It is alarming that the Pact fails to name and address the most destructive activities still allowed in EU waters – without confronting these directly, it risks becoming yet another well-meaning but toothless strategy.”

The Blue Manifesto was signed by more than 140 organisations and published in October last year. In 2020, EU Member States missed targets to achieve a good environment status for Europe’s seas, especially in terms of contaminants, eutrophication, invasive species, commercial fishing, and marine litter. 

Over 90% of Europe’s marine area is currently being over-exploited as a result of intensive fishing, shipping, oil and gas drilling, tourism, and other coastal activities. Destructive practices such as bottom-trawling continues in 90% of EU offshore marine protected areas, and more than 14 million tonnes of plastic still enter the ocean each year.

“To deliver on its commitment to protect the ocean, the EU must close these abyssal gaps before it is too late,” said the NGOs. “Clear targets, binding measures and adequate funding are crucial if the Pact is to truly protect marine ecosystems and future-proof ocean governance.”

The final version of the Ocean Pact is expected to be published on June 4 this year, ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

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