Our partner, New Economics Foundation’s (NEF), hosted the official launch event for their UK-wide Blue New Deal initiative today, which aims to deliver more and better jobs for coastal communities through a healthy marine environment. The event was chaired by BBC presenter Gavin Esler.

The Blue New Deal launch event marks the start of a journey to bring together a range of economic sectors, organisations and individuals committed to the Blue New Deal vision.

Aniol Esteban (New Economics Foundation)  spoke about current fish consumption patterns in Europe and the limits to fishing that are above what scientists have recommended. Esteban also presented the Biomedical Economic Model of European Fleets (BEMEF) – a new tool developed by NEF and supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to improve fisheries management among EU Member States. This tool makes it possible to evaluate potential economic benefits that can be obtained if EU fish stocks grow until the point of Maximum Sustainable Yield and if larger fishing quotas – access to fish –  are allocated to fishing fleets that offer more economic, social and environmental benefits.

We are supporting this work under our Valuing the Ocean strand, part of the Gulbenkian Oceans Initiative (GOI) that was launched by the Foundation in Lisbon in 2013. The GOI is concerned with the economic valuation of marine ecosystem services and centres on a specific pilot study in Portugal. It is also working to increase public understanding and promote policy action in Portugal and beyond.