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Sciaena - Ocean # Conservation # Awareness

Sciaena

Sciaena promotes marine conservation through sustainable fisheries, pollution reduction, and policy intervention.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Costas Kadis (Commissioner) and

7 Nov 2025 · Participation of NGOs to Advisory Councils

Response to European fishery statistics

4 Nov 2025

Sciaena welcomes the Commissions proposal for a new streamlined framework for European fisheries and aquaculture statistics. Accurate, comprehensive, and timely European statistics are fundamental to shaping and evaluating EU policies on fisheries and aquaculture, particularly within the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). We believe European fisheries and aquaculture statistics should therefore be structured to support evidence-based policymaking and to track progress towards not only the objectives of the CFP, but also to the EUs strategic priorities, including the European Green Deal and the European Ocean Pact. One major issue we have identified in the current framework is that Eurostat publications do not include aggregated catches and landings by the EU fleets, fishing in EU waters or beyond, by some member states. We believe the new framework should build on the Commissions proposal and clearly indicate how these aggregated values will be published, stating clearly that confidentiality isn't an issue in aggregated data. On a positive note, we praise the Commissions proposal for including the publication of data on fisheries of sensitive species. It is also very positive that data on discards is included in the proposal. However, a clear definition is needed to ensure that the data on sensitive species isnt limited to discards, but also include organisms that might be harmed by interacting with fishing gears but arent brought on board, such as cetaceans, sea turtles or seabirds. Additionally, on fisheries it is positive that the proposal includes the publication of catches and landings beyond the EU waters and ports. On aquaculture, we welcome the proposal to include both the volume and the value of organic aquaculture production. We also welcome the proposal to add value to the already collected volume of egg and seed production. Finally, we welcome the proposal to obtain and publish data at the regional level (NUTS-2), as it will provide important data for regions and national entities. In conclusion, we welcome the Commissions proposal and the renewed commitment to gather and publish European fisheries and aquaculture statistics and we hope it allows for improved and more transparent framework.
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Sciaena urges coastal community focus in EU energy package

10 Sept 2025
Topic — The EU is consulting on policies to protect and empower energy consumers.
Message — Sciaena calls for dedicated financial support for coastal communities and mandatory environmental assessments for offshore energy. They demand early public participation and nature-inclusive designs to protect marine ecosystems.123
Why — Strengthening safeguards protects the marine biodiversity central to the organization's mission.4
Impact — Offshore energy developers could face more stringent regulations and longer approval timelines.5
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Meeting with Eva Maria Carballeira Fernandez (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and ClientEarth AISBL and

15 Jul 2025 · Recommendations on how to address shortcomings in the ICES advice and requests

Meeting with Francisco Assis (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Oct 2024 · Presentation of Sciaena's work

Meeting with Catarina Martins (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · EU Seas

Meeting with Bruno Gonçalves (Member of the European Parliament) and Carbon Gap ASBL

25 Sept 2024 · ITRE policies

Meeting with Ana Vasconcelos (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Sept 2024 · Marine conservation

Ocean NGO urges 75% non-price weight in wind auctions

1 Mar 2024
Topic — EU guidance on including qualitative criteria in renewable energy auction design.
Message — The group proposes that non-price criteria, focusing on environmental and socio-economic factors, should constitute 75% of the total auction score. They emphasize moving beyond the lowest price to ensure the protection of marine ecosystems and coastal communities.12
Why — This shift would prioritize long-term marine preservation over immediate economic gains for wind developers.3
Impact — Traditional developers lose their competitive advantage based solely on offering the lowest possible energy prices.4
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Response to Guidance to facilitate the designation of renewables acceleration areas

23 Feb 2024

A energia renovável offshore constitui uma parte importante na promoção da transição energética europeia para uma economia resiliente e totalmente descarbonizada, mas deve ser considerada sob o ponto de vista da crescente degradação da saúde do nosso oceano. A energia eólica offshore, assim como outras energias renováveis marinhas e as infraestruturas de rede, deve progredir com respeito pela conservação da natureza e de acordo com as capacidades ecológicas dos ecossistemas, de forma a providenciar soluções sustentáveis para combater a crise climática e a crise de biodiversidade As propostas de designação de zonas de aceleração da implantação de energias renováveis no oceano (do inglês renewables acceleration areas - RAA) devem assentar num processo transparente, baseado na melhor evidência científica disponível e participado por todos os atores relevantes, de forma a garantir o planeamento adequado destas áreas e minimizar os potenciais impactos nas comunidades locais dependentes dessas áreas. Para que este processo seja transparente e robusto, e de forma a cumprir os objetivos a que se propõe a União Europeia, a designação de RAA seguindo uma abordagem precaucionária para o ecossistema marinho permite cumprir a hierarquia de mitigação. Esta começa com a prevenção de impactes, que deve forçosamente garantir que as áreas a afetar se encontram fora de zonas de elevado risco para a biodiversidade. Como tal, consideramos que a definição das RAA deve obrigatoriamente seguir um conjunto de critérios se queremos realmente promover uma transição energética justa para o ambiente e para as pessoas.
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Meeting with João Albuquerque (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

22 Feb 2024 · Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution

Sciaena demands strict protection for high seas marine ecosystems

1 Feb 2024
Topic — Evaluation of EU regulations protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems from destructive bottom fishing.
Message — Sciaena wants EU vessels on the high seas to follow international rules against destructive fishing. They demand standards equivalent to those used within European waters to protect deep-sea habitats.12
Why — This would ensure all EU vessels follow the same high conservation standards globally.3
Impact — Industrial fishing operators would face tighter restrictions on profitable but destructive bottom trawling activities.4
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Response to Correction to the multiannual programmes for fisheries

31 Jan 2024

Sciaena is highly concerned with the European Commission's unexpected proposal to remove Article 4(6) from the Baltic, North Sea Fisheries Multi Annual Plans (MAPs) and Article 4(7) from the Western Waters MAPs, as these articles constitute a vital safeguard that prevents fish stocks from collapsing. We also believer that the Commissions proposal contradicts the precautionary approach which is a cornerstone of the EUs policymaking. The European Commission's proposal deviates from the original regulations' purpose of ensuring adequate safeguards to prevent fish stocks from dropping below critical limits. Clear and legally-binding safeguards, including obligations to temporarily halt targeted fisheries, are necessary to ensure thriving marine ecosystems. We disagree with the assertion that the safeguards and remedial measures in other articles of the MAPs are enough to prevent fish stocks from reaching critical levels. The 5% rule in Article 4(6)/4(7) differs significantly in timeframes and levels of concreteness from the 5% rule for F-ranges in Article 2(2)/2(1). Eliminating the 5% safeguard in Article 4(6)/4(7) in favor of the 5% definition would consequently elevate the risk of a stock collapse. If implemented, this proposed revision of the MAPs will increase the likelihood of continued depletion in fish population, and in turn of stocks collapsing. The adverse consequences will impact not only the livelihoods of fishermen and related industries but also the communities they are part of, and, significantly, the health of the marine environment and ecosystems. The absence of an environmental impact assessment on Commissions proposal raises the concern that only the long-term impact on marine ecosystems has not been properly taken into account. Prior to any change to the MAPs, we ask of the Commission to present a comprehensive assessment of and environmental impacts arising from the proposed changes. The Commission's proposal follows the Council's 2024 fishing opportunities for the Baltic, which already breached this legal safeguard. The Baltic Sea ecosystem is in a critical state, with major commercial fish stocks facing collapse or already collapsed. In light of this, it is crucial for EU decision makers to enforce existing laws and manage Baltic Sea fisheries sustainably to support the restoration of fish stocks. Similarly, several fish stocks in the North Sea and Western Waters are severely depleted due to consecutive years of overfishing. The deletion of these crucial safeguards raises concerns about the willingness to sacrifice the health of our marine ecosystems and retroactively legalize a possibly unlawful Council Regulation. Sciaena also regrets the lack of prior stakeholder consultation on the proposal before its publication. The limited feedback period, raises strong concerns about the effectiveness of the consultation process, especially since co-legislators have already started discussions or agreed on a position before this feedback period concludes. This rapid consultation brings much uncertainty about how inputs from stakeholders will be properly taken into account in such an important change of the EUs fisheries regulations. Sciaena was highly critical of the outcome of the MAPs, as they undermine the Basic regulation of the CFP, namely article 2.2. In our view, the process of deleting the above mentioned articles would only worsen this situation. For this reason, and for the additional arguments explained above, we call on the Commission to withdraw this proposal.
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Meeting with José Gusmão (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Jan 2024 · Faro's New Port

Meeting with Francisco Guerreiro (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and FUNDACION OCEANA and

11 Oct 2023 · NEAFC transposition

Meeting with Isabel Carvalhais (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Oct 2023 · Discussão sobre combate a poluição por plásticos nos ecossistemas marinhos

Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Oct 2023 · Reunião com Sciaena

Meeting with João Albuquerque (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Oct 2023 · Questões ambientais e conservação marinha

Meeting with Pedro Silva Pereira (Member of the European Parliament) and ZERO - ASSOCIAÇÃO SISTEMA TERRESTRE SUSTENTÁVEL

27 Sept 2023 · Questões ambientais e conservação marinha

Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Jul 2023 · Nature restoration law

Meeting with José Gusmão (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Jul 2023 · Nature Restoration Law

Response to European Critical Raw Materials Act

27 Jun 2023

The draft Critical Raw Materials Act text, in its current form, does not exclude deep-sea mining from its scope. Article 2(6) includes mineral occurrence(s) under water within its definition of extractive activities under the scope of the regulation, which essentially refers to seabed mining. Including deep-sea mining within the scope of the proposed regulation stands at odds with the European Commissions position regarding deep-sea mining. In its June 2022 Joint Communication on the EUs International Ocean Governance agenda (JOIN(2022)28), the Commission called to prohibit deep-sea mining until scientific gaps are properly filled, no harmful effects arise from mining and the marine environment is effectively protected. Furthermore, the European Investment Bank, in its EIB Eligibility, Excluded Activities and Excluded sectors list has explicitly listed the extraction of mineral deposits from the deep sea as Bank-wide excluded activities, considering it unacceptable in climate and environmental terms. This is consistent with the conclusions of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy and the UNEP guide to financing sustainable ocean recovery. In June 2023 the European Academies of Science Advisory Council (EASAC) issued a Statement on Deep Sea Mining urging a moratorium of deep-sea mining and warning of the dire consequences on marine ecosystems [https://easac.eu/publications/details/deep-sea-mining-assessing-evidence-on-future-needs-and-environmental-impacts]. This reflects a growing body of scientific evidence stresses how deep-sea mining would entail large-scale and irreversible loss of biodiversity in the deep seas through destruction of species, habitats and ecosystems. This also includes concern about impacts on fish populations, including those of commercial interest, and the potential release of sequestered greenhouse gases from the ocean floor and other impacts on climate change. Several scientific studies, including multi-year EU-funded research like the MIDAS and MiningImpact 1 and 2 projects, have documented and warned about the known or probable impacts of DSM. Including the extraction of mineral occurrences under water, which essentially means seabed mining, within the scope of the CRMR, also goes against the position repeatedly expressed by European Parliament through resolutions calling upon the Commission and States to support an international moratorium on deep-sea mining (June 2021 on EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 [2020/2273(INI)] and of October 2022 on momentum for the ocean [2022/2836(RSP)]. Therefore, it is urged that an explicit exclusion of deep-sea mining is incorporated to the future CRMR. Finally, as the EASAC Statement on Deep Sea Mining reiterates, deep-sea mining on any scale should not be considered until recycling potentials have been fully explored. While the proposed CRMR seeks to encourage secondary metals through recycling and re-mining waste, it should go beyond securing demand and instead set binding EU material-footprint reduction targets for the next decades particularly for metals addressing the urgent need to downscale the EUs economic consumption. Based on the current draft, it is suggested that: - An explicit exclusion of deep sea mining is included in Recital 19 or in a new item, with reference to the and the UN High Seas Treaty and previous calls by the Commission (JOIN(2022)28) and Parliament (2021/2188(INI) and 2022/2836(RSP)) for a moratorium or ban of deep-sea mining. - Article 2(6) is revised to exclude mineral occurrence(s) under water from the definition of extraction under the scope of the CRMR, or, alternatively, add but excluding the extraction of minerals from the seabed; - The list of Union legislation or international instruments for the Assessment of the recognition criteria for Strategic Projects in ANNEX III is extended to include the European Investment Bank (EIB) Eligibility, Excluded Activities and Excluded sectors list.
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Meeting with João Albuquerque (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Jun 2023 · Lei do Restauro da Natureza

Sciaena demands tougher waste prevention targets in packaging rules

24 Apr 2023
Topic — The consultation reviews EU packaging requirements to support waste prevention and recycling.
Message — Sciaena calls for prioritizing waste prevention and reuse over recyclability targets. They advocate for banning harmful chemicals and unnecessary single-use items. The group demands a 15% waste reduction target by 2030.123
Why — Stricter rules would better protect marine ecosystems from plastic and chemical pollution.45
Impact — The packaging industry loses the ability to sell multi-material and layered disposables.67
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Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Mar 2023 · Reunião Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) e Sciaena

Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Dec 2022 · Lei da Restauração da Natureza

Meeting with Caroline Roose (Member of the European Parliament) and The Shark Trust and SHARKPROJECT Germany e. V.

18 Nov 2022 · Mesures de conservation requins makos

Response to European Critical Raw Materials Act

15 Nov 2022

General comments on deep-sea mining Deep-sea mining (DSM) should be explicitly excluded from the scope of the proposed Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), including explicit exclusion from the definition of strategic projects. Exclusion of TDSM is coherent with a number of decisions by the Commission, European Parliament and other EU institutions, including the Joint Communication on the EUs International Ocean Governance agenda (JOIN(2022)28) that calls for a ban of DSM or the European Parliament resolutions of 9 June 2021 on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (2020/2273(INI)) and of 6 October 2022 on momentum for the ocean (2022/2836(RSP)), both calling upon the Commission and MS to support an international moratorium on DSM. Furthermore, the European Investment Bank, in its EIB Eligibility, Excluded Activities and Excluded sectors list has explicitly listed DSM as Bank-wide excluded activities, considering it unacceptable in climate and environmental terms. This is consistent with the conclusions of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy and the UNEP guide to financing sustainable ocean recovery, both excluding DSM from the definition of a sustainable ocean economy. A growing body of scientific evidence stresses how DSM would entail large-scale and irreversible loss of biodiversity in the deep seas through destruction of species, habitats and ecosystems. This also includes concern about impacts on fish populations, including those of commercial interest, and the potential release of sequestered greenhouse gases from the ocean floor and other impacts on climate change. Several scientific studies, including multi-year EU-funded research like the MIDAS and MiningImpact 1 and 2 projects, have documented and warned about the known or probable impacts of DSM. The oceans are the planets main carbon sink, capturing a quarter of CO2 emitted by human activity (some 2 billion tonnes per year) and also locking away methane. The disturbance of the seabed could contribute to the release of carbon sequestered for millions of years, and interfere with the carbon pump, thus contributing to climate change while suppressing or limiting the capacity of carbon-fixing organisms such as phytoplankton and compromising existing absorption capacity. Additionally, underwater hydrothermal vents play a key role in regulating climate and ocean geochemistry. Their disturbance could affect the amount of nutrients available, with potential effects for the marine food chain. Comments on raw material demand The EU has a substantial share of responsibility for growing global metal demand, using up 20% of global mineral production for less than 10% of the worlds population. While Commissioner Thierry Breton has stated (in relation to the CRMA) that the cheapest and cleanest raw material is the one we dont use, the call for evidence makes no single reference to reducing demand as a keystone component of raw materials policy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2018 Global Warming of 1.5°C special report warned that the only viable way ahead was for rich countries to decisively cut their rates of material production and consumption; the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the International Resource Panel (IRP) and the European Environment Agency reached similar conclusions, with the later stating in its Growth without economic growth briefing that political initiatives for a sustainable future require not only technological change but also changes in consumption and social practices. Therefore, the CRMA should go beyond securing demand and instead set binding EU material-footprint reduction targets for the next decades particularly for metals addressing the urgent need to downscale the EUs economic consumption, shifting its priority from economic growth to meeting peoples needs without overshooting Earths ecological limits.
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Sciaena urges binding targets for marine nature restoration

22 Aug 2022
Topic — This initiative proposes legally binding nature restoration targets to recover Europe's biodiversity.
Message — Sciaena demands urgent action with numerical targets and clear deadlines to ensure the law's enforceability. They call for an immediate ban on active bottom-contacting gear in coastal zones and 100% protection for seagrass.1234
Why — Stricter laws would directly fulfill the organization's core mission of marine conservation.56
Impact — Industrial fishing fleets would face total bans on certain gear across EU waters.78
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Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

29 Oct 2021 · To discuss with the NGOs the perspectives for the 2022 annual fishing opportunities ahead of international consultations and the December AGRIFISH Council.

Response to Action plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems

12 May 2021

Life on Earth depends on the ocean: no matter where you are, you depend on the ocean and its unique and rich biodiversity for the production of oxygen, food, energy, and the enormous amount of heat and carbon it absorbs. None of the European seas are healthy, and fishing remains the biggest driver of marine biodiversity loss. The 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy includes a commitment to develop, by 2021, an Action Plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems, with a focus on limiting the use of fishing gear most harmful to ocean biodiversity, especially on the seabed. The EU already has a comprehensive body of policy and legislation aimed at protecting the marine environment, but they are not being implemented, as confirmed by the European Court of Auditors. There is an urgent need to address this performance gap and ensure that all sectors contribute to delivering the ambition of the European Green Deal. This should complement and articulate other EU policies, such as the future restoration law, the fisheries technical measures regulation and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. However, ultimately, the current challenges and the ambition set out in the European Green Deal and the Biodiversity Strategy will not be met by 2030 without a restructuring of the EU fleet and fisheries footprint to address the impacts of destructive fishing gear (particularly bottom-towed gear), mitigate the ecosystem and climate impacts of fishing, and put European fisheries on a path of adaptation to the climate emergency. To improve the health of marine ecosystems, deliver climate action and create a lasting legacy for future generations, the Action Plan must address the following elements: Destructive fishing The EU seabed is the most bottom-trawled in the world, more than five times the global average, and 80% of EU coastal areas are disturbed by trawling. It is therefore natural that ending the destructive impacts of fishing, especially on the seabed, is highlighted in the Biodiversity Strategy. To start with, the Action Plan must make a strong political statement that all bottom-towed fishing must end inside MPAs and other sensitive areas immediately, while setting a clear target for the reduction of all bottom-trawling by 2025 at the latest. To achieve this, the Action Plan should set out a process that will bind the EU to: -  In early 2022 at the latest, expedite closure to bottom-fishing in areas of the deep-sea below 400 
meters where Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems are known or likely to occur; 
 -  In 2022, prohibit bottom-towed gear in all EU MPAs and; 
 -  In 2022, remove bottom-trawling from the most sensitive and productive parts of our seas by 
establishing trawl-free zones along the whole EU coast, while preventing the increase of bycatch 
of sensitive species caused by other types of fisheries. 
 -  By 2023, eliminate bycatch of sensitive species through mandatory introduction of remote 
electronic monitoring, clear guidance on mitigation measures for each sea basin evaluated by 
scientific bodies, and national action plans; 
 -  By 2025, drastically reduce the footprint of bottom-trawling on the EU’s seafloor, including by 
eliminating it in areas deeper than 400m. 
 -  By 2027, prohibit all destructive and unselective fishing gear in order to transition fisheries to low 
impact fishing, compatible with agreed biodiversity and climate targets. 
 Climate change and healthy marine ecosystems 
 A central pillar of the Action Plan must be to eliminate the threat that overfishing poses to the critical role the ocean plays in regulating the climate and serving as a carbon sink. The Action Plan is a timely opportunity to fill policy gaps and realize our moral obligation to ensure EU fisheries adapt to changing circumstances and comply with our climate laws and international biodiversity commitments by 2030. 
 More details can and should be found in the document attached.
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Response to Protecting the environment in the EU’s seas and oceans

5 May 2021

The MSFD is the cornerstone of EU marine policies to protect and preserve EU seas, centred around an ecosystem approach and the objective to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) through national marine strategies. It is the key piece of EU marine legislation and important reference at national, regional (e.g. in regional sea conventions such as OSPAR) and international level. Any review of the text should strengthen its provisions and their implementation. However, despite more than 10 years of implementation, the main objective of the MSFD - GES of EU seas by 2020 - has not been reached. That’s mainly due to poor ambition from member states and competing sectoral economic interests (in particular from the fishing industry), which undermines the overarching goal of preserving our seas (cf. European Court of Auditors Special Report: Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not deep). The European Commission tacitly accepted this lack of ambition, while people and nature pay the price of continuing degradation of our seas. There is an urgent need for greater marine policy coherence, which has to be built on the respect of planetary boundaries indicated by the Good Environmental Status of our seas, and characterised by a just transition to a political economy that centres wellbeing of people and planet instead of unlimited economic growth. To that end, the MSFD must be strengthened, by developing complementary approaches, such as targeted new legislation, the development of delegated and/or implementing acts, or enhanced implementation tools. Importantly, legal action (including infringement procedures) must be taken to ensure that Member States apply the law. We therefore urge the European Commission to use all existing legal tools to improve the implementation of the Directive, and to align other initiatives with the MSFD and the objective of good environmental status and a healthy ocean, such as the Sustainable Blue Economy agenda, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the EU Action Plan to conserve fisheries and protect marine ecosystems and the future EU restoration law, which could help to tackle ocean-based pressures such as destructive fishing in marine protected areas and strengthen the ocean’s resilience as well as its role in mitigating climate change. We recognise the weaknesses of the Directive on implementation, and lack of capacity in MS to ensure achievement of MSFD objectives. However, as stated by the EC in its implementation report, we believe that it is up to the MS and EC to deploy the necessary capacities to ensure that EU seas reach GES by allocating sufficient resources and ensure effective implementation of the MSFD by providing better guidance. The primary goal and scope of a review should be to reach GES in EU waters as soon as possible. A revision of the MSFD, even targeted, is a lengthy process and carries the risk of causing further delays and failings in implementation, as it may be used as an excuse or opportunity to do nothing or very little until the revision is concluded. Furthermore, any attempt to simplify and reduce the administrative burden for MS must not result in a lowering of the overall level of ambition of the MSFD. Therefore, Sciaena, a Portuguese NGO that works closely on marine conservation with several others NGOs across Europe, supports the strengthening of the implementation and enforcement of the Directive without changing its provisions, as outlined in option 3 of the roadmap. Above all, stronger political will and ambition is needed in order to achieve the objectives of the MSFD. The EC should use all possible legal pathways to improve and promote the implementation of the Directive without reopening it.
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Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

14 Oct 2020 · To discuss the upcoming Commission proposals for fishing opportunities for the North Sea/ Atlantic and for the Deep Sea.

Meeting with Charlina Vitcheva (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and WWF European Policy Programme and

16 Sept 2020 · Workings of the Advisory Councils

Response to Offshore renewable energy strategy

13 Aug 2020

O investimento em energias renováveis é uma das formas de reduzir a dependência de energias fósseis e a Sciaena louva a oportunidade de contribuir para o processo de feedback da iniciativa da Comissão Europeia sobre a Estratégia de Energias Renováveis Offshore. Para limitar as emissões de gases de efeito estufa e alcançar a meta máxima de aumento de temperatura de 1,5°C definida no Acordo de Paris, a UE deve atingir a neutralidade carbónica até 2050, eliminando os combustíveis fósseis e alcançando uma base 100% renovável na sua matriz energética. Desta forma, é necessário que quaisquer metas e ações da Estratégia estejam alinhadas com os objetivos do Acordo de Paris, da Estratégia da Biodiversidade e do Pacto Ecológico Europeu. Como reconhecido por este, aumentar a produção de energia renovável offshore será uma parte essencial da futura transição energética para uma economia resiliente e totalmente descarbonizada. A estratégia deve abranger e distinguir todas as formas de produção de energia offshore, desde a energia eólica flutuante à energia solar, o que exigirá abordagens regulatórias diferentes, tanto em termos de impacto ambiental, como ao nível do apoio financeiro para inovação e implementação. Deve também reconhecer a importância da cooperação e do planeamento regionais à escala das bacias marítimas. A Sciaena considera que as energias renováveis deverão sempre ser favorecidas em detrimento das não renováveis e que é nessa direção que a legislação e o ordenamento do espaço marítimo deverão caminhar. Contudo, importa lembrar que nenhuma atividade em meio marinho está isenta de impactos negativos e riscos ambientais, pelo que qualquer colocação de estruturas para produção de energia renovável deve ser alvo de estudos prévios e de uma Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental. É importante que qualquer futuro quadro estratégico para as energias renováveis offshore na UE garanta a protecção e restauro da biodiversidade marinha, contribuindo para travar a perda de biodiversidade, uma das ameaças ambientais mais críticas, e ajudar a alcançar os Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável inscritos na Agenda 2030. Para que a Estratégia de Energias Renováveis Offshore leve em consideração as preocupações dos stakeholders, a Sciaena enumera alguns pontos que considera serem fundamentais: - Para garantir a correta aplicação da Diretiva 2014/89/UE, é imprescindível que a instalação de equipamentos seja efetuada com processos de consulta pública eficazes, representativos e participativos, ou seja, consultas que garantam que as decisões sobre a utilização do espaço marinho são tomadas com o envolvimento dos utilizadores do espaço marítimo e restantes stakeholders. A abordagem ecossistémica deve contribuir para a promoção de um desenvolvimento sustentável, o crescimento das economias marítimas, bem como a utilização sustentável dos recursos marinhos costeiros. - O desenvolvimento da energia renovável offshore deve ser incluída no planeamento do espaço marinho, tendo em consideração o impacto cumulativo de outras atividades humanas e mapas de sensibilidade ambiental, em articulação com as políticas de conservação europeias/internacionais já existentes. - É fundamental que a Estratégia preveja um acompanhamento robusto e independente das várias fases da sua implementação. É também necessário que sejam realizados e divulgados os estudos de monitorização e avaliação de impactos ambientais e sócio-económicos nas fases de planeamento, desenvolvimento e instalação dos equipamentos. - Não permitir instalação de equipamentos de produção de energia renovável offshore em Áreas Marinhas Protegidas ou noutros locais de interesse ecológico para espécies sensíveis (como corredores de migração) e/ou que forneçam refúgios climáticos. - Proibir a instalação de novas infraestruturas de exploração e produção de hidrocarbonetos a partir de 2023 e adotar uma estratégia de eliminação progressiva para as infraestruturas atualmente implementadas até 2035.
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Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

16 Jul 2020 · To discuss the fishing opportunities exercise for 2021, in particular for the Baltic Sea, as well as issues related to the Biodiversity Strategy.

Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

16 Mar 2020

A estratégia Farm to Fork 1 , que irá ser apresentada pela Comissão Europeia na primavera de 2020, tem objetivos muito claros no que toca a atingir a sustentabilidade do sector primário extrativo na União Europeia (UE). Sendo a Política Comum das Pescas (PCP) reconhecidamente um dos documentos que servirão de suporte à delineação desta estratégia, é de extrema importância que seja feita uma referência clara a um dos objetivos primordiais da regulamentação: o de acabar com a sobrepesca em todos os stocks comercialmente explorados nas águas da UE. Os princípios da PCP têm que estar espelhados em qualquer estratégia que pretenda abordar o assunto do consumo de pescado na UE de forma séria e objetiva. Por esta razão, a estratégia não deve deixar de abordar os impactes ambientais da produção de pescado, seja proveniente da pesca ou de aquacultura, que representa uma pedra angular do nosso sistema alimentar. Incluir este tema no texto da estratégia, iria diretamente dar resposta a dois dos objetivos da mesma: 1) assegurar uma produção primária sustentável e 2) promover uma alimentação sustentável, facilitando a mudança para dietas saudáveis e sustentáveis. A Sciaena congratula a inclusão da dimensão “sustentabilidade”, a par da “saúde”, naquilo que é a formulação de normas comunitárias sobre alimentação. Os hábitos de consumo (e não apenas os alimentares) têm impactes profundos nos ecossistemas e na sociedade e isso deve ser trazido para a discussão, numa altura em que se tem uma abordagem cada vez mais multidisciplinar na resolução de problemas ambientais. Os alimentos que consumimos têm não só impacto na nossa saúde, mas também no meio. É urgente que isso seja reconhecido globalmente e que instituições de mais áreas, que não só a saúde, sejam incluídas na discussão e definição de diretrizes.
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Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

4 Feb 2020 · To discuss outcome of the Council of December 2019 and the NGO views regarding the process of setting the TACs and quotas

Meeting with Joao Aguiar Machado (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

28 Nov 2018 · Sardines, Deep Sea Council, December Council

Meeting with Joao Aguiar Machado (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and WWF European Policy Programme and

28 Sept 2016 · South Western Waters Advisory Council