The European Fisheries Commissioner, Costas Kadis, has been visiting Cork which is playing host to the European Maritime Days, with events highlighting the importance of the seas and fisheries sector.
Costas Kadis was welcomed to Ireland by Micheál Martin.
The Taoiseach said the Irish government appreciated the work of the European Commissioner “because our seas and our oceans are inextricably bound up with our economy and with our society.”
In the coming weeks, the European Commission is expected to present a new European Ocean Pact, being heralded as the “EU[‘s] vision and aim at increasing coherence across all ocean-related policies”.
Speaking in Cork, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis warned that the seas present challenges as well as opportunities.
“The ocean is warming. It is rising. It is acidifying. Pollution from plastics, chemical and noise is altering marine ecosystems. The pressures are growing and the need for action is immediate.
At the same time, the ocean presents immense potential for Europe’s long term competitiveness and resilience, particularly as the EU blue economy directly supports nearly five million jobs and annually generates over €250 billion in gross value added to the EU economy.”
“In response to these challenges and opportunities, the European Ocean Pact signifies a major step forward. It consolidates decades of EU policy, working to a cohesive and unified vision for effective ocean governance. It recognises that the ocean is not just an environmental concern. It is central to Europe’s prosperity, innovation and security.”