Azores want to fully explore the potential of the Blue Economy, says Brito e Abreu
The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated that fishing "is still the most important economic activity carried out in the Azores Sea." Nevertheless, he stressed that this sector does not only concern fishers, it also concerns the restaurant sector, processing industry, scientific research, biotechnology or shipbuilding; these activities generate income and create employment.
Fausto Brito e Abreu spoke at the forum "Mare Nostrum: Management - Fisheries and Fish Processing," organised by the city of Horta to mark the National Maritime Day. The government official defended "in an age when the economy is measured not only in Euros, but also in jobs and social well-being, the potential of the 'blue economy' should be fully explored by the Region.”
In this regard, he stressed that the regional policy defined for this area is based on the Regional Government's Programme, the National Maritime Strategy and the European Strategy for Growth Blue.
"The Azores contribute to the European policies in the 'blue economy'," Brito e Abreu defended, adding that "what is being done in the Region has much to do with the European Strategy for Blue Growth, namely regarding the investment in aquaculture coastal tourism, marine biotechnology, sea floor mining, investment in science, maritime spatial planning and integrated maritime surveillance."
The Regional Secretary defended at the meeting that the Azores should invest in a circular economy. "Aquaculture may be synergistic with fishing," the government official said, pointing out the case of bait production in aquaculture.
The government official also mentioned that events like the National Maritime Day are important insofar as they allow us to "reflect on the importance of the sea to the Azorean people."
This forum aimed to promote the discussion of the strategies, potentialities, tools and projects related to the Maritime Economy in the Azores. The event was attended by fisheries associations, businesspeople linked to the processing and export of fish, and scientists.