Seas At Risk has worked for over 25 years to help drive European and international marine and maritime policies in a sustainable direction. Located in Brussels, our team of policy officers works together with our growing membership of environmental NGOs, representing millions of EU citizens who care deeply about the oceans.
We commit to striving for healthy oceans and productive ecosystems, and in particular for:
Ending the input of marine litter to the oceans
Ending overfishing by 2020 and minimising environmental impacts of fisheries
Ensuring environmentally responsible aquaculture
Ensuring effective management of Marine Protected Areas
Halting the gold rush of deep sea mining
Reducing ship emissions to keep warming below 2 degrees and protecting the Arctic from shipping impacts
Greening the blue economy by effective maritime spatial planning
Achievement of the objective of Good Environmental Status in all European waters by 2020
In addition we commit to empowering our member organisations to ensure they can effectively engage in (national) policy processes that contribute to marine protection and conservation.
We will do this by participating in governance processes at international, EU and regional level, while our member organisations will help to ensure the essential link to national settings. Seas At Risk collaborates with European, international and regional NGOs; facilitates exchange of information between members; gathers, analyses and disseminates information; coordinates joint responses to policy developments and public consultations; organises events, workshops and seminars; and highlights environmental challenges and policy developments through its external communications work.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
PLASTICS
- Plastics product bans or restrictions
SHIPPING
- Management of ship-based pollution and/or port waste management
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Type of commitment
- CO2 emission reductions (energy efficiency, renewable energy, etc.)
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
Type of commitment
- Reduction and elimination fishing practices and gear that destroy/degrade marine habitat
- Science-based fisheries management plans
- Ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)
- Reduction of fisheries by-catch and product waste/losses
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
Type of commitment
- MPA management and/or enforcement
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
Type of commitment
- Legal/policy/institutional measures
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Type of commitment
- Activities to raise awareness of the comprehensive legal and policy framework for the sustainable development of oceans and seas, in particular UNCLOS, its Implementing Agreements and other relevant ocean-related instruments and promote their effective im
- Strengthening ocean governance, for example through the development of a national ocean policy or regional ocean policy
December 2030
Organisation of events, workshops, seminars
December 2030
Position papers, submissions and other forms of active participation in processes of development and implementation of EU and international policies that contribute to marine protection and conservation
December 2030
Guidance documents and other materials to support and engage our member organisations in (national) policy processes that contribute to marine protection and conservation
