The Blue Action Fund makes funding available for the activities of national and international non-governmental organizations in their efforts to help conserve marine and coastal ecosystems with the following objectives:
- The safeguarding of marine biodiversity: by creating new protected areas and by improving the management of existing ones.
- The sustainable use of marine biodiversity: in fishery, aquaculture and in tourism.
BMZ in cooperation with KfW Development Bank founded the Blue Action Fund as a response to the funding gap for the conservation of marine biodiversity, in particular with a view to networks of marine protected areas and transboundary conservation measures. The initial endowment providedby Sweden is worth 50 million SEK (approx. 5.5 million USD). The Fund will work in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Pacific region. The Blue Action Fund will issue public tenders to which interested eligible organizations may submit their proposals.
Progress reports
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
- Community or Locally Managed Marine Areas
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Large Marine Ecosystem approach
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
- Compliance, monitoring and enforcement
- Reduction and elimination fishing practices and gear that destroy/degrade marine habitat
- Science-based fisheries management plans
- 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
- Marine protected area with partial protection
- Multiple use marine protected area
- Locally or community managed marine areas
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Economic benefits from sustainable fisheries
- Economic benefits from sustainable tourism
- Economic benefits from sustainable aquaculture/mariculture
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Data access and sharing
- Training and professional development
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
Type of commitment
- Access to coastal fishing grounds
06/2020
