EurOcean’s Executive Director was honoured to attend, at the invitation of the Director-General of the Direção-Geral de Política do Mar (DGPM), the seminar “Marine Information and Science at the Service of Society”, co-organised by DGPM and the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) on 14 November at IPMA’s headquarters in Algés. The event, part of “Semana do Mar 2025”, underscored the essential role of marine data and scientific knowledge in shaping effective public policies, enabling sustainable management of marine and coastal resources, and supporting the development of a resilient and sustainable blue economy.
In this context, the public presentation of Portugal’s latest Ocean Satellite Account (OSA) 2020–2023 provided valuable insights closely aligned with EurOcean’s mission of advancing ocean knowledge for science, policy and society across Europe. Portugal remains the only EU Member State producing a full Satellite Account for the Ocean, offering a robust model for how structured marine data can support informed decision-making at national and European levels.
A National Report with European Relevance
The OSA delivers one of the most detailed analyses of a national ocean economy currently available in Europe. By integrating ocean-related sectors into the national accounting system, Portugal sets a methodological benchmark at a time when the European Union places increasing emphasis on evidence-based policymaking to support the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy, the Digital Twin of the Ocean, and Mission Ocean.
For the wider European ocean community, the findings highlight both opportunities and pressures affecting the blue economy — from the post-pandemic resurgence of tourism to the transition toward innovative marine industries — and reinforce the importance of accessible, comparable ocean knowledge.
Key Findings: Recovery, Tourism, and Regional Contribution
Between 2020 and 2023, Portugal’s ocean economy experienced a strong and steady recovery:
The Ocean Economy represented 4.3% of national Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2023, growing faster than the national economy.
Coastal and maritime tourism became the largest contributor to ocean-related value, reflecting a robust recovery in leisure and travel.
Ocean-sector employment corresponded to 3.6% of national jobs in 2022.
The Azores and Madeira accounted for over 12% of national ocean-economy GVA, reflecting the strategic role of EU outermost regions.
Exports from ocean-related sectors increased significantly, especially in accommodation, maritime transport, and tourism services.
These trends resonate with wider European patterns: rapid sectoral growth, uneven regional contributions, and heightened need for scientific evidence to ensure sustainability.
Implications for European Ocean Science and Policy
1. Growing Need for Robust and Accessible Ocean Knowledge
The expansion of tourism, maritime transport, offshore renewable energy and ocean-based industries reinforces the need for:
- sustained and coordinated ocean observation,
- integrated socio-economic and environmental datasets,
- and stronger science-policy interfaces.
Despite increases in absolute funding, the OSA indicates that the relative share of marine R&D within national research investment is declining, signaling a concern for research strategy beyond Portugal’s borders.
2. Strategic Importance of Outermost Regions
The strong contribution of the Azores and Madeira strengthens the recognition of Europe’s outermost regions as:
- critical observatories for climate and biodiversity change,
- testbeds for innovative marine technologies,
- and central partners in European digital ocean initiatives.
3. Enhancing Evidence-Based Marine Policy
The OSA demonstrates how structured ocean-economy statistics can support:
- maritime spatial planning,
- climate adaptation and coastal resilience,
- sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management,
- and major EU initiatives such as the Digital Twin of the Ocean.
Broader adoption of such methodologies across Europe would significantly strengthen the foundations for coordinated marine governance and SDG 14 implementation.
Acknowledgements
EurOcean warmly thanks the Director-General of DGPM for the kind invitation to participate in this seminar co-organised with IPMA, and congratulates DGPM, IPMA, INE, SREA and DREM for their leadership in promoting science-policy dialogue and delivering a national model capable of inspiring other European countries to strengthen their ocean-economy knowledge systems.
For more information, read the full article: here.