This EU Blue Parks Community member organisation offers alternative financing solutions for marine conservation actors, from Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to small-scale fishers.
Marine ecosystems are under growing pressure from human activity and climate change, threatening coastal communities as their environments and resources degrade. Despite the growing challenges, conservation efforts often struggle with insufficient funding, leaving local initiatives under-resourced.
BlueSeeds, a member of the EU Blue Parks Community, is tackling this issue head-on with innovative financial solutions designed to support marine conservation efforts. The organisation works with a diverse range of stakeholders to promote financial sustainability and independence, all while ensuring benefits for coastal populations.
Bridging the funding gap for conservation
BlueSeeds enhances the financial sustainability of MPAs by offering strategic guidance, training and customised tools. It is also exploring the potential of blue carbon finance projects, which focus on ecosystems like seagrass and mangroves that sequester carbon and support biodiversity.
‘We are working mainly in West Africa and the Mediterranean, aiming to develop blue carbon projects that conserve and restore these ecosystems while benefiting local communities,’ says Margaux Janin, Network Coordinator at BlueSeeds.
Recognising the unique challenges faced by small-scale fishers in accessing subsidies, BlueSeeds also partnered with WWF to launch BlueMove, an innovative pre-financing facility. This initiative helps fishers access European funds, including the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), supporting their transition to sustainable practices.
‘Small-scale fishers often struggle to access funding due to two main barriers: a complex application process and the need to provide capital upfront, with often long delays in reimbursement,’ Janin explains. ‘BlueMove helps overcome these obstacles by providing both pre-financing and technical support.’
Broadening horizons through the EU Blue Parks Community
BlueSeeds also serves as the secretariat for Together for the Med, a network of nearly 50 organisations committed to advancing marine conservation and sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean. As a member of the EU Blue Parks Community, BlueSeeds offers this network valuable avenues for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
‘Through Together for the Med, we support MPAs in achieving the ‘30 by 30’ and ‘10 by 30’ marine protection targets,’ says Janin, referring to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which targets protecting 30% of EU land and sea by 2030, with 10% under strict protection. ‘Being part of the EU Blue Parks Community can be a great opportunity to expand our partnerships and collaborate with other organisations that share the same objectives. We have just joined the Community and hope to be learning from successful cases in other regions.”
The EU Blue Parks Community is a collaborative platform that connects EU Member State authorities, practitioners, researchers and stakeholders working toward the shared goal of protecting marine ecosystems. The initiative aligns with the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030,’ aiming to protect 30% of European seas and strictly protect 10% by 2030.
Learn more about the upcoming EU Blue Park Community workshop on 6 March and join the Community today!