Bulgaria looks to boost development of blue economy 

By Wendellyn Mateo

Bulgaria is advancing efforts to boost the development of the blue economy as the sector continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.  

This was affirmed during recent talks between Director-General of the European Commission’s (EC) DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Charlina Vitcheva and Bulgaria’s Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov, the ministry said in a report from the Bulgarian News Agency.  

Vitcheva stressed much of its potential for further development, and urged Bulgaria to cooperate with its neighbours to realise its benefits. 

The power of the blue economy  

The blue economy covers a wide range of activities at sea, such as fishing and aquaculture, resources exploration, shipping and maritime transport and tourism.  

It also includes industries that utilise goods and services from marine resources, like seafood processing, marine biotechnology, shipbuilding, port operations and equipment manufacturing. 

This meant protection of the sector, including ocean biodiversity, was vital.  

Vitcheva cited how the European Union can help in this regard, extending support for investments in the sector such as through the European Regional Development Fund. 

Meanwhile, Ivanov underscored his ministry’s maritime spatial plan, which has been developed to ensure predictability and security in maritime spaces and mitigate negative impacts from human activity. 

All of these efforts are aimed at not only supporting blue growth but also improving the well-being of coastal communities.  

Other challenges, including the future of cohesion policy, also figured during the talks.  

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European Commission takes the lead  

Just this month at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Summit, the European Commission adopted the European Ocean Pact in a bid to protect oceans and promote the blue economy.  

Under the pact, about EUR 1 billion will be invested to support ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing, according to a press release by the European Commission.  

It also creates a single and coordinated framework under which EU ocean policies will be implemented through a collaborative approach between EU nations, regions, and stakeholders. 

The work will be defined by six priority areas, including protecting and restoring ocean health, boosting competitiveness of the EU sustainable blue economy, supporting coastal and island communities, enhancing maritime security and defence, advancing ocean research and innovation and strengthening EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance.  

The European Union saw EUR 624 billion in revenue from ocean-related activities in 2021 alone, cementing the weight of the blue economy as a powerhouse sector. 

It also opened jobs for about 3.6 million people in the EU, according to a report from Euro News.  

But with many of the industries in the blue economy remaining emissions-heavy, including maritime transport, officials are keen to ensure a more sustainable growth that also focuses on environmental protection.  

“The whole idea with having a sustainable blue economy is to keep the ocean healthy, and by doing that, you also get a more productive ocean,” said Jan-Gunnar Winther, researcher and pro-rector of the Arctic University of Norway.

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