On 8 June, World Oceans Day will be celebrated worldwide to emphasize their importance in our daily lives. FAO in North Africa and Near-East will join the global celebration by proposing a specific event on the necessary Blue Transformation of aquatic food systems.

Healthy oceans are more important than ever. Oceans host 80 percent of all biodiversity, provide food, nutrients, and as fish are among the most widely traded food commodities, provides important sources of income. Despite the common need for healthy oceans, they are under great pressure, not least with overexploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, marine pollution and ocean acidification.

FAO is working with countries and partners across the world to ensure oceans, seas and marine resources are used sustainably for the benefit of present and future generations, and is responsible for binding and non-binding instruments negotiated with member countries that can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. As the custodian agency for four SDG 14 indicators, FAO also provides countries with information on optimum levels of fishing, aquaculture, and fair and secure access to living aquatic resources and markets.

Fish products, from both marine but also inland origin, are essential in the fight against hunger and poverty. Growing consumption globally, and in the global south, means that fish must be better included in food security and nutrition strategies in the context of sustainable and transformative food systems.

The Blue Transformation is a new process which acknowledges the major changes that aquatic food have gone through in the past decades, and proposes a strategy and roadmap to build sustainable aquatic food systems. Between 1995 and 2019, aquaculture production has increased by 250 percent, fish trade by more than 300 percent and per capita fish consumption by 37%. The Blue Transformation provides a new narrative that recognizes fish unique benefits for food and nutrition security, livelihoods & trade, as well as cultural & social values to gel societies together. A narrative that acknowledges successes while facing head on sustainability challenges.

On World Ocean Day (8th June 2021), countries from all four corners of the world – from India to Guyana, South Korea to Austria have pledged to support the ‘30 by 30’ commitment which is being championed by the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, co-chaired by the UK, Costa Rica and France.

This next milestone follows a successful meeting of the G7 Climate and Environment ministers, during which all members agreed to champion the global ‘30×30’ target to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the world’s land and at least 30 percent of the world’s ocean by 2030, as well as committing to ‘30 x 30’ domestically.

Members of the Global Ocean Alliance and/or the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People

We are happy to celebrate United Nations World Oceans Day #unworldoceansday with nearly 200 #relaischateauxchefs around the world.
From next week, enjoy the menu “Ode aux coquillages” imagined for the occasion by our chef.
Support,  farmers of the sea to develop a sustainable blue economy!

Every year, June 8 celebrates ′′ World Ocean Day “, and at the Heure Bleue Palais, Relais&Châteaux Essaouira, it’s a day we love. To celebrate the #WorldOceanDay, we invite the foodies of Essaouira to enjoy a special menu that highlight the riches of the sea. The Relais & Châteaux are partnering with Ethic Ocean to promote ethical fishing practices that contribute to local economic development and protect seabed biodiversity, while also offering quality food to our hosts. To prove that ethics can rhyme with gastronomy, our Chef has imagined a menu that preserves marine species.
To discover online:
https://heure-bleue.com/fr/ephemeral-events.html
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtBnBkBPal/

This event is organized under the aegis of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research by: the Presidency of the University Mohammed V, the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat / UM5, the Moroccan Network for Marine Sciences and Engineering (MARSIMER), the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST), the National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis (ENSIAS / UM5), the Club Plastic arts / FSR-UM5. It is a decisive step to take actions and strategies in favor of the Ocean and the Blue Economy and for launching Morocco’s participation in “The International Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 “.

The program of this event includes:
– two oral sessions dedicated to  the actions and programs in favor of scientific research in marine sciences and the blue economy, as well as the state of knowledge and the quality of coastal and marine ecosystems,
– a round table which will target the identification of: national scientific teams and programs and partnerships to be developed for Morocco’s participation in the “International Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021-2030”,

– a collective exhibition of works of art by painters and young artists from the Plastic Arts / FSR Club on the theme: The Ocean is a source of life – Let’s restore its ecosystems “.

Objectives

– Present the strategy and the actions and programs of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, for the development of marine sciences in Morocco.
– Present the actions and programs of Moroccan departments in favor of the blue economy.
– Highlight the importance and role of the ocean for food security, economic growth, as well as the maintenance of life and climate balance.
– Highlight the state and challenges of biodiversity in Moroccan coastal and marine ecosystems. – Underline  the natural and anthropogenic risks (pollution and sedimentary imbalances) which threaten coastal and marine ecosystems in Morocco.
– Offer innovative solutions for a better knowledge and promotion of Moroccan coastal and marine ecosystems.
– Identify the tools and approaches that will accelerate the implementation of SDG 14
– Sensitize the scientific community and decision-makers to the importance of committing to the objectives of the “International Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2030”.
– Identify the scientific programs, teams and partnerships to be implemented for Morocco’s participation in the “Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2030”.

Forum Sciences Ocean is an academic event organized by the students of the Polydisciplinary Faculty, coordinated by the Department of law in collaboration with the Departments of Biology, Economics and Geography. The students from different departments work on common topics related to the sea and coastal zone: marine pollution, marine renewable energy, sea level rise, maritime delimitation, etc.

The Forum hosts several actions: scientific posters, conferences and debates, short presentations…in front of a jury of professors, maritime stakeholders, maritime NGOs actors, etc.

Forum Sciences Ocean’s fifth edition will include beach cleanups.
Our devise is : “la pluridisciplinarité au service de la durabilité des mers et des littoraux”.

Forum Sciences Ocean was honored by the Trophy “Littoral Durable” received by Her Highness the Princesse Lalla Hassnae, the President of the Foundation Mohamed VI for the Environment in Morocco in 2019.

We welcome other students and professors from Morocco and the world to join us.