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Media Advisory 02 october 2025
A week to secure a healthy ocean by 2030
Following the release of the Ocean Pact and the United Nations Ocean Conference last June, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas at Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe and WWF European Policy Office are organising the Ocean Week 2025, to reaffirm that securing a healthy ocean must remain a European priority. This week will be a central moment to foster exchange and promote actions that can effectively address the biodiversity, pollution and climate crises affecting our ocean.
Through various events NGOs, media, decision makers and citizens will be invited to share views, thoughts and positions especially regarding the Ocean Act, a concrete action plan aimed at achieving a healthy ocean by 2030.
Ocean Week is also a key moment when citizens are invited to take action on the ground by organising events all over Europe.
Different events will take place in Brussels and across Europe. From group discussions to cocktails, screenings, waste collection on beaches and rivers, and much more.
Most events are free to attend but some may require online registration.
Ocean Week 2025 launch: Cocktail and Networking Event with Commissioner Costas Kadis
Tuesday 14 October
18:30 - 20:00
Culina Mundi Event Space (Spinelli zone E, access via Floor 0), European Parliament
Registration Page
On Tuesday 14 October, the Blue NGOs coalition will welcome media representatives, civil society and policy makers to a Cocktail and networking event within the European Parliament.
The launch will start with welcoming words from Member of the European Parliament Christophe Clergeau (S&D), president of the SEArica intergroup and host of the event. He will be followed by Costas Kadis, Commissioner for fisheries and oceans who will outline the EU’s planned actions for the next months. It will also be a moment for NGOs to share their policy demands and expectations on the immediate next step: the Ocean Act.
Organised by BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas at Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe and WWF European Policy Office.
Hosted by MEP Christophe Clergeau (S&D, France), in partnership with SEArica.
Please register by Thursday 9 October.
Other events
In chronological order
The events below are only a selection. The complete list is to be discovered on www.oceanweek.eu
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The Next MFF
Tuesday 14 October
17:00 - 18:15
European Parliament, Spinelli 5G1, Brussels
Registration link : https://act.clientearth.org/page/178382/event/1
As the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union enter budget negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework and in light of growing concern over the effects of overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change - reconsidering how EU funds are allocated in the ocean sector has never been more urgent. This panel discussion will explore how future EU funding schemes can be reoriented to support a healthy ocean and a well-being blue economy -creating jobs, strengthening coastal communities, and protecting marine ecosystems.
Organised by Birdlife Europe & Central Asia, ClientEarth, Seas At Risk and Surfrider Foundation Europe.
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Community Engagement in MPA Designation and Management
Wednesday 15 October
13:00 - 14:30
In June 2025, the European Commission published its long-awaited European Ocean Pact. In it, it reiterated the EU’s commitment to reach the objective of protecting 30% of its seas. To achieve 30% protection by 2030, Member States would need to propose “management plans for each Marine Protected Area (MPA), based on science, and with the involvement of all local stakeholders including fishers”. How can we ensure the involvement of local communities in the development and management of MPAs? This event will provide concrete examples of successful MPA projects across the EU and introduce a new report on best practices to follow in order to establish and manage these areas with community engagement and participation.
Hosted by MEP Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral (EPP, Portugal).
Interpretation will be available in Greek, Italian and Portuguese.
Organised by Blue Marine Foundation, Oceano Azul Foundation and Sciaena.
Please register by Tuesday 7 October.
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One Planet Shipping Webinar
Wednesday 15 october
10:00 – 11:15
Online
Registration link here
As shipping sails down the path of decarbonisation, the shift to clean energy comes with a hidden challenge: space. Ports, hubs for maritime trade, are the obvious choice for new fuel infrastructures. Yet, as we move away from fossil fuels, ports may be forced to juggle storage for both old pollutant fuels and new e-fuels. Add to this the rapid rise of carbon capture storage (CCS), a controversial approach to store CO2 under land or beneath the seabed, and newly developed offshore power installations, port space will be stretched to its limits. This online event will look at the cost of this energy transformation, the viable solutions, and what is truly at stake for the shipping sector, coastal communities and the wellbeing of the ocean and its habitats.
Organised by Seas at Risk
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Policy Dialogue: The Future of Fishery Technology
Wednesday 15 October
09:00- 12:00
WWF European Policy Office (EPO), 123 rue du Commerce, 1000 Brussels
Registration link here
This discussion will explore how new technologies can be leveraged to improve fisheries management, supporting full implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. Topics for discussion will include enhancing data accuracy and availability to inform decision-making, reducing bycatch and improving fish stock management, supporting a more sustainable and science-based EU fisheries framework and integrating regional insights into EU policy processes through technological innovation.
Organised by WWF Sweden and WWF European Policy Office.
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Ocean with David Attenborough
Wednesday 15 october
18:00 - 20:00
European Parliament, Brussels
Media only registration link: Ocean Screening with David Attenborough
The special screening of highlights from the original documentary Ocean will set the stage for a high-level panel discussion. This event will dive into the pressing challenges facing our seas and raise awareness among politicians and policymakers to emphasise the urgent need to enforce existing regulations, implement EU standards effectively, and advocate for new legislation. Central to this is a push for a blanket ban on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas, with the aim of securing its inclusion in the upcoming EU Ocean Act.
Hosted by MEP Isabella Lövin, MEP Christophe Clergeau and MEP Sebastian Everding.
Organised by Blue Marine Foundation, ClientEarth, Oceana and Seas at Risk.
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Bycatch in EU Fisheries : From Awareness to Action
Thursday 16 october
08:15 – 09:30
European Parliament, Brussels
Registration link coming soon
Every year, countless harbour porpoises, dolphins, seabirds, sea turtles and other protected marine species are unintentionally caught and killed in fishing gear—a preventable tragedy known as bycatch of sensitive species. Despite years of awareness raising and mounting evidence of the pressure on these species, existing measures have fallen short of delivering meaningful, lasting change.
This event will showcase new findings from Seas At Risk, BirdLife Europe, and the Environmental Investigation Agency, explore potential solutions, and highlight successful collaborations with fishers already reducing bycatch across the region. Bringing together policymakers and NGOs, it will explore how we can move beyond piecemeal efforts towards enforceable action - and secure a future for our ocean’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Hosted by MEP Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral (EPP, Portugal), and MEP César Luena (S&D, Spain).
Organised by BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, Environmental Investigation Agency and Seas at Risk
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The Importance of Forage Fish in European Seas
Thursday 16 October
13:00
More information and registration coming soon
This event aims to bring attention to the important role that small pelagic fish, also called forage fish, play in the wider marine ecosystem health across Europe. This event aims to shed light on both the importance of these small fish for the wider marine ecosystem but also highlight why these fish must be managed sustainably and within the principles of the ecosystem-based approach to management. With examples of management in the Baltic Sea and the lack of management in the Irish Sea, the event will explore weaknesses in the current management regimes as well as key recommendations for ensuring a more sustainable exploitation. Finally, the event will also explore the infamous UK-EU dispute over the closure of the sandeel fishery in British waters.
Organised by Blue Marine foundation, FishSec and Irish Wildlife Trust.
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