About this Research Topic
In recent years, the blue bioeconomy has gained prominence as a global priority, focusing on the sustainable and renewable utilization of marine and aquatic resources, including living organisms and biological materials. This sector encompasses a wide array of industries such as marine biotechnology, fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, marine bioprospecting, coastal and marine conservation, and ecosystem services. The blue bioeconomy aims to harmonize economic growth with environmental sustainability by leveraging marine biodiversity and resources and innovative blue technologies. It plays a crucial role in achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty alleviation, hunger eradication, health improvement, clean water access, and climate action. Despite its significance, the blue bioeconomy faces challenges from anthropogenic factors like illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, pollution, and habitat destruction, which can lead to the emergence of a grey economy, reducing product value and stakeholder income. Addressing these issues necessitates science-based solutions, including regulation development, ecosystem conservation, pollution mitigation, and sustainable fishing practices. Although research in this field has grown, there remains a need for further exploration and discussion.
This research topic aims to enhance the understanding of anthropogenic activities that lead to financial losses within the blue bioeconomy and to identify strategies to mitigate these losses while exploring alternative approaches to promote sustainable growth in the sector. The research will focus on examining the economic impacts of activities such as IUU fishing, overfishing, and pollution, and will explore new regulations, traceability systems, and innovative production methods. By addressing these areas, the research seeks to contribute to the development of a sustainable and equitable blue bioeconomy.
To gather further insights into the complexities of the blue bioeconomy, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Economic impacts on the blue bioeconomy related to IUU fishing, overfishing, marine pollution, seafood mislabeling, habitat destruction, and inadequate management.
- Strategies to mitigate economic losses in the blue bioeconomy due to anthropogenic activities, including new regulations, traceability and certification systems, or new bioeconomic opportunities.
- New or alternative approaches to conventional concepts for achieving a sustainable and equitable blue bioeconomy, such as degrowth or innovative production methods.
- Regulatory measures and policy frameworks designed to address the informal sector within the blue bioeconomy.
This research topic aims to enhance the understanding of anthropogenic activities that lead to financial losses within the blue bioeconomy and to identify strategies to mitigate these losses while exploring alternative approaches to promote sustainable growth in the sector. The research will focus on examining the economic impacts of activities such as IUU fishing, overfishing, and pollution, and will explore new regulations, traceability systems, and innovative production methods. By addressing these areas, the research seeks to contribute to the development of a sustainable and equitable blue bioeconomy.
To gather further insights into the complexities of the blue bioeconomy, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Economic impacts on the blue bioeconomy related to IUU fishing, overfishing, marine pollution, seafood mislabeling, habitat destruction, and inadequate management.
- Strategies to mitigate economic losses in the blue bioeconomy due to anthropogenic activities, including new regulations, traceability and certification systems, or new bioeconomic opportunities.
- New or alternative approaches to conventional concepts for achieving a sustainable and equitable blue bioeconomy, such as degrowth or innovative production methods.
- Regulatory measures and policy frameworks designed to address the informal sector within the blue bioeconomy.
Keywords: Marine economy and management, Marine sustainable development, Grey economy, Informal economy, Shadow economy, Resource Depletion, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, Overfishing, Habitat destruction, Marine pollution
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
