Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth

Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland Review of Progress 2018 All cover photographs sourced from Ireland's Content Pool, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland Ballymastocker Bay, Fanad, County Donegal Image courtesy of Fáilte Ireland Pod of Common Dolphins breaching the water in West Cork Photographer Padraig Whooley A ﬁshing boat surrounded by birds in County Kerry Photographer Tom Archer Joint Statement An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD It is with great pleasure that we launch this latest National Marine Planning Framework. Together, Progress Report on Ireland’s Integrated Marine these will provide a new fit-for-purpose framework Plan (IMP), Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth (HOOW). for the decades ahead. The Progress Report provides an account of the comprehensive work undertaken, in 2018 This Report coincides with the annual Our Ocean specifically, to implement the ambitious actions in Wealth Summit and the associated SeaFest 2019 the Plan. National Marine Festival programme. Both are relocating to the great maritime city of Cork after Ireland is already well on target to achieve and a very successful 3 year period in Galway from even exceed the ambitious economic targets 2016-18, where up to 100,000 people attended the set out in the Plan with consistently impressive various festival events. economic trends for the marine sector over the last 8 years. This is the sixth annual ‘Our Ocean Wealth Summit’ The latest Ocean Economy Report published for taking place in Cork City Hall over June 9th and the Summit, the fifth in the series produced by the 10th. The theme of this year’s Summit, which has Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) become one of the main marine events in the at the National University of Ireland Galway, nation’s calendar, is ‘Shared Voices from Small shows that in 2018, Ireland’s ocean economy had Island Nations’. We’re delighted that the Summit a turnover of €6.2 billion. The direct economic will welcome delegates from 30 Small Island contribution in terms of Gross Value Added Developing States and will discuss the considerable was €2.2 billion or 1.1% of GDP. Ireland’s ocean ocean and climate-related challenges and the economy provided employment for 34,132 people. shared mutual experiences of many island nations. The indirect Gross Value Added from ocean related activity in Ireland amounts to €1.96 billion, giving a While much has already been achieved in total GVA (direct and indirect) of €4.19 billion, which expanding Ireland’s marine economy, the specific represents 2% of GDP. challenge for Ireland in the years ahead will be the sustainable development of Ireland’s immense Reporting in May 2019, the European Commission natural marine resource while ensuring that the highlighted significant growth across the blue resource itself is adequately protected for future economy of most EU Member States, noting the generations. The United Nations has already most significant expansion observed was in Ireland proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for and Malta, according to Eurostat figures. Sustainable Development from 2021-2030 which will gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind Only this week, the Government approved a a common framework designed to ensure that Marine Planning Policy Statement which sets ocean science can fully support countries in the out the reforms underway to provide a modern, achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal integrated planning system. A Marine Planning 14 on the Ocean. and Development Bill is in preparation, and will sit alongside a Maritime Jurisdiction Bill and the Joint Statement Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth Review of Progress 2018 1 Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Summary of Key Achievements and Announcements in 2018 6 3. Progress on Actions in 2018 17 Governance 18 Maritime Safety, Security & Surveillance 42 Clean-Green-Marine 50 Business Development, Marketing & Promotion 81 Research, Knowledge, Technology & Innovation 111 Capacity, Education, Training & Awareness 138 Infrastructure 162 International and North/South Cooperation 185 4. Focus & Expectations For 2019 203 Photo courtesy of the Marine Institute Image Copyright Tourism Ireland 2. Introduction Photo courtesy of Fáilte Ireland In 2012, the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group (MCG), on behalf of the Government, published Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth - An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (HOOW). HOOW sets out the Government’s Vision, High-Level Goals, and Key ‘Enabling’ Actions to put in place the appropriate policy, governance and business climate to enable Ireland’s marine potential to be realised. The Group is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and its members are drawn from Departments with marine related responsibilities. As part of the implementation of HOOW, the MCG publishes an Annual Progress Report at the annual Our Ocean Wealth Summit. The Progress Report focuses on the main activities undertaken across the range of enabling actions aimed at implementing the Vision and Goals in HOOW. Further information on Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth and previous Annual Progress Reports are available on www. ouroceanwealth.ie. Department of Agriculture, Food & Attorney the Marine Department General’s of Defence Office Department Marine of Transport, Institute Tourism & Sport Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Department of Department Group (MCG) of the Chair: Minister for the Housing, Planning, Taoiseach Marine, Michael Creed, T.D. & Local Government Host: Department of the Taoiseach Department Department of of Public Communications, Expenditure & Climate Action & Reform Environment Department Department of Business, of Culture, Enterprise & Heritage, & the Department Innovation of Foreign Gaeltacht Maritime Affairs & MCG Bureau Affairs Trade Attaché (Single point of contact, Brussels monitor and disseminate progress) Figure 1. Composition of the Marine Coordination Group 2018 In Ireland responsibility for marine matters is spread across a number of Government Departments. In recognition of the need for better coordination and the broad scope of the sector, the Inter- Departmental Marine Coordination Group (MCG) was established in 2009. The Group, chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and convened by the Department of the Taoiseach, meets on a regular basis to bring together senior officials of Departments with an involvement in marine issues to drive forward the Government’s marine strategy and coordinate issues that require cross-departmental action. The Attorney General’s Office and the Marine Institute also participate in the Group. 4 Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth Review of Progress 2018 Introduction Figure 2. Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, Vision, Goals and Enablers Introduction Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth Review of Progress 2018 5 2. Summary of Key Achievements and Announcements in 2018 Photo courtesy of Jason Clarke Image Copyright Tourism Ireland National Celebration of Our Ocean Wealth SeaFest is held annually to coincide with the annual Our Ocean Wealth Summit. The festival has grown annually, attracting over 103,400 visitors to Galway Harbour and Docks during the three day event held from 29 June to 1 July 2018. The final day of festivities in 2018 attracted the largest number of visitors to SeaFest since it was established in 2015. As Ireland's national maritime festival, SeaFest aims to strengthen our maritime identity, increasing participation and engagement with the sea in accordance with Goal 3 of Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth (Ireland’s Integrated Marine Plan). Working together with a wide range of partner agencies and organisations, the Marine Institute coordinated SeaFest on behalf of the cross-government Marine Coordination Group, which is chaired by Minister Creed. BIM and Bord Bia were also central to the event showcasing a range of activities highlighting Ireland’s diverse seafood industry and resource. Figure 3. Photos from SeaFest 2018 As part of SeaFest, the fifth 'Our Ocean Wealth Summit' was held. The 2018 Summit focused on optimising, commercialising, managing and protecting Ireland’s blue economy, worth over €2 billion directly to the economy each year, with the overall theme of 'Investing in Marine Ireland'. Minister Creed addressed delegates at the Summit, welcoming positive growth trends in Ireland's blue economy. The Minister also launched, on behalf of Government, the annual Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth Review of Progress. In addition to Minister Creed's address, Ministers representing the following Government Departments also addressed the Summit – Denis Naughton TD, Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Damien English TD, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Seán Kyne TD, Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Natural Resource Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The keynote speaker for the 2018 Summit was Mary Robinson. Other key events that took place in the city during SeaFest included the Marine Ireland Trade Show organised by Enterprise Ireland, and a commemoration event – Life and the Sea – a civic and military service to remember all those who have lost their lives at sea and recognising the heroism of the men and women of our rescue services. At a local level in Galway, it is estimated that SeaFest and associated events in 2018 generated €6.5 million in direct income for the city’s tourism industry. Local,

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