The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020

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PART 2 
SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION
standing of under-recognized sources of fish 
in food security and nutrition decision-making 
and policy. 
Blue growth achievements
Background
Oceans and inland waters (lakes, rivers and 
reservoirs) are increasingly recognized as 
indispensable for addressing many of the global 
challenges facing the planet in the decades 
to come, from world food security, poverty 
alleviation and climate change to the provision of 
energy, natural resources, improved well-being 
and medical care. 
Blue growth, also referred to as “blue economy”, 
“green economy in a blue world” or “ocean 
economy”, has its origins in the green economy 
concept endorsed at the United Nations 
Conference on Sustainable Development 
(Rio+20) in 2012. Although pioneered by SIDS 
at the Rio+20 Oceans Day, it was considered 
relevant to all coastal States and countries 
with an interest in waters within and beyond 
national jurisdiction. 
At its core, the blue growth concept seeks to 
de-couple socio-economic development from 
environmental degradation by the major users 
of oceans and inland waters. These include 
traditional sectors such as fisheries, irrigation, 
tourism and maritime transport, but also new 
and emerging activities, such as renewable 
energy, water desalinization, marine 
aquaculture, seabed extractive activities, marine 
biotechnology and bioprospecting.
FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative
In 2013, FAO launched the Blue Growth Initiative 
(BGI) in support of food security, poverty 
alleviation and sustainable management of 
aquatic natural resource. FAO defines blue 
growth as
 
“sustainable growth and development 
emanating from economic activities using living 
aquatic resources of the oceans, inland waters 
and coastal zones, that minimize environmental 
degradation and biodiversity loss and maximize 
economic and social benefits.” 
For sustainable production from capture 
fisheries and aquaculture, the BGI builds on the 
international policy framework encompassing 
legal, environmental and management streams 
(
Figure 50
). The goal is to enable effective, 
joined-up implementation of policies, investment 
and innovation that would underpin sustainable 
growth in fisheries and aquaculture production 
and give rise to new economic opportunities 
in ecosystem goods and services. It aims to 
mobilize financial and technical support and 
build local capacity and governance frameworks 
for the design and implementation of blue 
growth strategies, and to create action-oriented 
policy options and institutions tailored to 
the respective economic circumstances and 
constraints of FAO’s Members. 
As per FAO’s mandate, work on fisheries and 
aquaculture management is centred around the 
Code and its related international agreements, 
strategies, guidelines and plans of action. At the 
same time, to support the economic and social 
development of coastal communities, the BGI 
aims to address the significant inefficiencies 
that still characterize seafood value chains,