The EU has pledged more than 338 million euros for the global protection of the oceans at the ‘Our Ocean’ conference held in Kenya

The European Union has pledged 338.35 million euros to support ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries and maritime safety at the Our Ocean 2026 Conference. Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, announced the news at the event, which is taking place today and tomorrow in Mombasa, Kenya. The EU funding will help to ensure safe, clean, healthy and sustainably managed oceans worldwide.

This year’s conference, held under the theme‘Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future’,brings together representatives from governments, civil society and industry from around the world to support the heritage, cultures and coastal communities shaped by the sea, whilst calling for a shared commitment to ensuring a resilient, fair and prosperous ocean for future generations. The theme is in line with theStrategy for Coastal Communities, recently adopted by the European Commission, which seeks to balance environmental protection with economic and social sustainability in coastal regions.

EU funding is designed to improve the sustainability of the oceans and maritime safety globally through a series of specific initiatives. These include strengthening theGlobal Ocean Observing Systemand improving data-driven decision-making for marine policies through theCommission’sOceanEyeinitiative; boosting maritime security by combating piracy and unsafe navigation in the southern Red Sea, the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden; and fostering a sustainable coastal and ocean economy in Africa through partnerships between investors and entrepreneurs and the scaling up of high-impact projects underBlueInvest Africa.

Additional EU-funded measures will combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; support the implementation of thePolitical Declaration of the United Nations Ocean Conference; and promote the sustainable management of coastal and marine resources. The EU funding announced today will also tackle marine pollution — by reducing plastics, chemicals and nutrient runoff, whilst restoring vulnerable ecosystems — as well as expanding marine protected areas, deepening scientific understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and strengthening global conservation targets.

Fund

The ocean covers 70.8% of the Earth’s surface and plays a vital role in regulating the climate, maintaining biodiversity and sustaining communities. However, it faces enormous pressures from global warming, overfishing and habitat destruction.

The EU has consistently prioritised the protection of the oceans through policies such as theEuropean Pact for the Oceansand international cooperation. The Our Ocean Conference, launched in 2014, brings together governments, civil society and industry to find joint solutions and set out ambitious commitments to protect the oceans. To date, this platform has mobilised more than 2,900 commitments worth approximately 169,000 million dollars to tackle marine challenges.

More information: European Commission.