Emilio F. Campana CNR – President of the Scientific Committee of BIG

Blue Italian Growth

The Italian Bioeconomy: a Revised Strategy and New Road Map for intensifying its Contribution to the Sustainable Growth of the Country Presidency of Council of Ministers, Rome, May 14th, 10.00-13.00

Comments and suggestions from the Blue Growth Cluster BIG

Seas and Oceans sustains us – But for how much longer?

Seas and Oceans represent a great opportunity for the Humanity

Italy is characterized by over 8000 km of coastline, with an obvious relevance of sea-based resources (food, microbes, energy, materials, landscape).

Oceans, seas and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem

and are critical to sustainable development.

Seas and Oceans sustains us – But for how much longer?

Seas and Oceans represent a great opportunity for the Humanity

An incomplete list of threat Climate change and impacts, Deep Sea Mining, Biological invasions, Marine Pollution, Natural Hazards, Munitions in the sea, Microplastic, Transport, Overfishing, Altered trophic cascades, etc. BIG is a legal recognized entity

BIG in numbers 82 partners, including: • 30 Research Organizations; • 7 Large industries: • 32 SME from all over Italy; • 9 regional technological districts; • 8 others Goal: promote sustainable development for sea based industries Involving marine and maritime research

Marine environment and coastal zone

Blue Biotechnology

Renewable energies from the sea

Abiotic marine resources

Shipbuilding and Marine Robotics

Marine biotic resources

BIG is articulated in 6 research trajectories

Generate technology roadmaps where priorities and suitable forms of action are identified

Bring the attention to the available technological opportunities

Mobilize industry, research and education

Develop public-private investment plans with a focus on research, innovation and knowledge transfer;

Play a role of coordination and promotion of access to European funding

Disseminate information to the public in general, and promote knowledge sharing among public and industrial sectors.

Italian blue economy : about €45 Billion/y and 835,000 employees.

Bioeconomy related activities are responsible for about 20% of the turnover and job opportunities of the present Italian blue economy.

BIG mission and implementation plan

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Blue Biotechnology bio-remediation, biopharmaceuticals, biomolecules, biomaterials Pharmaceutical industry as well as in food, cosmetic, chemical, textile, environmental, energy and transformation processes, nano-biotechnologies and biomaterials (including engineered mimicking processes)

Marine biotic resources fisheries and aquaculture, ecosystem services, reduction of the use of fishmeal, biodiversity and measures against alien species diffusion Reduction of energy consumptions of fishing vessels, improved safety and welfare of the operators; new technologies (including ICT) to improve safety and economic performance; more efficient fishing systems (selective fishing, environmental impact and reduced scrap); innovative vessels; conservation technologies; technologies for contrasting IUU fishing.

Marine environment and coastal zone Maritime monitoring and surveillance, marine hazard, coastal protection, environmental intervention services, safety at sea and in the harbours, protection and greening of coastlands and harbours, protected marine areas, data integration, services for forecasting, pollution and discharges into the sea (including hazardous war debris), sensors for GES indicators

Italy plays an important role in the European fish producer market and ranks fourth in Europe for aquaculture production. Nevertheless, about 75% of national consumption is covered by imports. Sea based tourism is responsible for 19.1% of the presences in the country and is the second contributor to the significant part of the Italian economy driven by foreign visitors. In addition to this, 64% of Italians choose marine locations for their vacations.

Sample activities include: • fishery and marine

aquaculture (Biotic resources), • exploitation of marine algae,

microbes and enzymes (Biotechnology),

• by-products and biowaste of fishery and aquaculture products processing (Biotic resources and Biotechnology),

• biomonitoring and bioremediation of marine water/sediment systems (Marine environment and coastal zone and Biotechnology)

BIG activities to foster bioeconomy (examples)

Marine biomaterials for sustainable building Beached Posidonia Oceanica is used as a high efficient, durable and fireproof thermal and acoustic insulator for building, solving also the problem of its disposal.

Marine microorganisms for bioremediation Some marine bacteria produce bio-surfactants during growth on hydrocarbons, their use for the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the marine environment is preferable to that of surfactants of non-marine and of synthetic origin.

Promoting a bioeconomy strategy in blue growth and sea-based industry

• Extreme fragmentation (especially fishery, aquaculture and bio-technology);

• Partially conservative and low on innovation (especially fishery );

• Lack of coordination of stakeholders • Regional differences on regulations for

new sea – based plants and terms and conditions set by national legislation

Associazione Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale Blue Italian Growth Contacts: clusterbig@gmail.com clusterbig@pec.it Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli - Italy , Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli – Tel.+39 081 5833111