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The National Strategy

In accordance with the Centre for Applied Studies of the Catholic University, the economy of the Sea, considering its indirect effects, is responsible, in Portugal, for 11% of GNP, 12% of employment, 17% of indirect taxes and 15% of the trading margins in the Portuguese economy.

Portugal has one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones of Europe, with more than 1,700,000 Sq.Km, which corresponds to 18 times its land area.

Portugal has, in this large maritime area, a unique natural heritage (some of the more important oceanic ecosystems of the world are located in it), and very relevant geological, mineral, biotechnological and energy resources.

With the Discoveries, Portugal lived moments of prosperity and development and decisively set the world’s economic, cultural and scientific reality.

It may even be said that the Ocean is the founding element of our identity.

In spite of these factors – historical, environmental and economic, the truth is that our heritage, bonded to the Sea, is still under exploited and that the links of the Portuguese with the Sea are affected by certain intangibility.

The Oceans Strategic Committee was set up in 2003 with the aim to reverse this trend. This Committee produced the Report “The Ocean, a national objective for the 21st century”, approved in 2004, containing approximately 250 proposals and action measures.

In 2005, with the current Government, the Mission Structure for Sea Issues was set up, and gave rise to the approval, in November 2006, of the National Sea Strategy.

This National Sea Strategy identified 8 strategic actions

  1. Sensitizing and mustering society for the importance of the sea.
  2. Promoting the teaching and disclosure in schools of matters related to the sea.
  3. Promoting Portugal as a location of excellence for a research centre of Sea Sciences in Europe.
  4. Area planning and programming of the activities.
  5. Protection and recovery of marine ecosystems.
  6. Developing the economy of the sea.
  7. Invest in new technologies applied to maritime activities.
  8. National defence, security, surveillance and protection of the maritime areas under national sovereignty or jurisdiction.

In February 2007, the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sea Matters was set up with the objective of coordinating, accompanying and assessing the implementation of the referred Strategy.

This Inter-Ministerial Committee will shortly approve a Detailed Action Plan in order that the National Sea Strategy is carried out.


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© 2006-2016 Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

You have gained access to the records of the Official Site of the Presidency of the Republic from 9 March 2006 to 9 March 2016.

The contents available here were entered in the site during the 10 year period covering the two mandates of President of the Republic Aníbal Cavaco Silva.