Resolution No. 36/2024 approving the National Strategy for the Sea 2023-2033 and its Action Plan.

This Resolution approves the National Strategy for the Sea 2023-2033 (ENM 2023-2033) and its Action Plan, published as Annex to this Resolution. The ENM 2023-2033 is mandatory and universal and the measures set out, as well as the Action Plan, are applicable to all agents and operators in the maritime and other related sectors. The ENM 2023-2033, as well as the Action Plan, may be adjusted at any time, whenever new scientific factors of an environmental, economic and social nature prove necessary and appropriate to the management objectives. The ENM is aligned and in tune with the aims of the proclamation of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, as well as with the commitments of the 2030 Agenda, particularly the SDGs, focusing on the protection of marine life and the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.
On the other hand, as a national development instrument, embodied in and stemming from the guidelines of the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development (PEDS II, 2022-2026) and subsequent versions, the ENM should, in its implementation, also and above all produce internal effectiveness, and is therefore aligned with the national process of transition to the Blue Economy, adopted by the Government of Cape Verde since 2015, through the Charter in favour of promoting Blue Growth, later resumed with the approval of the Policy Charter for the Blue Economy in 2020. This strategic alignment includes the instruments for implementing the Charter, the national and municipal strategic plans for sustainable development, as well as other national strategic instruments such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2014-2030) and the National Protected Areas Strategy, among others.
The ENM's vision is supported by a set of Strategic Objectives (SO), established on the basis of the diagnosis of economic activities linked to the sea in 2023, upstream of the ENM drafting process. This diagnosis defines the initial reference base as a starting point for the various existing and emerging economic activities and services linked to the sea, as well as their institutional environment, such as: 4.1 Fishing and aquaculture; 4.2 Maritime transport, safety and coastal infrastructures; 4.3 Marine environment and coastline; 4.4 Tourism and aquatic ecotourism; 4.5 Maritime training, scientific research and knowledge; 4.6 Maritime services; 4.7 Desalination of seawater; 4.8 Renewable energies; Thus, the ENM establishes the two main OEs for Renewable Energies for 2023-2033: OE-19. Promote the production of renewable energy from the ocean, specifically wave energy, tides, thermal gradients and biomass, associated with the development of maritime and coastal economic activities, boosting circular economy principles. SO-20. Promote at national level the increased use of renewable energy from the ocean or from solar and wind sources, associated with the development of maritime and coastal economic activities, promoting circular economy principles.
To achieve this vision, 10 priority areas of intervention were defined, namely Fisheries and Aquaculture; Maritime Transport, Safety and Coastal Infrastructures; Marine Environment and Coastline; Tourism and Aquatic Ecotourism; Maritime Training, Scientific Research and Knowledge; Maritime Services; Desalination of seawater; Renewable Energies; Marine Biotechnology and Circular Economy; Digital Economy. Based on these, 23 strategic objectives are established that cross the entire value chain of the sea, to be achieved through the implementation of 46 priority actions.