There is a way of seeing the ocean economy that centers on the fish — the catch, the fleet and the market. The seeing is the traditional, and it is the narrow.
The blue economy is broader. The energy that is harvested from the wind and the wave, the minerals that lie beneath the floor, the shipping that crosses the lanes, the tourism that visits the coasts and the carbon that the ocean stores — the blue economy is the ocean’s full potential, and the potential is being developed.
The fishing as the base
The fishing is the blue economy’s base, and the base is the traditional.
The catch that feeds and the fleet that harvests — the fishing is the ocean economy’s traditional base, and the base is the foundation. The fishing is the oldest of the ocean industries, and the oldest is the starting point. The blue economy grows from the base, and the base is the fishing.
This is why the fishing matters: it is the base, and the base is the foundation.
The energy of the ocean
The ocean is becoming the energy, and the energy is the new harvest.
The wind that turns the turbines at the sea, the wave that drives the generators and the current that powers the machines — the ocean is becoming the energy source, and the energy is the new harvest. The offshore wind is the leading of the new harvest, and the leading is the scale. The ocean’s energy is the blue economy’s new frontier.
This is why the energy matters: it is the new harvest, and the harvest is the frontier.
The minerals of the floor
The floor holds the minerals, and the minerals are the potential.
The metals that lie in the nodules and the rare that lie in the vents — the ocean floor holds the minerals that the transition needs, and the minerals are the potential. The mining of the floor is the contested — the potential against the harm, the resource against the reef. The minerals are the blue economy’s question, and the question is the balance.
This is why the minerals matter: they are the potential, and the potential is the question.
The shipping of the lanes
The shipping is the ocean’s commerce, and the commerce is the connection.
The lanes that carry the world’s goods, the ports that connect the continents and the ships that move the economy — the shipping is the ocean’s commerce, and the commerce is the connection. The shipping is the blue economy’s workhorse, and the workhorse is the scale. The shipping is also the emission, and the emission is the challenge.
This is why the shipping matters: it is the connection, and the connection is the scale.
The tourism of the coast
The coast hosts the tourism, and the tourism is the visit.
The beaches that draw the millions, the reefs that host the divers and the coasts that feed the economies — the coastal tourism is the ocean economy’s human face, and the human is the visit. The tourism is the livelihood of the many coastal communities, and the livelihood is the dependence. The tourism is the blue economy’s connection to the people.
This is why the tourism matters: it is the livelihood, and the livelihood is the human.
The carbon of the ocean
The ocean stores the carbon, and the storing is the service.
The ocean that absorbs the carbon, the seagrass that stores it and the mangrove that banks it — the ocean is the carbon’s sink, and the sink is the climate’s service. The blue carbon is the ocean economy’s newest value, and the newest is the climate’s. The ocean that stores the carbon is the service that the climate depends on, and the depending is the value.
This is why the carbon matters: it is the service, and the service is the value.
The honest conclusion
The blue economy beyond the fish is the ocean’s full potential, and the potential is the development.
The fishing as the base, the energy, the minerals, the shipping, the tourism and the carbon — the ocean economy is broader than the catch, and the broader is the potential.
The fishing is the base and the energy is the frontier; the minerals are the question, the shipping is the scale, the tourism is the human and the carbon is the service. The blue economy is the ocean’s full potential, and the potential is being developed — the wind harvested, the shipping greened and the carbon valued. The blue economy is the ocean’s future, and the future is the balance: the development that takes the potential and protects the source. The ocean is more than the fish, and the blue economy is the ocean’s full promise.