Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development
Introduction. This study focuses on exploring the opportunities for the “blue” transformation of aquatic food systems in Ukraine and Greece, drawing on international experience. It emphasises that, in global practice, countries face significant challenges in developing comprehensive blue economy str...
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| Date: | 2025 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dr. Viktor Koval
2025
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| Online Access: | https://ees-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/view/318 |
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| Journal Title: | Economics Ecology Socium |
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Economics Ecology Socium| _version_ | 1856543656333279232 |
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| author | Iermakova, Olga Shershun, Olha Polychronidou, Persefoni |
| author_facet | Iermakova, Olga Shershun, Olha Polychronidou, Persefoni |
| author_sort | Iermakova, Olga |
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| collection | OJS |
| datestamp_date | 2025-12-30T09:50:42Z |
| description | Introduction. This study focuses on exploring the opportunities for the “blue” transformation of aquatic food systems in Ukraine and Greece, drawing on international experience. It emphasises that, in global practice, countries face significant challenges in developing comprehensive blue economy strategies, while their effectiveness depends on institutional mechanisms and innovative approaches.
Aim and tasks. This study aims to analyse international approaches and assess the opportunities for implementing an effective “blue” transformation of aquatic food systems in Ukraine and Greece. The tasks include comparing existing strategies and practices, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of national models, and justifying institutional and cluster-based mechanisms that can enhance investment attractiveness and ecological sustainability.
Results. The analysis revealed that Greece possesses substantial practical experience in aquaculture and well-developed institutional forms of cooperation, including sectoral associations and innovation clusters integrated into European support mechanisms. According to the analysis, Greece maintains stable production at around 120-140 thousand tonnes per year. In contrast, Ukraine’s marine aquaculture output remained below 5,000 tonnes until 2016, after which official data are unavailable, illustrating a complete loss of national mariculture reporting and control. This study substantiates the relevance of establishing a Greek-Ukrainian innovation cluster in aquaculture as a tool for internationalisation and integration into the European sustainable development framework.
Conclusions. It demonstrates that both countries must consider the proven effective experience of states that already have national blue economy strategies. The comparative analysis showed that the aquaculture sector in Greece generated USD 810 million in 2022 at 2020 prices, whereas the aquaculture sector in Norway generated over USD 10 billion at 2020 prices. These results confirm the significant productivity gap between leading and peripheral countries, underscoring the strategic importance of establishing transnational innovation clusters to close this gap. The application of the cluster model and international cooperation instruments creates a foundation for shaping competitive and ecologically balanced aquatic food systems. |
| first_indexed | 2026-02-08T08:06:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:ojs2.www.ees-journal.com:article-318 |
| institution | Economics Ecology Socium |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-02-08T08:06:41Z |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Dr. Viktor Koval |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | oai:ojs2.www.ees-journal.com:article-3182025-12-30T09:50:42Z Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development Iermakova, Olga Shershun, Olha Polychronidou, Persefoni Aquatic Food Systems, Aquaculture Clusters, Blue Economy, Sustainability, Water Ecosystems. Aquatic Food Systems, Aquaculture Clusters, Blue Economy, Sustainability, Water Ecosystems. Introduction. This study focuses on exploring the opportunities for the “blue” transformation of aquatic food systems in Ukraine and Greece, drawing on international experience. It emphasises that, in global practice, countries face significant challenges in developing comprehensive blue economy strategies, while their effectiveness depends on institutional mechanisms and innovative approaches. Aim and tasks. This study aims to analyse international approaches and assess the opportunities for implementing an effective “blue” transformation of aquatic food systems in Ukraine and Greece. The tasks include comparing existing strategies and practices, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of national models, and justifying institutional and cluster-based mechanisms that can enhance investment attractiveness and ecological sustainability. Results. The analysis revealed that Greece possesses substantial practical experience in aquaculture and well-developed institutional forms of cooperation, including sectoral associations and innovation clusters integrated into European support mechanisms. According to the analysis, Greece maintains stable production at around 120-140 thousand tonnes per year. In contrast, Ukraine’s marine aquaculture output remained below 5,000 tonnes until 2016, after which official data are unavailable, illustrating a complete loss of national mariculture reporting and control. This study substantiates the relevance of establishing a Greek-Ukrainian innovation cluster in aquaculture as a tool for internationalisation and integration into the European sustainable development framework. Conclusions. It demonstrates that both countries must consider the proven effective experience of states that already have national blue economy strategies. The comparative analysis showed that the aquaculture sector in Greece generated USD 810 million in 2022 at 2020 prices, whereas the aquaculture sector in Norway generated over USD 10 billion at 2020 prices. These results confirm the significant productivity gap between leading and peripheral countries, underscoring the strategic importance of establishing transnational innovation clusters to close this gap. The application of the cluster model and international cooperation instruments creates a foundation for shaping competitive and ecologically balanced aquatic food systems. Dr. Viktor Koval 2025-12-30 Article Article Peer-reviewed Article application/pdf https://ees-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/view/318 10.61954/2616-7107/2025.9.4-5 Economics Ecology Socium; Vol. 9 No. 4 (2025): Economics Ecology Socium; 62-78 Економіка Екологія Соціум; Том 9 № 4 (2025): Economics Ecology Socium; 62-78 2616-7107 2616-7107 10.61954/2616-7107/2025.9.4 en https://ees-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/view/318/274 Copyright (c) 2025 Economics Ecology Socium http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Aquatic Food Systems Aquaculture Clusters Blue Economy Sustainability Water Ecosystems. Iermakova, Olga Shershun, Olha Polychronidou, Persefoni Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_alt | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_full | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_fullStr | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_short | Strategic Blue Transformation of Aquatic Food Systems: Prerequisites for Partnership and Sustainable Development |
| title_sort | strategic blue transformation of aquatic food systems: prerequisites for partnership and sustainable development |
| topic | Aquatic Food Systems Aquaculture Clusters Blue Economy Sustainability Water Ecosystems. |
| topic_facet | Aquatic Food Systems Aquaculture Clusters Blue Economy Sustainability Water Ecosystems. Aquatic Food Systems Aquaculture Clusters Blue Economy Sustainability Water Ecosystems. |
| url | https://ees-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/view/318 |
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