Public subsidies have been identified by scientists as a major driver of overfishing. Understanding who gets what, from whom and to do what is critical to preserve marine biodiversity and livelihoods, which is why BLOOM is in the process of identifying the beneficiaries of such subsidies in France, to establish the amounts involved, and determine whether they respect the sustainability objectives set at the international level.

Labels branding “sustainable” seafood are becoming mainstream, but are increasingly criticized by scientists and NGOs as being mostly marketing tools. BLOOM conducts research on their standards and their application in order to determine which labels can be trusted (and to which extent), and which labels should be avoided.

The vast majority of the seafood consumed in Europe, Asia and North America does not come from their own waters. Fish such as tunas are often caught by industrial vessels from these regions in the waters of developing countries, through questionable access agreements. BLOOM aims to bring more equity into these agreements by increasing transparency and regional cooperation.