In 2023, the Spanish established Blue Economy sectors employ 980 700 people and generates around €41.9 billion in GVA. The Blue Economy has had a positive impact on the Spanish economy and employment rates. Indeed, the share of Blue Economy GVA to the national economy is 3.1% in 2023, registering an increase from 2.9% in 2022.
A similar pattern is observed for the share of Blue Economy jobs to national employment, which records 4.7% in 2023, slightly higher than the previous year (4.6%), confirming the significant contribution to Spanish Economy.
Coastal tourism remained the dominant Blue Economy sector, representing 72% of blue economy employment and 68% of GVA in 2023, increasing its relative importance compared with the previous year. Marine living resources was the second largest sector, accounting for 19% of employment and 17% of GVA.
The second highest contribution in terms of employment and GVA is displayed in the sector Marine living resources sector, with 19% of the Spanish Blue Economy jobs and 17% of the GVA in 2023.
In 2023, Spain is the largest contributor in terms of GVA in EU for the sectors Coastal tourism, the second largest for the sector Marine living resources, and fourth largest for Marine non-living resources. As for the employment, Spain is the largest contributor in EU for the sector Marine non-living resources, Marine living resources and Coastal tourism.
The high employment on the Marine non-living resources sector relies mainly on the desalination subsector, where Spain is EU’s leading country: it accounts for nearly three quarters of the EU’s total active desalination capacity, as well as around 80% of the employment within the subsector.
In 2024, some of the busiest container ports in the EU are in Spain: Port of Algeciras (5th), Port of Valencia (10th), Port of Barcelona (12th), Port of Cartagena (24th), Port of Bilbao (27th), and Port of Tarragona (28th). With the exception of the Port of Bilbao, these ports are all located in the Mediterranean Sea. The port of Palma de Mallorca (7th), Algeciras (16th) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (17th) are in the top 20 of EU ports by number of passengers in 2024..
The Spanish Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación recognises the importance of the seas and oceans as engines of the economy thanks to the potential for innovation and growth. It launched the strategy Economia azul (i.e. Blue economy), based on the Europe 2020 Strategy, with the objective to support the sustainable growth of the marine and maritime sectors.
The Red Española de Espacios de Conocimiento de Crecimiento Azul (REECEA) has been established to facilitate communication and dissemination within the framework of the strategy Economia azul, and it integrates universities, technology centres and other institutions working in this space.
There are important initiatives at regional level:
Canary Islands: The creation of the Canary Islands Blue Economy Observatory (Observatorio Canario de la Economía Azul), one of the main actions of the recently approved Canary Islands Blue Economy Strategy promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands, is due to the need to enhance the coordination and integration of the different public policies that They are carried out in the field of the Blue Economy in the Canary Islands.
The mission of the Canary Islands Blue Economy Strategy (ECEA) is to promote maritime identity and the Blue Economy, where the cultural, environmental, social and economic activities and interactions that take place in the coastal maritime space converge, aimed at improving the public services, sustainability and economic development of the region.
Catalonia: The Maritime Strategy of Catalonia (Estratègia Marítima de Catalunya) emphasizes the environmental dimension and protects sustainability, ensuring the preservation of marine ecosystems that are essential for the provision of services to society. The relevance of the blue economy in Catalonia as an economic engine is shown with a blue economy Gross Added Value and employment above 5% and 3% of the national total, estimated by the Oficina del Mar of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The 2023-2026 Plan of the Maritime Strategy of Catalonia focuses on the following four areas of action: i) a sustainable blue economy within the framework of an integrated maritime policy that respects all uses of the sea; ii) healthy and resilient ecosystems; iii) A citizenry that loves and values the sea as a source of well-being and wealth; and iv) an innovative maritime governance in the hands of citizens.
Galicia: The Port of Vigo is a pioneer port in Europe in the implementation of the Blue Growth strategy and Sustainable Blue Economy Communication in a comprehensive manner with the collective work of all users of the port.
The Port of Vigo promotes competitiveness, efficiency and sustainability in all its activities, facilities and services. Amongst its activities, the port works to regenerate the seabed, recover biodiversity throughout the port area and the collection of marine litter.
Additionally, Galicia presented its Blue Economy Strategy in 2024, considering 3 strategic objectives and 9 operational objectives, and classifying the main sectors of the Galician blue economy into stablished sectors, emerging sectors, and cross-cutting sectors.
It is also worth noting that in 2025 the region of Andalucía approved its Horizon 2028 Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy, whose purpose is to promote and foster synergies among the economic sectors linked to the seas and coastline of the region, within the framework of an innovative economy and environmental sustainability.
Also, the Region of Murcia approved its Maritime Strategy, which defines eight areas of action like Blue growth or blue skills. For each area, several measures and actions are considered.
Currently, several educational opportunities are offered by universities in Spain, such as the MSc in Aquaculture (both at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and at the Polytechnic University of Valencia), the MSc in Coastal Management (University of Las Palmas), or the MSc in Advanced ship design and offshore renewable energies (Polytechnic University of Madrid). Other universities that offer several opportunities include Universidad de Vigo and Universidad de Cádiz.
Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Economic and Social Analysis (ESA)
As part of the MSFD reporting obligations, Member States must provide an Economic and Social Analysis of the blue economy. This analysis is integrated into the broader reporting package under Articles 8, 9, and 10, which includes:
- The status of marine waters;
- The determination of GES;
- Environmental targets to achieve GES.
The Economic and Social Analysis (ESA) report for the 2024–2029 cycle is presented below in PDF format. This document is available in English translation, with the original language included where applicable.
The full reports submitted under Articles 8, 9, and 10 are available here: MSFD Reporting Portal.
For more information on the implementation of the MSFD, visit the European Commission’s MSFD page.
For more national level data, please visit the Dashboards section within the EU Blue Economy Observatory, where you can also find information about Educational and Employment opportunities in the Blue Economy sectors.
Text version
This interactive dashboard presents the evolution of the blue economy for Spain. It is designed to provide insights into key economic indicators over time.
At the top of the dashboard, there is a drop-down menu that allows users to select one of the following data categories:
- Employment: Number of jobs and workforce trends in the blue economy sectors.
- Gross Value Added (GVA): The contribution of the blue economy to the national economy.
- Turnover and Gross Profit: Revenue and profitability metrics of blue economy industries.
- Investment: Capital investment levels in blue economy sectors.
Once a category is selected, the main panel updates to display relevant visualisations, such as line charts or bar graphs, showing trends over time. These visualisations are accompanied by labels, legends, and tooltips to ensure clarity and accessibility.
The dashboard is navigable via keyboard and compatible with screen readers. All interactive elements are clearly labeled, and data visualisations include alternative text descriptions summarising key insights.