of the Policy, “maritime activities” are defined as those related not only to the sea,
but also to navigable rivers, lakes and lagoons—granting the policy a broader scope
than the documents which exclusively govern marine resources. The PMN is the
highest-ranking national policy for maritime activities, one that should be taken into
account by other national policies, plans and programs—sectorial and
interministerial policies and measures shall respect the terms of the PMN.
The Policy is underpinned by the general objective to inform the development of
maritime activities in Brazil in an integrated and harmonious way, aiming at the
effective, rational and optimal utilization of the sea and internal waterways, in
accordance with national interests. Complementing that major goal, the specific
objectives include: the development of a national maritime mentality; the research,
exploration and rational exploitation of living resources—in particular fisheries—
and non-living resources of the bed and subsoil of the sea, rivers, lagoons and
navigable lakes; finally, the protection of the environment in areas where maritime
activities take place.
36
In order to implement such objectives, the PMN lists concrete actions, which
were grouped in seven different axes, such as naval construction, security, maritime
research and development, and others. Relevant issues to the PMN are Brazil’s
commitment to international rules, the quality of port services in the country,
incentives to cabotage navigation, to shipbuilding, to research and development of
national maritime technology, professional training to maritime activities, the levels
of safety of navigation and maritime traffic, among others.
37
One of the strategic axes governed by the PMN is “marine resources” (recursos
do mar),
38 which deals mainly with growing Brazilian nationals’ participation in
marine fisheries, as well as with increasing Brazilian exploration of non-living
resources of the Area and the sustainable exploitation of marine resources in areas
under Brazilian jurisdiction. “Action 2” on marine resources relates directly to the
management of the continental shelf, by setting out the goal to intensify activities of
prospecting, exploring and exploiting mineral resources of the Brazilian continental
shelf, especially those which may contribute to minimizing the net import of
strategic minerals. Overall, the PMN worries little with the conservation of marine
environment and aims clearly at governing maritime activities which may foster
socioeconomic development. Not much is elaborated on marine environmental
concerns, such as measures to protect oceanic ecosystems, prevent marine pollution
or else—just the general and cliché-wise employment of key terms, such as “sustainable exploitation”.
36 National Maritime Policy, Chapter 2, available online.
37 The main participants of the PMN are the Ministries of the Navy (nowadays, Ministry of
Defense), Foreign Affairs, Finance, Transportation, Agriculture, Education, Labor, Industry and
Commerce, Mining and Energy, Regional Integration, Justice, Science and Technology and
Environment, and the Secretariats of Planning, Strategic Affairs and Federal Administration.
38 National Maritime Policy, Introduction, at 3.
256
9 The Environmental Dimension of the “Brazilian Blue...
but also to navigable rivers, lakes and lagoons—granting the policy a broader scope
than the documents which exclusively govern marine resources. The PMN is the
highest-ranking national policy for maritime activities, one that should be taken into
account by other national policies, plans and programs—sectorial and
interministerial policies and measures shall respect the terms of the PMN.
The Policy is underpinned by the general objective to inform the development of
maritime activities in Brazil in an integrated and harmonious way, aiming at the
effective, rational and optimal utilization of the sea and internal waterways, in
accordance with national interests. Complementing that major goal, the specific
objectives include: the development of a national maritime mentality; the research,
exploration and rational exploitation of living resources—in particular fisheries—
and non-living resources of the bed and subsoil of the sea, rivers, lagoons and
navigable lakes; finally, the protection of the environment in areas where maritime
activities take place.
36
In order to implement such objectives, the PMN lists concrete actions, which
were grouped in seven different axes, such as naval construction, security, maritime
research and development, and others. Relevant issues to the PMN are Brazil’s
commitment to international rules, the quality of port services in the country,
incentives to cabotage navigation, to shipbuilding, to research and development of
national maritime technology, professional training to maritime activities, the levels
of safety of navigation and maritime traffic, among others.
37
One of the strategic axes governed by the PMN is “marine resources” (recursos
do mar),
38 which deals mainly with growing Brazilian nationals’ participation in
marine fisheries, as well as with increasing Brazilian exploration of non-living
resources of the Area and the sustainable exploitation of marine resources in areas
under Brazilian jurisdiction. “Action 2” on marine resources relates directly to the
management of the continental shelf, by setting out the goal to intensify activities of
prospecting, exploring and exploiting mineral resources of the Brazilian continental
shelf, especially those which may contribute to minimizing the net import of
strategic minerals. Overall, the PMN worries little with the conservation of marine
environment and aims clearly at governing maritime activities which may foster
socioeconomic development. Not much is elaborated on marine environmental
concerns, such as measures to protect oceanic ecosystems, prevent marine pollution
or else—just the general and cliché-wise employment of key terms, such as “sustainable exploitation”.
36 National Maritime Policy, Chapter 2, available online.
37 The main participants of the PMN are the Ministries of the Navy (nowadays, Ministry of
Defense), Foreign Affairs, Finance, Transportation, Agriculture, Education, Labor, Industry and
Commerce, Mining and Energy, Regional Integration, Justice, Science and Technology and
Environment, and the Secretariats of Planning, Strategic Affairs and Federal Administration.
38 National Maritime Policy, Introduction, at 3.
256
9 The Environmental Dimension of the “Brazilian Blue...