Innovations in Marine Biotechnology and Their Role in Advancing a Sustainable Blue Economy
Keywords:
Marine Biotechnology, Blue Economy, Sustainable Development, Ecological Economics, Innovation Systems, Marine ConservationAbstract
This study investigates marine biotechnology as an emerging technology to pursue a sustainable Blue Economy with regard to the innovation that drives growth in the economy and preserves the marine biodiversity. The research questions involve: how marine biotechnology can improve sustainable practices in the Blue Economy, its economic costs, ecological, and social impact, and policy framework to scale such innovations in coast and marine resources governance practices. The study is anchored on three theoretical frameworks that are Ecological Economics, Innovation Systems Theory, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The set of frameworks can be used to obtain an insight of the equilibrium between environmental conservation and technological advancement in the marine sectors. The conclusion indicates that marine biotechnology is key in developing fresh hubs of economic activities, including drugs and sustainable aquaculture, besides alleviating environmental degradation via bioremediation and the preservation of biodiversity. Nevertheless, issues of technology constraints, gaps in regulations and ethics of bioprospecting and genetic modification still exist. As part of advancing its potential value to sustainable development, the study suggests an improvement in policy frames, increased international partnerships as well as the adoption of ethical principles in the application of marine biotechnology. This study highlights a multi-action set of measures to enhance the sustainable exploitation of the marine sources, with some hints on possible outcomes of marine biotechnology in going forward with the Blue Economy.
Downloads
References
Aftab, H., Saeed, M., & Shah, S. H. (2020). Marine biotechnology and its role in sustainable development. Environmental Science & Policy, 118, 77–85.
Bennett, N. J., Cisneros-Montemayor, A. M., Blythe, J., Silver, J. J., Singh, G., Andrews, N., & Sumaila, U. R. (2019). Towards a sustainable and equitable blue economy. Nature Sustainability, 2(11), 991–993.
Bjordal, J., Storelvmo, T., & Jr, A. A. S. (2022). Quantifying uncertainty about global and regional economic impacts of climate change. Environmental Research Letters, 17(9), 094020. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac8ab1
Daly, H. E., & Farley, J. (2011). Ecological economics: Principles and applications (2nd ed.). Island Press.
FAO. (2020). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2020: Sustainability in action. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Goncalves, A. T., Raicevich, S., Pita, C., & Villasante, S. (2021). Marine protected areas, ecosystem services, and Blue Economy: What’s the connection? Marine Policy, 129, 104560.
Hoffman, R. M., Oliveira, J. L., & Smith, G. P. (2021). Marine microbial biotechnology for environmental remediation: The role of marine bacteria in oil and heavy metal degradation. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(6), 4215–4223.
IPCC. (2019). Special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Lundvall, B.-Å. (1992). National systems of innovation: Towards a theory of innovation and interactive learning. Pinter Publishers.
López-Correa, M. A., Torres, S., & Rodríguez, E. (2020). Ethical and ecological implications of marine biotechnology: Addressing concerns over GMOs and bioprospecting. Marine Policy, 118, 103924.
Martin, C. M., Viana, D. R., & Pinto, M. R. (2019). Bioprospecting for bioactive compounds from marine organisms: Applications in cancer and anti-inflammatory drug development. Marine Drugs, 17(8), 421.
Müller, M., Rommert, M., & Hauffe, F. (2020). Marine bioremediation: Principles, applications, and the role of marine biotechnology. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 151, 110859.
OECD. (2016). The ocean economy in 2030. OECD Publishing.
Ramírez, M., Fernández, J., & Sánchez, M. (2020). Biotechnological approaches for marine ecosystem restoration. Marine Environmental Research, 161, 105025.
Roe, R. L., Norris, J., & Holm, P. (2020). The role of genetic engineering in sustainable aquaculture: Assessing GM salmon's impact on productivity and disease resistance. Aquaculture Research, 51(2), 565–578.
Santos, R. L., Vicente, A. A., & Pereira, L. (2020). Marine biotechnology: Advances and applications. Biotechnology Advances, 39, 107444.
Tvedt, M. W. (2017). Ethical challenges in marine biotechnology: Bioprospecting and benefit-sharing. Marine Policy, 81, 155–162.
UNEP. (2020). From pollution to solutions: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. United Nations Environment Programme.
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations
World Bank. (2017). The potential of the Blue Economy: Increasing long-term benefits of the sustainable use of marine resources for small island developing states and coastal least developed countries.
Published on: 31-07-2025
Also Available On
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammed Kabeer Garba, Jibrin Hussaini Abubakar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to this journal retain the copyright of their articles but agree to publish their articles under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that they indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.
