Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the proposed EU Ocean Act, highlighting the essential contribution of marine microorganisms to ocean health, climate regulation, biodiversity and the blue bioeconomy.
Several members of AMI’s Ocean Sustainability Advisory Group contributed to the organisation’s joint response, drawing on the expertise of international microbiologists. The submission included a survey response reflecting the majority view of participating AMI members, alongside a supporting document setting out the scientific case for greater recognition of marine microorganisms in European ocean policy.
AMI’s central message is that marine microbes must be explicitly recognised as fundamental components of ocean ecosystems and considered across biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, ocean-climate related policy and marine health.
Microorganisms—including phytoplankton, bacteria, archaea and viruses—drive many of the biological and chemical processes that regulate the ocean. They are responsible for recycling around half of global primary production and play central roles in the biological and microbial carbon pumps, as well as in the cycling of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron. As oceans warm, acidify and lose oxygen, understanding how microbial communities respond will be increasingly important for predicting changes in ecosystem function and climate regulation.
Ecosystem functioning
AMI also highlighted the importance of microbes to ecosystem functioning and restoration. Marine organisms such as corals, sponges, seagrasses and fish exist in close association with microbial communities that can influence nutrition, disease resistance and resilience. Recognising these host-associated microbiomes could strengthen conservation and restoration efforts by ensuring that the microbial processes underpinning ecosystem health are not overlooked.
The response further points to the enormous potential of marine microorganisms for the blue bioeconomy. Marine microbial communities represent a largely unexplored reservoir of genetic and biochemical diversity, with potential applications ranging from medicines and industrial enzymes to new biomaterials and biotechnology. Protecting marine microbial biodiversity is therefore not only an environmental priority, but an investment in future innovation.
Our recommendations
AMI’s recommendations include strengthening the definition and assessment of Good Environmental Status to explicitly consider microbial diversity, community composition, functional diversity and microbial ecosystem services. The organisation also calls for host-associated microbiomes to be recognised where they are important to the health and resilience of protected species, habitats and ecosystems.
The submission also argues that an ecosystem-based approach should move beyond a focus on visible organisms and habitats. Microorganisms drive processes including nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, primary productivity and decomposition, while their rapid responses to environmental change could provide valuable indicators of ecosystem condition and recovery.
By bringing together the expertise and perspectives of its members, AMI is advocating for an Ocean Act that recognises the full biological complexity of marine ecosystems—and puts microbiology firmly within Europe’s vision for a healthy, resilient and sustainable ocean.
Read our response to the consultation on the proposed EU Ocean Act.
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