About us - ECO-CATCH

ABOUT ECO-CATCH

The ECO-CATCH project will help fisheries in the Baltic and North Sea to achieve environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

To do this we will trial and refine 10 innovative fishing technologies and gears that minimise the bycatch of sensitive species and juvenile fish, as well as reducing impact on key habitats. All the while making fishers’ efforts in implementing sustainable improvements more visible to the market and consumers.

OUR MISSION

To make sustainable fishing practices a commercial reality in the Baltic and North Sea through proven, scalable innovations that protect sensitive species, young fish, and key habitats.

Objective 1
– Improve understanding of bycatch risk

Deliver 3 AI detector systems for accurate real-time estimates of bycatch onboard commercial vessels, providing rapid and accurate knowledge on bycatch levels and identify key areas for protection.

Objective 2
– Innovate real-time fisher information and gear designs

Deliver 2 scalable applications that inform fishers in real-time on the fishing areas of lowest-impact and highest-return, 5 bycatch reduction technologies that minimize the impact of current fisheries, and 3 new sustainable fishing methods.

Objective 3
– Demonstrate practical use of new technology and gear

Compile a Catalogue of 10 innovative fishing technologies and test them across fisheries and countries to showcase their performance under commercial conditions.

Objective 4
– Facilitate implementation of new technologies

Work closely with the industry to identify and resolve technical, economic, and legal barriers to widespread implementation and uptake of the innovations.

Objective 5 – Deliver market-ready solutions

Showcase the impact and economic benefits of adopting the technologies and gears by delivering 4 replicable business models, and requirements for certification, sustainability rating and corporate reporting.