SOSTE

Context

Sustainability is a strategic priority for the future of the fishing industry, against a backdrop of evolving regulatory and market requirements and the need to reduce the environmental impact of fishing activities.

Research and innovation are delivering solutions to make fishing more sustainable, particularly in areas such as reducing bycatch, tackling marine litter and addressing climate change. However, for these advances to have a tangible impact, their adoption in onboard fishing practices must be facilitated.

SOSTE addresses this challenge by strengthening the direct transfer of knowledge between the scientific community, training institutions and the fishing industry. The maritime and fisheries training schools in Bermeo, Ondarroa and Pasaia will play a central role in bringing the latest scientific and technological advances to both current professionals and future generations of the industry.

Objectives

SOSTE aims to transfer scientific knowledge and research, development and innovation (R&D&I) results to encourage the adoption of more efficient, safer and more sustainable practices on board fishing vessels.

The project focuses on three main areas:

• Bycatch: transferring techniques to prevent the capture of non-target species and improve the safe release of sensitive species.
• Marine litter: sharing solutions to reduce waste generation and promote the use of fishing gear made from more sustainable materials, while encouraging initiatives for the collection and proper management of marine litter.
• Climate change: integrating knowledge on energy consumption, efficiency and opportunities for the energy transition in fishing activities.

To achieve this, AZTI will review existing innovations and best practices, develop training materials that can be regularly updated, and organise participatory workshops and co-creation activities for students and professionals specialising in fishing, marine engineering and commercial diving.

Results

SOSTE will deliver an up-to-date scientific and technical framework for sustainable fishing, together with training materials based on research findings, technological innovations and practical experience gained in collaboration with fishing fleets.

Throughout 2026 and 2027, AZTI researchers will run workshops at the maritime and fisheries training schools in Bermeo, Ondarroa and Pasaia. These participatory sessions will help adapt scientific knowledge to different fishing methods and the operational realities faced by industry professionals.

The project will also analyse the experiences gained through these activities to identify best practices, lessons learned and opportunities for improvement, assessing the effectiveness of the methods used to transfer scientific and technological innovation to the fishing industry.

Expected impact

SOSTE will help bridge the gap between science, innovation and fishing practices through a structured approach, enabling current and future fishing professionals to incorporate new tools and solutions into their day-to-day activities.

This knowledge transfer can help reduce bycatch and marine litter, support efforts to address climate change, and strengthen the industry’s ability to adapt to scientific and technological advances and evolving sustainability requirements.

Furthermore, collaboration between AZTI, maritime and fisheries training schools and the fishing industry will help establish a knowledge transfer and co-creation model grounded in scientific evidence and practical experience. This model can be applied to future innovation and training initiatives aimed at achieving environmentally, socially and economically sustainable fishing.

Funding