Development of devices to reduce the impact of fishing on marine biodiversity

The challenge

The accidental capture of protected species — including seabirds, turtles, sharks and marine mammals — can have significant environmental impacts, lead to regulatory penalties and damage the reputation of the fishing sector. In addition, fishing gear lost at sea can continue trapping marine fauna indiscriminately.

What we do and how we do it

• We develop and test exclusion devices and selective fishing gear, apply algorithms to predict bycatch risk, and provide best-practice guidelines for the safe release of incidentally caught animals.
• We also research new biodegradable materials for fishing nets and circular economy systems that enable lost or end-of-life fishing gear to be recovered and recycled.
• All these solutions are validated on board fishing vessels in direct collaboration with the sector.

Key benefits

• Reduction of bycatch and impacts on vulnerable species.
• Support for regulatory compliance and reduced risk of fishery closures.
• A stronger sustainability profile for the fishing sector.
• Contribution to the conservation of marine biodiversity.