Around 10% of marine litter consists of fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost or discarded by vessels.
The challenge was to develop a system that would allow this waste to be reused and greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced, while at the same time assessing the feasibility of a local industry dedicated to recycling fishing gear.
A circular economy–based business model that includes the collection and management of fishing gear once it reaches the end of its useful life, its treatment to ensure the quality of subsequent transformations, and its recycling into a versatile raw material that can be used in sectors such as textiles or the automotive industry, among others.
The creation of an independent company in Bermeo, generating new local jobs.
Sectors: Fisheries and aquaculture sector
Research lines: Blue Economy, Circular economy, Efficient, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
Research sublines: Fishery technologies, Sustainable fishery management