ECO-CATCH

ECO-CATCH’s mission is to make sustainable fishing a commercial reality in the Baltic and North Sea, through proven, scalable innovations that protect sensitive species, young fish, and key habitats. New fisheries technologies and gears which could support EU marine biodiversity and habitat targets are not yet deployed at scale due to low technology readiness levels (TRLs). ECO-CATCH will mature a catalogue of 10 such tools which collectively are designed to:
● Boost the ability of fleets to avoid vulnerable habitats and areas of high bycatch risk(Refine)
● Minimize the bycatch of juvenile fish and sensitive species such as cod and harbour porpoise through more selective gear (Reduce) or alternative gear (Replace).

The first phase of the project – lasting 3.5 years – will mature the ‘Refine, Reduce, and Replace’ catalogue of technologies to commercial readiness.

The second phase – lasting 1.5 years – will make the business case for the innovations by:
● Demonstrating their viability in commercial fishing conditions.
● Addressing legal and social barriers to their adoption.
● Enabling them to be recognized in certification assessments.

Connecting the catalogue of technologies to market advantages will reward and publicly showcase the sustainability efforts of fisheries engaged with ECO-CATCH; while strategic outreach will channel the project’s outputs into long-term policy and industry standards. The consortium of 14 partners includes actors from across the seafood value chain, including fishers and other industry innovators, leading scientists, and certification standards.