Winners of the MedFish4Ever Awards for innovative practices in fisheries and aquaculture
The GFCM High-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives: Transformative actions to address new challenges is a fitting occasion to recognize outstanding new work in the fields of fishing technology, aquaculture, and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The objective of the MedFish4Ever Awards is to celebrate and promote innovation and creativity as drivers of sustainability in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.Read on to discover our winners…
Award category:
Innovation in fishing technology, including gear selectivity, adaptation to climate change and decarbonization of the fishing fleet
The Mediterranean is host to a large number of marine species, found in a wide range of geographical regions and habitats. This biodiversity supports a highly diversified fishing sector and fleet, characterized by many different fishing gear types and methods, resulting in a mixed composition of catches. As fisheries and the marine environment face growing pressure from climate change, it is critical that action is taken to manage their long-term sustainability – and innovative technology has a vital role to play.
Reinforced seine as a mitigation measure against depredation by bottlenose dolphins
National Institute for Fisheries Research, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Morocco
Bottlenose dolphins frequently interact with purse seiners in Moroccan Mediterranean waters, targeting the sliding nets used to encircle shoals of small pelagic fish. They cause economic losses for fishers and put their own survival at risk, so the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) has been developing new reinforced seine gear. The awarded initiative aims to prevent economic losses from dolphin depredation and to limit interactions between the fishery and this protected species. Fishers, scientists and marine experts have collaborated to develop the new gear, whose effectiveness – in three different prototypes – is being evaluated against traditional purse seines, with promising results.
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Assessment of the carbon footprint of the fishing fleet and application of decarbonization measures
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
Fishing vessels consume a significant amount of energy, and harmful emissions are released in the fisheries production chain – but that needs to change as the sector faces up to the realities of a changing climate. Decarbonization is an increasingly important theme for our regional fisheries, so a research group at the University of Zagreb is running several projects geared towards improving energy efficiency in fisheries and aquaculture. From real-time monitoring of fleet fuel consumption to experimental work to develop hybrid and fully electric vessels, the awarded initiative is focused on reducing fishing’s carbon footprint and building a cleaner future.
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Award category:
Innovative practices in aquaculture research
Although aquaculture has been practised since ancient times, it has grown exponentially in recent decades, following advances in operations and technology. The future development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean, particularly marine aquaculture, calls for novel technologies and innovation to drive transformative growth while ensuring its environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Larvae counting system
AquaDeep, Tunisia
A crucial yet challenging aspect of contemporary aquaculture is the ability to track farmed populations from day zero until the end of their production cycle – and it is at the larval stage where this proves particularly difficult. AquaDeep spent three years working with seabass and seabream hatcheries to engineer a product to assess larval populations qualitatively and quantitatively, ultimately aiming to reduce production costs, minimize impacts on surrounding ecosystems, and increase yield. The awarded initiative uses a combination of sampling and artificial intelligence to accurately count larvae, and, following successful results, the technology is also being adapted for use in later developmental stages.
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Innovative salt water aquaponic system
Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Spain
When aquaculture is combined with hydroponics, the result is aquaponics: plants and fish being grown simultaneously, with the fish providing nutrients for the plants and the plants cleaning water recycled back to the fish. But the commercial use of aquaponics is still limited – and this is what the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) is working to change within the European NewTechAqua project. The awarded initiative has designed a new system to raise grey mullet alongside Salicornia, a highly valued salinity-tolerant plant also known as sea asparagus, and initial results have been very promising. The system is unique in its low costs, minimal electricity consumption and simple design, and it is adaptable as a basis for almost any fish and vegetable aquaponic model.
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Award category:
Innovative practices in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses a significant threat to the sustainability of fisheries and marine ecosystems, and stronger measures and mechanisms are needed to deter it. Research, partnerships and stakeholder engagement, as well as more sustainable fishing practices, are instrumental to driving innovation and shaping effective strategies to combat IUU fishing.
Use of remote electronic monitoring, including closed-circuit television technology, as a control and monitoring tool
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Cyprus
Monitoring and enforcing fisheries management measures at sea has always been a challenge. Control at sea usually involves the deployment of patrol vessels, which have a high cost and a relatively low chances of detecting certain types of infringements. Moreover, fishing in distant waters is particularly hard to control. The awarded initiative tackles this issue head-on, with Cyprus’ Department of Marine Fisheries and Research piloting the use of remote electronic monitoring on two longliners, installing systems that use closed-circuit television and sensors around the vessels to keep a record of all fishing activity that takes place. This footage is analysed against logbook declarations, thus strengthening compliance and contributing to long-term fishery sustainability.
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Remote sensing data shedding light on the Mediterranean fishing footprint
Global Fishing Watch
More accurate vessel tracking information is needed to gain a true picture of the fishing activity taking place in the Mediterranean. Small-scale vessels often do not have tracking systems installed, so Global Fishing Watch has been researching how satellite radar imagery can reveal what is really happening at sea, using machine learning techniques to analyse the results and reveal activities previously unknown – so-called “dark fleet” activities. This initiative could be a game-changer for informed fisheries management, enabling the incorporation of previously unknown information.
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