The mitigation options in-use in the Baltic and North Sea fisheries are insufficient to reach EU Biodiversity 2030 bycatch and habitat objectives. Promising technologies and gears are not deployed to scale due to low TRL maturity. ECO-CATCH will deliver a Catalogue of 10 technologies incl. Digital Tools, Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD) & Alternative Gears to TRL7-8 maturity. Real-time AI-detectors in-trawl & on-vessel will feed decision-grade data into Wheelhouse Visualisers for fishers to optimise catch efficiency & avoid vulnerable habitats. Alternative Gears will offer economically viable options, where BRDs are ineffective. Following a 3yr R&D Phase, Demonstration & Exploitation in yr. 4-5 will showcase the 10 technologies/gears in commercial conditions, integrate the best pilots in existing production lines, and support 4 Pilot fleets with adopting new Business Models. SMEs and Industry Organisations within the consortium will capture the market value of best technologies. Conditions for scalability & replicability of business models to other regions will be supported by streamlining the certification audit process with 4 operational market access schemes. The consortium spans the entire fisheries value chain, from gear manufacturing to R&D tech companies, fish producers & suppliers, and certification schemes. The consortium track record on Government Advice is the first pathway to long-term policy impact. Project outputs will directly empower fishing industry to deliver to EU Green Deal target on “protect 30% of EU marine areas to reverse biodiversity loss”, and support UN SDG Target 14.4 on “regulate destructive fishing practices”. ECO-CATCH will Cluster all 3 Sister Projects under the Call, to optimise co-delivery & co-demonstration, and add flexibility to resolve uptake & commercialization bottle necks in project Phase “Demonstration & Exploitation” (years 4-5 of the project).

MarineGuardian will, through a holistic approach, provide impact-driven solutions to reduce fisheries´ environmental impacts on marine species and habitats in line with the Common Fisheries Policy, Marine Action Plan, EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The seafood sector contributes to global food security, but is largely unsustainable, with 38% of fish stocks overexploited and significant ecological implications. 79% of EU’s coastal seabed habitats are disrupted, and a quarter lost, mainly due to intense bottom trawling. Current solutions for more sustainable fisheries exist but are fragmented and often lack real-time actionable insights for fishers and policymakers. MarineGuardian will advance tools, technologies and operational strategies, and enhance knowledge to accelerate the transition towards sustainable and economically viable fisheries. The project will deliver: 1) innovative technologies to reduce and prevent incidental catches of sensitive species and juveniles, 2) best practice guidelines for reduced discard and damage to catch, 3) decision support systems for effective mitigation measures to protect sensitive marine ecosystems, whilst optimising fishing operations, 4) new methods for data sharing in seafood value chains to ease corporate sustainability reporting and ecolabelling processes. These will be co-developed with fishers, management authorities, and policy makers, tested in 6 case studies to demonstrate their feasibility and ensure long term viability of the European seafood sector. A roadmap for sustainable fisheries will be drawn-up to demonstrate scalability and replicability of the solutions in line with the Mission Ocean objectives. The consortium holds the cross-cutting knowledge and expertise within private and research sectors from across the Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, needed to successfully reach the project’s objectives and have a long-lasting impact on the seafood sector and marine environment.