The overall objective of MeCCAM is to develop, implement and recommend climate mitigation and adaptation solutions and increase the resilience and sustainability in the fisheries sector. MeCCAM employs an integrated multi-actor approach to deliver relevant and feasible results to support the fishing industry and policymakers. The outputs include: decision support tools allowing fishers to mitigate and adapt to climate change; innovative fishing gears to improve selectivity, fuel efficiency, and minimise habitat damage; and an environmental impact management software to reduce carbon emissions, and other impacts across the value chain. The solutions will be designed and implemented within six case studies (CSs) which have been selected for their suitability to address a multitude of challenges posed by climate change. MeCCAM also builds adaptive capacity by delivering: climate-informed advice prototypes for CSs; mitigation and adaptation plans at the CS level, as well as general recommendations; CS-specific plans for commercial utilisation of emerging species; and a policy brief on how to improve governance for mitigation and adaptation in the sector. Project outputs will be evaluated for their environmental and socio-economic efficacy in close collaboration with stakeholders. MeCCAM´s evidence-based and demand-driven solutions have a high potential for transferability to various regions and contexts and will provide actors with tools and pathways to advance climate resilience. MeCCAM will, therefore, contribute to the European Green Deal, the Common Fisheries Policy, the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Farm to Fork Strategy, United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 12, 13 and 14, as well as the Ocean Decade challenges 2, 3, 4, and 6.

The objective of FarFish is to improve knowledge on and management of EU fisheries outside Europe, while contributing to sustainability and long term profitability. 21% of EU catches originate from non-EU waters. These fisheries are often poorly regulated, management decisions are sometimes based on limited knowledge and enforcement capabilities, compliance and trust between stakeholders tend to lack. FarFish will address these shortcomings in a multidisciplinary and innovative way by focusing on six diverse case studies, four in Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) waters and two in international waters. Firstly, FarFish will analyse biological, ecological, technological, economic, political and social impacts of EU fisheries in the case studies to advance knowledge and promote sustainable and profitable exploitation. Secondly, introduce Results-Based Management approaches and new decision support tools into these fisheries and test their applicability in collaboration with stakeholders. Thirdly, build capacities in fisheries management and related disciplines amongst stakeholders. The results of FarFish will both have immediate and long-term application. FarFish includes a diverse groups of stakeholders, EU and third country fleets representatives, scientists, decision makers, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), relevant industries and stakeholders from areas outside the case studies but of importance for the EU fleet, forming a platform for future cooperation between EU and third countries. FarFish addresses the work programme by improving knowledge within the relevant fisheries, developing management tools and models, improving professional skills and sharing new findings in correspondence to the priorities of SFPAs, RFMOs and the CFP. FarFish will contribute to sustainable management, resilience and efficiency in the seafood value chains, increase European food security, boost long-term profitability and promote jobs.

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.

Seaweed is a valuable and underutilised resource that has large potential for exploitation in a variety of markets. Seaweed cultivation is a natural solution for mitigating climate change. The European seaweed industry remains in its infancy and requires significant growth in order to become commercially viable. Seamark will utilise recent ground-breaking selective breeding technologies within EU seaweed crop genetics to increase biomass yield. SeaMark aims to upscale circular ocean seaweed cultivation and land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems and develop novel processing methods involving fermentation and biotransformation into twelve innovative seaweed-based products. The entire value chain will be analysed for techno-economic feasibility and socio-economic impact. SeaMark will also identify and quantify ecosystem services provided by seaweed cultivation. This will feed into a strategic development plan for upscaling seaweed production, and addressing the carrying capacity of seaweed cultivation in Europe. Due to the need to build more resilient food systems and decrease reliance on fossil-based products, it is necessary to grow the blue bio-economy through seaweed cultivation and product innovation. SeaMark will help fulfil the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (3, 8, 9, 12, 13 & 14) by developing this industry and, simultaneously, providing a positive impact on people and the planet.

BioProtect will provide innovative, replicable and scalable ecosystem-based solutions that will accelerate the protection and restoration of biodiversity in European seas, in line with the EU´s 2030 targets and the European Green Deal. Pressures from multiple human activities and climate change are driving ecosystems degradation and biodiversity loss, threatening goods and services that are essential for human life and society. BioProtect aims to reduce these pressures by implementing an innovative area-based management decision support framework (ABM-DSF). The framework will include methods and capacity building to engage local stakeholders, to monitor and forecast changes in marine biodiversity, to map human pressures, to prioritise areas for protection and restoration, and to measure ecological and socio-economic impacts of conservation actions. These will be demonstrated in five sites from the Arctic to the Azores in the Atlantic. In the past, non-systemic approaches, focused on siloed sector-based management and single-spatial scales have failed to halt the loss of biodiversity. BioProtect’s novel and flexible framework will integrate different spatial scales and data sources. It will incorporate perspectives and knowledge from a wide range of stakeholders, to support the implementation and exploitation of its solutions by relevant end-users. BioProtect will consider “what-if” scenarios, including climate change, protection and exploitation strategies, and evaluate their ecological and socio-economic impacts. The BioProtect’s consortium holds cross-cutting knowledge and expertise, with the capacity to build on existing research and innovation within the Atlantic and Arctic basins. BioProtect will deliver impact-driven solutions to address biodiversity loss and climate change, with the aim to reach relevant EU Biodiversity Strategy targets for 2030, including a substantial contribution to reaching the EU nature restoration targets.