Portfolio of gear modifications to reduce the environmental footprint of fishing activities
EcoGear is the third key exploitable result of the MarineGuardian project, bringing together a portfolio of innovative fishing gear designs focusing on reducing seabed contact and habitat disturbance, lowering fuel use and associated CO₂ emissions, and limiting marine litter, while remaining compatible with commercial fishing practices.
Bottom-trawling is a fishing practice that disturb the most the seabed. Intense bottom trawling is responsible for 79% of the seabed physical disturbance of EU’s coastal area and for the loss of a quarter of the EU’s coastal habitats. Another issue often associated with fishing is the plastic pollution associated with lost gear parts. Reducing these issues requires the development and testing of new designs that can be integrated into existing operations and adopted by the fishing sector.
For more details on each solution, click on the associated picture.
An aligned-rolling footgear for bottom trawls – Memorial University of Newfoundland
This new rolling footgear will allow to reduce seabed contact and therefore disturbance while helping reduce CO2 emissions.
Semi-circular spreading gear (SCSG) to replace hopper trawls – MFRI, Hampiðjan
SCSG designed to reduce seabed contact and associated impacts compared to traditional hopper trawls (drag, emissions, catch composition).
Headline kytes – Hampiðjan, MFRI
Test the use of headline kites, as a sustainable substitute for floats, comparing energy use, drag, and catch performance.
Why this matters ?
Reducing the environmental footprint of fishing gear is critical for:
- Protecting seabed habitats and associated biodiversity
- Lowering fuel use and CO₂ emissions, contributing to climate mitigation efforts
- Preventing marine litter, including plastic pollution from fishing activities
- Supporting long-term sustainability and resilience of fisheries
EcoGear solutions aim to deliver practical, fishery-ready innovations that improve the sustainability of fisheries while maintaining great operational performance.
