Author: Hildur Ýr Þráinsdóttir

In September, MarineGuardian took part in high-level discussions that connect science, policy, and practice in marine protection.

At the Danish EU Presidency in Nyborg, Denmark, our coordinator Jónas Viðarsson joined forces with Elsa Cuende (AZTI, WP2 leader), as well as C. Manago M and Harald Hasler-Sheetal (ICES) to showcase MarineGuardian’s work and strengthen ties with key European initiatives and our sister project ECO-CATCH Project.

Following that, Jónas, Caecilia, and Harald represented MarineGuardian at the All-Atlantic Forum (AAORIA), contributing to the global dialogue on sustainable oceans. They had the opportunity to give talks about the project and shared a booth with BioProtect Project showcasing their common efforts to an ocean in better health in the future. The coordinators even had the opportunity to talk about them for an interview on the Iceland radio RÚV.

Meanwhile, Ana Marçalo (CCMAR) brought valuable insights to the ICES Working Group on Bycatch of Protected Species (WGBIC), sharing research on bycatch in Portuguese beach seine fisheries and highlighting MarineGuardian’s role in tackling this pressing issue.

Finally, two of the Icelandic partners Hafrannsóknastofnun – Marine & Freshwater Research Institute and BRIM represented respectively by Haraldur A. Einarsson and Sveinn Margeirsson where featured on the Matís Iceland podcast Matvælið and discussed MarineGuardian and marine research, sustainable fisheries and the adaptability of the industry. The podcast (in Icelandic) is available here.

From the North to the south of Europe, these exchanges help amplify MarineGuardian’s impact, ensuring our voice is heard across science, industry, and policy making communities.

And this is only the beginning — stay tuned as we continue to build bridges and scale our collective efforts for healthier oceans.

This summer, our partner CCMAR kicked off a new initiative to tackle one of the biggest challenges in coastal fisheries: accidental bycatch of dolphins and other cetaceans in the Portuguese beach seine fishery.

In June, we started by talking directly with fishers across several beaches on the western coast. Through detailed questionnaires, we learned that bycatch rates vary from beach to beach—and identified at least one area where urgent action was needed.

With the summer season in full swing, we launched a pilot mitigation trial in this hotspot. Two vessels are now testing two different brands of pingers (acoustic deterrent devices), using the same experimental design.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll assess both the effectiveness of these pingers in reducing bycatch and their practicality for fishers. Just as importantly, we’re keeping close communication with the skippers who are voluntarily working alongside us. Their feedback is key to finding real-world solutions.

This is just the first step. Based on the results, we hope to expand these trials to other beaches and continue building partnerships with local fishing communities. Together, we can work toward more sustainable fisheries and safer seas for cetaceans.