Category: News

On 6 July 2026, MarineGuardian brought together fishers and scientists in Sada, Galicia, Spain, for a workshop focused on a question that is central to the project’s mission: what does it really take to make a new solution work in practice?

The workshop was organised as part of Case Study 6: Iberian Waters & Bay of Biscay, led by IEO-CSIC, and brought together 11 fishers from ACERGA, the Galician Association of Purse-seine Owners, and four scientists from CSIC.

The focus was on interactions between bottlenose dolphins and the artisanal purse-seine fleet, and in particular on the potential use of acoustic deterrent devices, or pingers, to reduce these interactions.

But rather than simply presenting a technology to fishers, the workshop started with the approach used in MarineGuardian, listen first.

Looking beyond the technology

MarineGuardian’s workshop methodology, developed by SINTEF for the project’s case studies, is designed to identify the barriers that can prevent solutions from being successfully implemented. The approach recognises that technological performance alone does not determine whether a solution will be adopted.

Participants were invited to imagine a future in which effective pingers, with no negative effects on fishing activity, had been successfully implemented across Galicia’s artisanal purse-seine fleet.

The question was simple:

How did we get there?

Through a participatory conceptual mapping exercise, the participants explored the different factors that could influence successful implementation, including regulation, markets, technology, access to fishing areas, research, climate change and the fishing industry itself. Several themes quickly emerged.

Effective technology must be designed with fishers

For the participants, one of the first requirements is clear: mitigation technologies need to be truly effective and adapted to fishing realities.

Fishers highlighted concerns about dolphins becoming accustomed to deterrent devices and stressed the need for technologies that can adapt, including through varying frequencies. But effectiveness is not only about technical performance.

Participants strongly emphasised that solutions should be developed collaboratively by researchers and fishers. Their practical experience of fishing operations needs to be taken into account from the beginning, rather than only after a technology has already been developed.

The cost of implementation matters

Even if a technology works, its cost can determine whether it is realistically adopted.

Participants highlighted the high price of existing acoustic mitigation devices as a significant barrier. They suggested that, if effectiveness can be demonstrated, such technologies should be subsidised or provided to fishers at no cost. The economic dimension goes beyond the price of a pinger.

Bottlenose dolphin interactions can cause damage to fishing nets and affect fishing activity. Participants described situations in which the problem can become serious enough that fishers choose not to go fishing on certain days.

For a sector already concerned about economic profitability and generational renewal, the financial consequences of ineffective mitigation can therefore become an important obstacle to the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

Better communication is essential

One of the strongest messages from the workshop was the need for better and more regular communication between fishers, scientists and government authorities.

Participants called for regular meetings and reliable communication channels, and stressed that local knowledge should be incorporated into scientific studies and decision-making.

The discussion also highlighted dissatisfaction with aspects of current fisheries legislation and management. They also stressed the importance of consistency when restrictions concerning particular species are applied across different fishing sectors.

These discussions demonstrate that implementation is not simply a question of whether a technology exists. The regulatory and governance environment in which that technology is introduced can be equally important.

From discussion to a shared map of challenges

The workshop’s second participatory exercise used fuzzy cognitive mapping to explore how the different factors identified by participants interact with one another.

The resulting map highlighted several priorities:

• improving communication between researchers, government and the fishing sector;
• promoting co-management between scientists, authorities and fishers;
• adapting legislation to better reflect local fishing realities;
• recognising and incorporating local knowledge; and
• providing access to effective technologies, including through government support.

At the same time, participants identified factors that can work against successful implementation, particularly a perceived failure of administrations to listen and legislation that they consider poorly adapted to the realities of the sector. The exercise therefore provided more than a list of individual barriers: it helped illustrate how technology, economics, regulation, knowledge and stakeholder relationships are interconnected.

Co-creation at the heart of MarineGuardian

The workshop ended with a clear message from the fishing sector: these conversations need to continue. Participants expressed interest in maintaining communication with the research team and in organising similar forums involving government representatives. They valued having a space where they could openly share their experiences and concerns.

The CSIC research team, in turn, reaffirmed its commitment to keeping channels of collaboration open and to incorporating fishers’ knowledge into the development of MarineGuardian solutions.

A solution is not successful simply because it works in a laboratory or in a controlled trial. It must also work for the people who will use it, within the economic, regulatory and operational realities of their fishery.

By bringing fishers into the conversation early, MarineGuardian is working to identify these realities before solutions reach the final stages of implementation, and to ensure that technological innovation is matched by social, economic and governance innovation.

From a stakeholder workshop, to a scientific conference, and test in the field, the team at AZTI has done outstanding achievements in the last weeks. 

June was a significant month for the MarineGuardian team in the Bay of Biscay. Within the space of a few weeks, AZTI was at the centre of three distinct but complementary moments: a joint stakeholder workshop, an international scientific conference and tests in the field of the solutions they are advancing. Together, they offer a snapshot of what it looks like when research, engagement, and knowledge-sharing all happen at once. 

Three projects in one room filled with discussions: the first Bay of Biscay workshop

At the beginning of June 2026,  AZTI’s  hosted a joint stakeholder workshop at their headquarters in Derio bringing together three European research projects, MarineGuardian, Infinifish, and OptiFish, alongside researchers, industry representatives, technology developers, and policymakers. 

The event was supported by SINTEF Ocean and Cefas, with SINTEF having provided dedicated training the day before to help facilitate the session. That preparation matters: structured stakeholder engagement is important to get as precise information as possible.

For MarineGuardian, this workshop corresponds to the Bay of Biscay area within WP1, the work package dedicated to understanding barriers and drivers of technology adoption across different fisheries contexts. The Bay of Biscay brings its own specific dynamics: a diverse fleet, a strong tradition of coastal fishing communities, and a regulatory environment shaped by both European and regional frameworks. 

The goal of the joint session was to present and assess solutions that reduce the environmental impacts of fisheries, while strengthening the connections between science, policy, and industry needed to support climate adaptation and more efficient fisheries management.

The three projects approach these challenges from complementary angles. Infinifish focuses on climate-resilient and energy-efficient fisheries. OptiFish works on catch monitoring, transparency, and AI-based control systems. MarineGuardian develops solutions to reduce environmental impacts and protect marine ecosystems. Bringing their stakeholder communities together, even for a single day, created space for dialogue that would not have happened otherwise. 

Among those joining the discussion were producer organisations OPEGUI, Opescaya, and OPPAO, as well as ZUNIBAL, CEIP Blas de Lezo, SILECMAR, and ILVO. The diversity of participants reflected the ambition of the session: innovation that responds to real operational needs can only be designed with the people who face those needs every day.

BYGUARD at ISOBAY: from tool advancement to conversation

A week later, from 16 to 18 June, the international ISOBAY conference took place in Donostia-San Sebastián, one of the key scientific gatherings focused on the Bay of Biscay ecosystem. 

AZTI researcher Isabel García Barón presented BYGUARD, a spatio-temporal bycatch reduction tool developed within MarineGuardian. BYGUARD is designed as a multi-taxa tool, meaning it can help identify when and where different vulnerable species are most at risk of incidental capture, giving fishers and managers actionable, spatially explicit information to reduce bycatch across a range of species groups. 

Presenting this work at ISOBAY was an important step: moving a tool from internal development into the scientific community, opening it to scrutiny, feedback, and wider visibility.

Testing at sea: seabird bycatch mitigation 

In between the workshop and the conference, the AZTI team was also at sea. Between June 9^th and 13^th, the first sea trials of a prototype seabird bycatch mitigation system were conducted in the Bay of Biscay aboard the RV Emma Bardán, a research vessel owned by the Spanish General Secretariat for Fisheries. The system works by preventing seabirds from approaching and diving near trawl gear during hauling, using a water curtain and directed jet as both a visual and physical deterrent in the critical zones around the gear. Trials ran alongside a broader research campaign on trawl selectivity, making efficient use of available sea time. The results from this first prototype will feed directly into further development and future demonstration phases within MarineGuardian. 

Laying the groundwork for what comes next 

A stakeholder workshop, a scientific conference, and sea trials, all within the same two-weeks window. That is not a coincidence. It reflects the ambition of how MarineGuardian operates: tools being tested on the water, results being shared with the scientific community, and stakeholders being brought into the conversation at every step. 

The Bay of Biscay is one of the most complex fisheries environments in Europe. The work happening there, in workshops, at conference podiums, and on the water is exactly the kind of sustained, multi-level engagement that turns research into practice. 

From 16–18 June 2026, MarineGuardian participated in the annual meeting of the ICES Working Group on Innovative Fishing Gear (WGING) in Rome, Italy. Chaired by Julia Calderwood (Marine Institute, Ireland) and Antonello Sala (Italian National Research Council, CNR), the meeting brought together 27 experts from 20 organisations across 11 countries to advance work on innovative fishing technologies and better understand the factors influencing their adoption across fisheries.

Representing MarineGuardian, Caecilia Managò, Work Package Lead for Impact Maximisation, contributed to discussions on stakeholder engagement, innovation uptake, and the barriers and incentives affecting the implementation of innovative fishing solutions.

A key focus of the meeting was the continued development of the ICES Gear Innovations Catalogue, a resource designed to document and assess innovative fishing gears and technologies. The catalogue aims to support evidence-based decision-making by providing information on gear performance, technological readiness, environmental benefits and implementation challenges.

MarineGuardian contributed to discussions on the development of the PESTEL framework, which examines the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors that influence innovation uptake. Drawing on stakeholder engagement activities delivered through the project, Caecilia shared experiences from participatory workshops, such as the recent joint Gear to Governance Workshop, and innovative engagement approaches, i.e. a PESTEL Serious Game, that help identify the real-world conditions for successful adoption of fisheries innovations.

These discussions are particularly relevant for MarineGuardian, which is further developing and demonstrating 44 innovative solutions to reduce bycatch, improve selectivity and support more sustainable fisheries. As the ICES Gear Innovations Catalogue continues to evolve, it presents an important opportunity to showcase these solutions, making information on their performance, maturity and implementation potential accessible to fisheries managers, policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders.

A recurring theme throughout the meeting was that many innovative fishing technologies are already technically ready for use, yet their uptake is often limited by economic, social and regulatory factors rather than technological barriers. Understanding and addressing these challenges is essential for accelerating the transition towards more sustainable and resilient fisheries.

MarineGuardian will continue contributing to WGING activities and supporting efforts to strengthen the evidence base around innovation uptake. Through its work on stakeholder engagement, innovation transfer and the development of 44 practical solutions, the project is helping bridge the gap between promising technologies and their successful implementation at sea.

Reflections from the MarineGuardian stakeholder workshop in Myre, Northern Norway 

At the beginning of June 2026, fishers, regulators, technology providers, and researchers from across Northern Norway gathered in Myre for a stakeholder workshop that brought together perspectives from both the MarineGuardian and Infinifish projects. The agenda covered automatic catch registration, onboard sensors, and machine vision systems capable of measuring and grading fish at sea. But the conversation that emerged went much further. 

The central question the group was asked to explore: What would it take for fisheries technologies to be fully implemented across the fleet by 2040? 

Working backwards from the future 

To structure the discussion, participants worked through a backcasting exercise, starting from a shared vision of full technology adoption and tracing back the conditions that would need to be in place to get there. Eight drivers framed the analysis: regulations, markets, technology, research, industry, climate change, access to fishing areas, and social dynamics. 

The exercise was facilitated by SINTEF Ocean’s Rachel Haug Fossback whose work on stakeholder engagement and technology adoption methodologies has shaped the approach taken throughout the MarineGuardian project; and Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries’ Pia Jonsson, who’s part of the external advisory group of the project.  

Trust as a system requirement 

If one theme defined the workshop, it was trust and the recognition that it cannot be engineered into a sensor. 

Participants were clear: reliable data is not simply a matter of installing the right equipment. It requires knowing that all catch passes through the system, that the data cannot be manipulated, and that every actor in the chain, from fisher to buyer, is compensated correctly for what is actually landed. Trust is not a technical specification. It has to be designed into the entire system, from the vessel to the database to the regulatory framework. 

This raised immediate questions about the role of Norway’s Metrology Service (Justervesenet), in a future where measurements are increasingly made by algorithms rather than certified weighing equipment. How these technologies should be independently tested, verified, and formally recognised remains an open and important question for regulators and technology developers alike. 

Documentation at sea and the landing obligation 

A related discussion focused on the landing obligation and what accurate at-sea documentation could mean for existing management and control systems. If catches can be reliably recorded at the point of capture, the implications for reporting, verification, and compliance are significant. But so are the evidentiary requirements: what data will be accepted, by whom, and under what conditions? 

These are not purely technical questions. They require regulatory clarity, institutional readiness, and again trust between the parties involved. 

Social dynamics as a driver in their own right 

Perhaps the most important outcome of the workshop was the explicit recognition of social dynamics as a standalone driver of technology adoption, not a soft consideration to be addressed after the technical work is done, but a structural factor that shapes whether innovation takes root at all. 

Participants highlighted that adoption depends on collaboration, peer learning, perceptions of fairness, quality of life at sea, and confidence that new systems will benefit those using them. Incentives were repeatedly raised as more effective than mandates: research quotas, reduced reporting burdens, and practical operational benefits were seen as far stronger drivers of uptake than regulatory requirements alone.

Why these conversations matter 

The technologies being developed within MarineGuardian are maturing. Pilots are running. Data is being collected. But the path from trials to practice runs through questions that no algorithm can answer on its own. 

Who verifies the data? Who owns it? Who benefits? Who is asked to change, and what do they get in return? 

The workshop in Myre did not resolve these questions. It was not designed to. Its value lay in bringing the right people into the same room and making space for the harder conversations that technical development alone cannot have. That is precisely what stakeholder engagement in MarineGuardian is for. 

The team at DTU Aqua has been exploring exactly this question over the past few weeks through research, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement within MarineGuardian. 

Following the project’s annual meeting, Francois Bastardie published an article addressing a crucial challenge for European fisheries: how can we ensure sustainable fisheries while renewing the EU fishing fleet to support modernization and the energy transition? 

Financed by CINEA and derived from https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/publications/digital-publications/study-european-unions-fishing-fleet-evolution-challenges-and-future_en, the publication highlights the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the sector and helps put into perspective the changes needed to secure sustainable fisheries in the future. 

📖 Read the full publication here: 
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2026.1812898/full 

But understanding the challenge is only part of the journey. 

Last Friday, Ludvig Ahm Crag and the DTU Aqua team brought stakeholders together in Hirtshals, Denmark, for a workshop focused on our Greenlandic case study. Thanks to SINTEF Ocean for the training and to Royal Greenland for the collaboration. 

Using a backcasting approach, participants were transported to the year 2040—a future where the trawl-camera technology developed within the project has been successfully deployed on fishing vessels and supports functional cod stock assessments. 

Their mission was simple: if this future exists, how did we get there? 

Working backwards from this vision, stakeholders explored the technological developments, policy decisions, collaborations and actions needed to turn that future into reality. 

Because creating sustainable fisheries is not only about developing innovative solutions—it’s also about building the pathways that make their adoption possible. 

From the 26^th to the 28^th of May, the MarineGuardian consortium came together in Bilbao, Spain, for its first annual meeting. It was three days full of presentations, discussions, collaborative work sessions and shared meals that marked an important milestone in the life of the project. Around 50 participants gathered to take evaluate the progress, align on next steps, and strengthen the connections to make this project work.

Day 1: Overview of the technical progress and socio-economic and ecologic assessment

The first day opened with a deep dive into the technical solutions being developed across the project. Partners from WP2 presented advances on three of our key exploitable results: BycatchShield, CatchSelect and EcoGear, designed to reduce unwanted catches and seabed impacts in Atlantic fisheries. We then continued with WP3, where the focus shifted to decision-support tools: EcoGuide, AI Decide and CatchAdvisor, each aimed at giving fishermen smarter, data-driven operational support.

The afternoon brought these technical advances into a broader analytical frame, with the WP4 team walking the consortium through the socio-economic and environmental analysis that will be used to evaluate the solutions. The WP6 coordination wrapped up the day with the overview of the next steps and milestones.

The day closed on a high note, a gathering aboard a boat on the river, followed by a walk through the city of Bilbao, where the conversations from the meeting room continued in a more relaxed setting.

Day 2: Stakeholder engagement, impact and serious games

The second day opened with stakeholder engagement work package (WP1), presenting the methodology and progress being made across the project’s case study areas. This was followed by the live test of a serious game developed for MarineGuardian designed to capture and increase players’ knowledge of the barriers and opportunities for adoption of the project’s solutions.

Right after, the impact work package was presented focusing on the mechanisms in place to ensure that MarineGuardian’s results reach the right audiences and generate lasting change. Partners then worked together on the potential datasets that will be produced and took the first concrete steps toward planning the exploitation of project results.

The afternoon hosted the first test of the PESTEL serious game developed in collaboration with SINTEF, ICES and House of Knowledge; a structured analysis of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal dimensions for MarineGuardian solution’s adoption, tested with the consortium before being improved and played more widely in workshops and international events throughout the project. A consortium dinner concluded this interactive day.

Day 3: External Advisory Group feedback, and break-out sessions

The final day opened with feedback from MarineGuardian’s External Advisory Group, whose expertise and advices help the consortium sharpen its direction for the coming years. This was followed by a presentation from Gianluca Ristori Ramos, an ECOP from University of Barcelona, who developped HOOC, an integrated app designed to centralise all the data flows small-scale fishers need to make better operational decisions, which won the AAORIA ECOP Hackathon in April 2026; and is gathering data from the MarineGuardian solutions.

The meeting concluded with targeted breakout sessions, allowing partners to work through specific planning questions that required focused bilateral or small-group discussions. From specific tasks, to planning of workshops, and discussions around future publications, this session allowed the project to take important decisions for the work planned for next year.

After three intense and productive days, the consortium is now ready to start the second year of work in the project, confident in the next steps that have to happen. This next activities will start soon with multiple stakeholder workshops planned throughout the summer as well as sea trials in 3 different case studies.

The last two weeks have been packed for MarineGuardian with 2 events attended. One consistent message was delivered through both of them: pathways to impact are the actual focus and challenge.

Setting the scene: Riding the Wave, Ammochostos, Cyprus

The journey started on 11–12 May 2026 in Aya Napa, Cyprus, at Riding the Wave: Advancing the EU Ocean Pact through Science, Innovation and Cooperation, the flagship conference of the Cyprus EU Presidency bringing together ocean science, policy and innovation communities.

MarineGuardian’s impact officer and WP5 leader, Caecilia Manago from ICES attended the conference, where one remark stood out as particularly resonant. Zacharias Siokouros, CEO of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), stated that “pathways to impact are the actual focus and challenge.”

For a project like ours, built around turning fisheries research into real-world adoption, facing the days to days challenges connected to this step, it was the right room to be in and the right conversation to be having.

Sharing the stage the European Maritime Days 2026

At the European Commission Stand: The FishScanner accessible up close

The following week, the MarineGuardian team went to the #EMD2026 in Limassol, where our coordinator Jónas Viðarsson, from Matís presented at the European Commission stand on the morning of May 21st.

At the centre of the presentation: a small commercial version of the FishScanner, a camera system designed to operate inside the trawl net, identifying and sizing catch in real time before it reaches the codend. The technology is being advanced in collaboration with Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland and Star-Oddi, and represents one of the core solutions MarineGuardian is developing toward commercial adoption.

MarineGuardian shared the stand with two other EU projects, CoastalPro and RHE-MEDIATION creating an informal but productive space for cross-project exchange and connection with a wide range of visitors.

The FishScanner attracted genuine interest from attendees, reflecting a growing appetite among fisheries stakeholders for practical, on-vessel technological solutions.

The Workshop – Gear to Governance: Sustainable fish value chains

On the afternoon of May 22nd, the Gear to Governance: Sustainable Fish Value Chain workshop brought together approximately 50 participants for one of the most hands-on sessions of the programme.

Led by Caecilia Manago, the workshop opened with short presentations from four EU research projects, MarineGuardian, ECO-CATCH, DecarbonyT and Mr.GoodFish3.0, each presenting a targeted solution to a specific challenge in sustainable fisheries. Participants then moved into a PESTEL carousel, rotating through stations and collectively mapping the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors that could determine whether each solution achieves real-world adoption.

The format worked beyond our hopes: discussions were lively, substantive and grounded in the real-world challenges.

The four solutions discussed, all in regard with the technical measure regulation, were brough by each project:

• Alternative fishing fishing gears transition, from trawl to pot and from Gillnets to traps by ECO-CATCH
• Smartrawl – an AI driven selective sorting fishing gear, advanced by Heriot-Watt University in MarineGuardian
• Optimised fishing trawl leading to up to 20% fuel savings from the DecarbonyT project
• The Mr.Goodfish app to increase consumer awareness, from Mr. Goodfish 3.0

The technical solutions presented by MarineGuardian and ECO-CATCH received particularly positive responses, attendees expressed genuine confidence that these innovations have the potential to make a tangible difference in fishing practice.

At the same time, the room kept thinking: a recurring theme across the PESTEL discussions was the economic reality facing different fleet segments and in particular the situation of small-scale fishers.

 However promising a technology may be, the consensus was clear: if the cost of transition falls entirely on the fisher, adoption will remain limited. Small-scale fishing operations, already under significant economic pressure, cannot be expected to absorb the investment required by many of the innovations currently being developed and tested.

It is a tension that sits at the heart of the EU’s ambitions for sustainable fisheries and one that MarineGuardian, through its stakeholder engagement methodology, is working to surface, document and address.

Looking ahead

The conversations started in Aya Napa and continued in Limassol will feed directly into the ongoing work of the project. The insights gathered from stakeholders, including the barriers identified through the PESTEL exercise, will contribute to the project evidence base. These finding will be consolidated into a policy-brief, that will help shape how MarineGuardian’s solutions are refined, communicated and positioned for adoption.

The first MarineGuardian scientific article has been published in the ICES journal of marine science, written by Freya Snow, Paul D. Winger, Tomas Araya- Schmidt and Geneive Peck.

Abstract:

Entanglement in vertical buoy lines from fixed-gear fisheries remains a primary threat to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis, NARW).

Low breaking strength (LBS) components are used in some fisheries to reduce entanglement severity, but routine hauling forces in deepwater fisheries often exceed their safe working limits. Time-tension line cutters (TTLCs) offer an alternative for deepwater fisheries that do not weaken the vertical buoy line.

We conducted 400 tests to quantify TTLC performance under laboratory conditions, including an assessment of repeated use, tension, and water temperature on time to cut (TTC). Our results showed that the baseline TTC varied among units, but when this was taken into account, we found that a) 70% of the units exhibited no statistically significant change in TTC across repeated use, b) higher tensions and repeated activation shortened TTC, and c) water temperature had a strong inverse relationship, with colder temperatures significantly increasing the TTC for all units.

These findings provide critical guidance for tuning TTLC design and evaluating their suitability for safe, effective deployment in deepwater fixed-gear fisheries.

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil – April 2026

At the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Forum 2026, held from 13–17 April in Salvador, Bahia, the MarineGuardian Project proudly supported one of the most impactful outcomes of the Intergenerational Ocean Hackathon: the resounding success of the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) team in Challenge 4, “Connecting Data to Decisions for Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture.”

Co-sponsored by International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, the challenge tackled a critical global issue— how to transform complex and fragmented ocean and climate data into practical, actionable decisions for small-scale fisheries (SSF) and aquaculture operators.

From Data Overload to Real-World Decisions

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture are vital to coastal livelihoods across the Atlantic basin. Yet, as highlighted during the challenge, the barrier is no longer data scarcity—but the difficulty of translating diverse data streams into clear, timely, and context-relevant decisions. Climate change further intensifies this gap, shifting environmental baselines and increasing uncertainty for fishers and managers alike.

The ECOPs team responded with an innovative prototype: a Decision Support Tool (DST) for Small-Scale Fisheries, designed to bridge this gap. Their solution integrates and builds upon key MarineGuardian technologies—Catch Advisor, AI-Decide, and Eco Guide—bringing them together into a unified, user-oriented system.

Elevating MarineGuardian Solutions

By combining these tools, the ECOPs moved beyond individual applications toward a cohesive platform that enables:

• Data-driven decision-making on gear selection, fishing areas, and seasons
• Climate-aware insights, incorporating risk, resilience, and ecosystem sensitivity
• Biodiversity-positive practices, supporting sustainable marine resource use
• Accessible, mobile-friendly interfaces, suitable for use directly by fishers at sea

This integration marks a significant step forward for the MarineGuardian Project, demonstrating how its solutions can be scaled and adapted for real-world implementation across diverse contexts.

A Human-Centred Approach

A standout feature of the winning proposal was its focus on usability and storytelling. The team illustrated their solution through the experience of “Bruno,” a local fisherman, showing how daily decisions—where to fish, which gear to use, when to go out—could be improved through accessible, tailored insights.

This approach underscored a key message of the hackathon: data only becomes valuable when it is usable and relevant to the people making decisions.

Recognition and Collaboration

The ECOPs team’s work earned the Hackathon Champion Award, taking top recognition across all categories. Their achievement reflects not only technical excellence, but also the collaborative spirit fostered by the AAORIA Forum.

The success of Challenge 4 was driven by an outstanding and truly international team of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs), including Jasleen Jawanda, Ariadna Gorostegui Valenti, Ben Hunter, Wiam Touzani, Robert Mussgnug, Pablo Marro, Ramón Sancha, Conway Holroyd, Peter Teye Busumprah, Mariana Bordes Bueno, Gianluca Ristori Ramos and Amanda Lima. Bringing together diverse expertise across marine science, data analysis, technology, and stakeholder engagement, the team demonstrated exceptional creativity, teamwork, and dedication under pressure. Their collaborative spirit and ability to translate complex scientific concepts into a practical, user-oriented solution were central to the development of the Decision Support Tool for Small-Scale Fisheries.

Supported by a dedicated group of mentors and experts—including Harald Hasler-Sheetal and Caecilia Manago, who lead the Impact Maximisation Work Package within the MarineGuardian Project, alongside Trevor Swerdfager, Alberto González Díaz, and Tania Montoto—the team exemplified the power of intergenerational collaboration, transatlantic partnership, and science diplomacy.

The Intergenerational Ocean Hackathon was made possible thanks to the commitment and coordination of the organisers from the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance and the OKEANO Project, with key contributions from Laura Mc Donagh, Niall McDonough, Lavinia Giulia Pomarico, Lisa Picatto, Gwenn Taburet, Florence Coroner, and Sieglinde Gruber, the heart of the AAORIA ECOPs initiative.

The event was hosted by Brazilian partners, including the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and SENAI CIMATEC, whose support ensured a dynamic and inspiring environment for innovation. Their collective efforts created a platform that not only fostered cutting-edge solutions, but also strengthened international collaboration and reinforced the role of science diplomacy in addressing global ocean challenges.

Looking Ahead

The success of Challenge 4 highlights the growing importance of tools that connect science to action. For the MarineGuardian Project, it represents a major milestone in advancing the practical application, uptake, and impact of its solutions.

As momentum continues through upcoming initiatives linked to ICES and broader ocean innovation programmes, the vision is clear: empower ocean communities with the tools they need to navigate a changing climate and build a more sustainable future, aligned with the EU Ocean Pact and UN Ocean Decade, providing the solutions we want for the ocean we need.

MarineGuardian remains committed to supporting this journey—transforming data into decisions, and decisions into impact.

Setting the scene

In mid-April 2026, the CCMAR team completed a training session in Faro where Prof. Carlos Silva from NOVA University Lisbon joined to be trained as the facilitator. The session covered the Conceptual Mapping and Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping methodology developed by the SINTEF Ocean team — the standardised approach applied across all six MarineGuardian case study regions.

With the methodology in hand, the team moved on to the stakeholder workshop.

The Workshop: Imagine a future where cetacean bycatch in beach seine fisheries has disappeared

At the heart of the MarineGuardian stakeholder methodology is a deliberately provocative question. Rather than asking participants to diagnose today’s problems, facilitators ask them to imagine a future where those problems have already been solved — and work backwards.

In Faro, that question was:

“Imagine it’s 2030, and cetacean bycatch in the beach seine fishery — arte xávega — has been completely solved. How did we get there?”

Participants — predominantly fishers with direct experience of the arte xávega fishery — explored seven key drivers of change that could influence that outcome: regulation, technology, markets, research, industry, fishing areas, and climate change.

Two drivers stood out as the most influential:

• Regulation emerged as the primary force shaping behaviour, incentives, and long-term direction. Participants recognised that without the right policy framework, even the most effective technological solutions struggle to gain traction in real fishing conditions.
• Technology came close behind — with specific solutions such as acoustic deterrents (pingers) and drones identified as promising tools already within reach.

The main discussions

The discussion highlighted how public perception and social media are now powerful forces influencing decision-making in marine conservation.

At the same time, there’s a growing shift toward economic diversification—moving beyond intensive fishing toward models that combine cultural heritage, sustainability, and tourism.

One of the most impactful ideas proposed was compensation per haul:

• A financial mechanism that compensates fishers when they interrupt a haul to save a marine animal.

• By removing the economic cost of doing the right thing, this approach creates a true win-win:
  • Supporting fishers’ livelihoods 
  • Strengthening biodiversity protection 

The takeaway

Solving complex challenges like bycatch requires alignment between policy, innovation, and human behaviour.
This workshop showed that a sustainable and thriving future for beach seine fisheries is not only possible—it’s already being designed.

What comes next

This workshop is the first step in a longer conversation. Later this summer, field tests of specific bycatch mitigation technologies will take place — generating new data that will feed back into the stakeholder process.

In approximately two years, the same communities will be brought back together for a second round of workshops. The goal will be to go deeper — and to see how perceptions have shifted in light of what has been learned and tested in the intervening period.

---

This workshop was conducted as part of the MarineGuardian project’s stakeholder engagement programme, led by the SINTEF Ocean team. The CCMAR case study focuses on cetacean bycatch mitigation in Portuguese beach seine fisheries.