OCEANETS

Short description of the project: OCEANETS was a two-year project financed by EMFF, aimed at preventing, recovering and recycling abandoned fishing gears, with the objective of demonstrating the feasibility of a circular economy model for managing these complex waste materials.

Tangible results: The main results of the project included the development of an online and updatable ICT tool to register and exchange geolocated information on the potential loss of fishing gears (Tested by 10 skippers). In addition, the project contributed to the removal of 7 tons of fishing gear for a cleaner marine environment, and the obtention of 50 linear meters of high-quality textile fibre (>90% recycled textile from fishing gear). The project has also carried out public awareness actions. 

Application/relevance: The OCEANETS project is highly relevant to the aquaculture industry in the EU as it offers technological approaches for circular economy solutions in terms of prevention, recover, re-use and recycle of fishing gears to obtain added-value products in the textile industry. This not only supports sustainable practices, but also aligns with the EU's commitment to environmentally responsible aquaculture.