SciTransfer
DigiWaves · Project

Digital Monitoring and Data Systems for Sustainable European Commercial and Recreational Fishing

foodPrototypeTRL 3

Imagine if fishing boats had a smart digital diary that automatically tracked what they caught and where. Instead of messy paperwork, this system uses AI to make sure fishing stays sustainable and follows the rules. It's like upgrading from a paper map to a real-time GPS for the entire fishing industry.

By the numbers
22
partners
9
countries
36%
industry ratio
The business problem

What needed solving

Fisheries currently struggle with high costs and inefficiencies in data collection and monitoring. This leads to a lack of transparency and difficulty in maintaining sustainable fishing levels.

The solution

What was built

Operational prototypes for data collection and AI driven modelling for fisheries monitoring.

Audience

Who needs this

Fleet management software companiesCommercial fishing vessel operatorsGovernmental fisheries agenciesMaritime IoT hardware manufacturers
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Maritime Technology
SME
Target: IoT sensor and software provider

If you are a software provider dealing with fragmented fishing data — this project developed operational prototypes that improve AI driven modelling. This allows you to offer more accurate tracking tools to boat owners.

Commercial Fishing
enterprise
Target: Long-distance fishing fleet operator

If you are a fleet operator dealing with high administrative costs for monitoring — this project developed a digital data framework that lowers the cost of data collection. This reduces the time spent on manual reporting.

Environmental Governance
any
Target: Fisheries management agency

If you are a regulator dealing with lack of transparency in recreational fishing — this project developed tools for monitoring and control. This ensures better compliance with sustainability laws.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much will the new tools cost to implement?

Based on available project data, specific pricing is not mentioned, but the project aims to lower the cost of data collection.

Can these solutions be used on an industrial scale?

Yes, the project objective explicitly states that the solutions developed should be practical and scalable for small-scale, long-distance, and recreational fisheries.

Who owns the IP and how is licensing handled?

Based on available project data, there are no specific details regarding IP or licensing agreements provided in the project description.

How does this help with EU fishing regulations?

The project focuses on policy alignment and creating a digital data framework to improve transparency and control in fisheries.

When will the tools be available for business use?

The project period runs from 2026-10-01 to 2030-09-30, suggesting a timeline for development and testing over these four years.

Consortium

Who built it

The project features a strong commercial orientation with a 36% industry ratio, including 8 industry partners and 6 SMEs. With 22 partners across 9 countries, the consortium provides a wide geographic reach and a mix of research and commercial expertise, ensuring that the developed tools are grounded in real-world operational needs.

How to reach the team

Contact EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK in Belgium

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Contact us to track the development of these AI fishing prototypes.

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