Imagine turning old, discarded fishing nets into strong new ropes instead of letting them pollute the ocean. This project creates biodegradable gear that breaks down naturally and a system for ports to turn plastic waste into new plastic. It is like a recycling program specifically designed for the tough materials used in commercial fishing.
Commercial fishing generates massive amounts of plastic waste and lost gear that pollutes oceans and creates waste management crises at ports. Current disposal methods rely heavily on landfills and incineration.
Four market-ready solutions: recycled PA dolly ropes, biodegradable seine ropes, biodegradable dFADs, and a port-based pyrolysis system for plastic-to-plastic recycling.
If you are a gear producer dealing with high fossil fuel reliance — this project developed recycled polyamide dolly ropes that can reduce fossil fuel use in production by 15%. This allows you to offer a more sustainable product to commercial trawlers.
If you are a port manager dealing with 1643 tonnes of end-of-life fishing gear being discarded in Spanish ports — this project developed a pyrolysis management system. This enables a plastic-to-plastic application instead of relying on landfills or incineration.
If you are a fleet operator dealing with the loss of 40% of deployed Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) annually — this project developed eco-designed biodegradable dFADs. This reduces your environmental footprint and liability for marine litter.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-unit for the recycled ropes and biodegradable gear is not provided.
Yes, the project targets TRL 7-9 and tests solutions onboard commercial vessels and within the Basque country region to ensure they are close-to-market.
Based on available project data, there are no specific details regarding patents or licensing agreements for the four circular solutions.
The solutions address the reduction of marine litter and microplastics generated by European fisheries to support a sustainable economy.
The project is running from September 2023 to August 2026, with solutions being validated by users in real-world conditions during this period.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, consisting of 11 partners across 6 countries. With a 27% industry ratio (3 industrial partners) and 6 research entities, the project blends academic rigor with practical application. The presence of 3 SMEs suggests a focus on agile, market-ready implementation rather than purely theoretical research.
Contact FUNDACION AZTI - AZTI FUNDAZIOA in Spain
Contact us to connect with the SEARCULAR consortium for licensing recycled PA technology.
