October 5, 2023 - The GFCM High-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives: Transformative actions to address new challenges offering a fitting occasion to recognise outstanding new work in the Mediterranean in the fields of fishing technology and aquaculture research and in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Attendees gathered for the ceremony on the first evening of the conference, which honed high-level representatives from 20 Mediterranean fishing nations with fishers, fish farmers, scientists, managers, organisations and other experts in Malta to plan a collective course towards a sustainable future.
Many of the conference discussions focused on how innovation and technology have a critical role to play in increasing efficiency, reducing environmental impacts, boosting the productivity of aquaculture and enabling monitoring and enforcement, and winning solutions in all these areas were showcased at the MedFish4Ever Awards.
The winners will go on to present their projects at two key scientific events: the International Symposium on Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (SOFAS 2023) and the GFCM Forum on Fisheries Science in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (Fish Forum 2024).
"It was a real pleasure to be able to give these innovative ideas the public recognition they deserve," said GFCM Executive Secretary Miguel Bernal, who opened the ceremony. "Fishers, fish farmers, scientists and companies are key elements to provide the solutions we need for the sector, and the spirit of collaborative innovation that is being celebrated here is what we need to secure a sustainable future for all."
The winners
Category - Innovative practices in fishing technology
The first category called for new solutions to address existing and emerging challenges and promote sustainability of fisheries in the Mediterranean.
Winner: Reinforced seine as a mitigation measure against depredation by bottlenose dolphin - National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Morocco
Bottlenose dolphins frequently interact with purse seiners in Mediterranean waters, targeting the sliding nets used to encircle shoals of small pelagic fish. They cause economic losses for fishers and they put their own survival at risk, so INRH has been developing new reinforced seine gear. The twin aims are to prevent economic losses from dolphin depredation and to limit interactions between the fishery and this protected species. Fishers, scientists and marine experts have collaborated to develop the new gear, whose effectiveness - in three different prototypes - has been evaluated against traditional purse seines, with very promising results. The results of the project have the potential to be replicated and applied in similar regions facing comparable challenges across the Mediterranean and beyond, so the scalability of this innovation is essentially unlimited.
Winner: Assessment of the carbon footprint of the fishing fleet and application of decarbonisation measures - University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (Croatia)
Fishing vessels consume a significant amount of energy, and harmful emissions are released in the fisheries production chain - but that needs to change as the sector faces up to the realities of a changing climate. Decarbonisation is an increasingly important theme for our regional fisheries, so a research group at the University of Zagreb is running several projects geared towards improving energy efficiency in fisheries and aquaculture. From real-time monitoring of fleet fuel consumption to experimental work to develop hybrid and fully electric vessels, the team is focused on reducing fishing's carbon footprint, and building a cleaner future. Their findings are important for the entire Mediterranean.
Category - Innovative practices in aquaculture research
The future development of aquaculture in the region calls for new technologies to drive transformative growth while ensuring its environmental, social and economic sustainability - a fact recognised by the second category.
Winner: Larvae counting system - AquaDeep, Tunisia
A crucial yet challenging aspect of contemporary aquaculture is the ability to track farmed populations from day zero until the end of their production cycle, ad it is at the larval stage where this proves particularly difficult. That's why AquaDeep spent three years working with seabags and sea bream hatcheries to engineer a product to assess larval populations qualitatively and quantitatively, ultimately aiming to reduce production costs, minimise impacts on surrounding ecosystems, and increase yield. This innovative new system uses a combination of sampling and artificial intelligence to accurately count larvae, and, following successful results, the technology is also being adapted for use in later developmental stages. Ideas like this can be rolled out to farms across the Mediterranean.
Winner: Innovative salt water aquaponic system - Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain
When aquaculture is combined with hydroponics, the result is aquaponics: plants and fish being grown simultaneously, with the fish providing nutrients for the plants and the plants cleaning water recycled back to the fish. The commercial use of aquaponics is still limited, however, and this is what IRTA is working to change. The Institute has designed a new system to raise grey mullet alongside salicornia, a highly valued salinity-tolerant plant also known as sea asparagus, and initial results have been extremely positive. The system is unique in its low costs, minimal electrical consumption and simple design, and it is adaptable as a basis for almost any fish and vegetable aquaponic model.
Category - Innovative practices in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing poses a significant threat to the sustainability of fisheries and marine ecosystems, and stronger measures and mechanisms are needed to control it. The third and final category showcased two solutions that have considerable potential.
Winner: Use of remote electronic monitoring, including closed-circuit television technology, as a control and monitoring too - Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Cyprus
Monitoring and enforcing fisheries management measures at sea has always been a challenge. Control at sea usually involves the deployment of patrol vessels, which have a high cost and a relatively low chance of detecting certain types of infringements. Fishing in distant waters is particularly hard to control. To tackle this issue head-on, Cyprus Department of Marine Fisheries and Research is piloting the use of remote electronic monitoring on two longliners, installing systems that use closed-circuit television and sensors around the vessels to keep a record of all fishing activity that takes place. The footage is analysed against logbook declarations, strengthening compliance and thus contributing to long-term fishery sustainability. Remote electronic monitoring systems supports the monitoring of fishing activities 24/7 from any location.
Winner: Remote sensing data shedding light on the Mediterranean fishing footprint - Global Fishing Watch
More accurate vessel tracking information is needed to gain a true picture of fishing activities taking place in the Mediterranean. Small-scale vessels often do not have tracking systems installed, so Global Fishing Watch has been researching how satellite radar imagery can reveal a new picture of what is really happening at sea, using machine learning techniques to analyse the results and to shed light on the so called 'dark fleet' presence in the Mediterranean region. This initiative can then prove vital to changing the perception of fisheries in the region.
The Aquaculturists
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