GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Proposals should also consider the energy efficiency and climate neutrality of the proposed solutions, thus contributing to the energy transition of the EU fisheries sector.

Projects should actively involve end-users and fisheries communities in their activities. Activities should be tailored to address regional/sea basin specificities and when relevant, local/regional authorities should be engaged, e.g.: Fisheries Management authorities.

This topic will support the Common Fisheries Policy, the Technical Measures Regulation, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, including the future Nature Restoration Law and the Marine Action Plan, the Habitats, Birds and MSFD directives as well as the EU sea basin strategies.

Project activities should cover all following issues:

• demonstrating mitigation measures and sustainable fishing tools, e.g.: innovative gears and techniques improving selectivity and addressing incidental bycatch, such as exclusion devices, use of frangible gear, acoustic deterrent devices, escape panels, and other solutions;
• demonstrating mitigation measures and sustainable fishing operations, such as restricting fishing activities in targeted areas, temporal and/or spatial closures, safe handling of bycaught species and reducing mortality of discarded species, experimental restocking programmes and other solutions;
• carrying out specific activities to assess operational feasibility in commercial fishery situations and to support fishers in taking-up the solutions as well as to promote sea-food products from sustainable fisheries.