Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEARCULAR (Circular solutions for fishing gears)
Período documentado: 2023-09-01 hasta 2025-02-28
SEARCULAR is a research and innovation project, working to reduce marine litter and microplastic generated by fishing gear. It is estimated that 5.7% of all fishing nets, 8.6% of all traps, 29% of all lines, and 40% of deployed Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) are lost around the world each year. Furthermore, 1643 tonnes of end-of-life (EOL) fishing gear is discarded in Spanish ports for which there are limited waste management options with much going to landfill or incineration. In addition to creating value from ‘waste’ fishing gear, SEARCULAR’s solutions will help reduce the use of fossil fuel in the production of fishing gear by 15% and create validated market solutions that are approved by stakeholders.
SEARCULAR’s core objective is the reduction of marine litter and microplastics generated by European fisheries at source and, in support of this, the introduction of circular economy practices within the fishing sector value chain. By testing and refining four circular solutions to plastic waste, SEARCULAR is supporting the fishing industry to adopt positive and sustainable behavioural change. Three solutions use more sustainable materials as alternatives to the traditional plastics used in fishing gear, and one solution helps ports to recycle fishing gear after use.
SEARCULAR harnesses the combined experience, expertise and networks of its consortium members, and through co-design and iteration with stakeholders, is generating effective solutions that pave the way forward for eliminating waste from fishing gears, circulating materials and regenerating nature, with widespread impact.
SEARCULAR’s core objective is the reduction of marine litter and microplastics generated by European fisheries at source and, in support of this, the introduction of circular economy practices within the fishing sector value chain. By testing and refining four circular solutions to plastic waste, SEARCULAR is supporting the fishing industry to adopt positive and sustainable behavioural change. Three solutions use more sustainable materials as alternatives to the traditional plastics used in fishing gear, and one solution helps ports to recycle fishing gear after use.
SEARCULAR harnesses the combined experience, expertise and networks of its consortium members, and through co-design and iteration with stakeholders, is generating effective solutions that pave the way forward for eliminating waste from fishing gears, circulating materials and regenerating nature, with widespread impact.
SEARCULAR acts on solutions for three of the main contributors to European fishery plastics and microplastics - demersal trawlers, demersal seiners, and tropical tuna purse seiners, as well as at ports.
By reconditioning EOL polyamide (PA) purse seine nets to manufacture more resistant dolly rope from the recycled material, the project is supporting demersal trawlers in reducing fisheries related marine litter at sea and creating value from discarded nets in ports. To date, the research team has collected four tonnes of EOL purse seine nets. These nets have been processed, sorting the different materials and removing floats and other components that currently can’t be recycled. This has provided three tonnes of PA material, which has been cleaned and processed into a pellet feedstock for extrusion into recycled PA dolly ropes.
Working with demersal seiners, another of SEARCULAR’s solutions is developing a biodegradable seine rope coating, using innovative biodegradable polymers. While the ropes will still have abrasion in use, the microfibers produced are designed to biodegrade in sea water. To date, the team have developed a biopolymer that is currently being tested aboard fishing vessels for degradation under saltwater conditions. Following these tests, full scale seine ropes will be developed for real condition testing aboard two demersal seine vessels. Initial tests have suggested that the biodegradable polymers being developed are three times more resistant to friction than traditional materials used.
To reduce the impact of lost and abandoned plastic drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) on the marine environment, SEARCULAR is trialling three new biodegradable ‘Eco-FAD’ models. To date, sustainably harvested, natural and toxin free materials have been sourced for the manufacture of Eco-FADs. The team are working collaboratively with two fishing companies to co-design the Eco-FAD models and following workshops with fishers, have developed three different designs for trial at sea which are currently in production.
SEARCULAR’s fourth solution considers port-based collection of EOL fishing gear to support collection and processing for recycling. SEARCULAR is trialling a port-based approach that can facilitate collection, sorting and conditioning of EOL fishing gear. In collaboration with port authorities and the Basque Government, the team has collected over 10 tonnes of material from ports across the Basque region. The material is being cleaned and sorted into different material types. The feedstock requirements for chemical recycling have also been established.
By reconditioning EOL polyamide (PA) purse seine nets to manufacture more resistant dolly rope from the recycled material, the project is supporting demersal trawlers in reducing fisheries related marine litter at sea and creating value from discarded nets in ports. To date, the research team has collected four tonnes of EOL purse seine nets. These nets have been processed, sorting the different materials and removing floats and other components that currently can’t be recycled. This has provided three tonnes of PA material, which has been cleaned and processed into a pellet feedstock for extrusion into recycled PA dolly ropes.
Working with demersal seiners, another of SEARCULAR’s solutions is developing a biodegradable seine rope coating, using innovative biodegradable polymers. While the ropes will still have abrasion in use, the microfibers produced are designed to biodegrade in sea water. To date, the team have developed a biopolymer that is currently being tested aboard fishing vessels for degradation under saltwater conditions. Following these tests, full scale seine ropes will be developed for real condition testing aboard two demersal seine vessels. Initial tests have suggested that the biodegradable polymers being developed are three times more resistant to friction than traditional materials used.
To reduce the impact of lost and abandoned plastic drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) on the marine environment, SEARCULAR is trialling three new biodegradable ‘Eco-FAD’ models. To date, sustainably harvested, natural and toxin free materials have been sourced for the manufacture of Eco-FADs. The team are working collaboratively with two fishing companies to co-design the Eco-FAD models and following workshops with fishers, have developed three different designs for trial at sea which are currently in production.
SEARCULAR’s fourth solution considers port-based collection of EOL fishing gear to support collection and processing for recycling. SEARCULAR is trialling a port-based approach that can facilitate collection, sorting and conditioning of EOL fishing gear. In collaboration with port authorities and the Basque Government, the team has collected over 10 tonnes of material from ports across the Basque region. The material is being cleaned and sorted into different material types. The feedstock requirements for chemical recycling have also been established.
Working closely with stakeholders throughout the research process and through a targeted communications strategy, SEARCULAR is working to support industry uptake of the trialled solutions. Beyond the technical development of the four solutions, life cycle assessment (LCA), cost-benefit analyses, safety assessment of new materials, and reverse logistic models are being implemented to gain a deeper understanding of the sustainability of value chains, markets and material flows.
SEARCULAR aims to influence and inform policy recommendations relating to the management of waste fishing materials through the development of tailored policy briefs for each of the trialled solutions.
SEARCULAR aims to influence and inform policy recommendations relating to the management of waste fishing materials through the development of tailored policy briefs for each of the trialled solutions.