Euronews OCEAN Season 7, Episode 1 – Safety nets: Can smarter fishing gear protect marine life and keep fishers afloat?

In the Bay of Biscay, thousands of dolphins die every year, trapped in fishing nets. The problem is so severe that French authorities have to close fisheries for an entire month for the second winter in a row.

The bycatch problem extends beyond dolphins. Trawl nets capture everything in their path — up to 40% of catches are unintended, often killing marine life indiscriminately.

In this episode of “Ocean”, we discover two groundbreaking European projects that are offering a cutting-edge technological solution to these problems. DOLPHINFREE uses acoustic beacons that "speak dolphins' language", warning the marine mammals away from nets. Marine Beacon develops AI-powered smart trawl nets with cameras that can automatically sort and release unwanted species.

By making fishing more selective and intelligent, these innovations could protect marine ecosystems while keeping fishing economically viable — offering the industry a smarter, more sustainable future.

Read the full article

OCEAN is a Euronews magazine in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE). It features monthly 8-minute videos, where we discover fascinating projects and developments related to the ocean and coastal communities.

Broadcast since 2019, OCEAN features episodes on marine protected areas, small-scale fisheries, ocean energy, aquaculture, IUU fishing, sustainable fisheries and much more. Missed one? Check them out on the Euronews website! You will also find some nice extras about these topics.

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