Welcome
to the website dedicated to preventing waste in fishing ports on the Atlantic coast
As part of the Free-LitterAT project, several European partners (France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland) are working together to tackle marine litter. One of the key priorities is to reduce waste from used fishing gear and waste passively fished by encouraging its collection, treatment and recycling.
Find out more about current practices in fishing ports on the Atlantic coast and the solutions that can be implemented to limit the impact of this waste on the oceans.
Recycling
of used fishing gears
nets, trawls, traps, dredges, lines, seines, etc.
1. MANUFACTURING
• Fishing gear producers: manufactures, sells or imports fishing gear
2. USE
• Fishermen (“sailors” or “skippers”) who work on trawlers, gillnetters, line boats, pot boats…
3. SORTING
• Fishermen
• Port agents
4. DISMANTLING
• Companies specialising in the assembly and dismantling of fishing nets
• Fishermen
• Retired fishermen
• Adapted employment services
5. STORAGE
Storage facilities provided by the port manager:
• On the quayside
• In a port reception facility
• In a dedicated warehouse
6. TRANSPORT
• By the port agents themselves
• By a transport service provider
7. WASTE MANAGEMENT
• Recycling: mechanical or chemical recycling and manufacture of new objects from used fishing gear.
• Other types of waste management: Incineration, Landfill, Energy recovery.
Today, the majority of used fishing gear ends up in landfill.
• Other existing practices: Repair, reuse, repurposing, etc.
Create zero-waste coastal communities by combining knowledge,
tools and technologies with pilot actions involving the participation of multiple stakeholders.
Maritime identity cards
Fishing port sheets
information sheet
Fishing port of Roscoff
Fishing port, commercial port and marina Presence of a fish market
Flotilla of 40 fishing vessels (mainly coastal fishing) 1500 deep-sea trawlers landing fish every year.
information sheet
Fishing port of Le Guilvinec
Fishing port, marina & ship repair area Presence of a fish market
Flotilla of 98 vessels (mostly deep-sea)
information sheet
Fishing port of Vigo
General cargo, bulk solids, ship service, fishing activity (fresh and frozen), fish market.
Fishing practice: fleet of 359 vessels and ships (mostly artisanal vessels)
Landings: Black monkfish, White monkfish, Blue shark, Swordfish, Northern megrim, Atlantic pomfret, European hake, Korean flounder, Common squid, Horse mackerel…
information sheet
Fishing port of Union Hall
This is small fishing pier with 19 regular boats from 6m to 28m, including 1 x Demersal trawler (Prawns), 2 x Pelagic vessels and Inshore fishing boats.
There is also a RNLI station and a Rowing Club attached to the pier.
initiatives
initiative(s)
Upcycling the Oceans
Founded in Spain in 2015, the international network Upcycling the Oceans transforms marine waste into resources through innovation and the circular economy.
Read more