Research

The European Fishmeal and Fish Oil Producers (EFFOP) is actively involved in several research projects aimed at promoting sustainable and responsible practices in fishery management and the processing industry. These projects focus on improving the accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability of fishery operations, ensuring the long-term health of marine ecosystems.

Project: DNAMIX

The DNAmix project aims to improve fisheries management by expanding our knowledge of DNA-based methods to accurately determine species composition in mixed catches. In diverse fishing environments, identifying the correct proportions of species is crucial for maintaining healthy fish stocks and ensuring regulatory compliance. Commercial fish stocks often mix outside the spawning season, presenting significant management challenges. By using high-resolution genetic methods, DNAmix will increase our understanding of population biology and help accurately estimate species contributions in mixed fisheries via the development of DNA-based methods. To do this, it will establish practical sampling methods, optimize DNA analysis, address technical variations, and investigate biological bottle necks that affect DNA-based identification. Additionally, the project will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these methods compared to traditional approaches.

Project: Pelagic Automated Landings Identification System for Denmark (PelALIS)

The Pelagic Automated Landings Identification System (PelALIS) project aims to optimize and expand the registration process of pelagic fish landings by integrating AI and machine learning technologies. Currently, species registration is manual, time-consuming, and limited to fish weight. Automating the registration process will enable the collection of individual biometric data, which will aid future scientific research and analysis. This data can then be used to support models for stock bioenergetic and reproductive status, reducing the biological uncertainty. Statistical uncertainty is a major challenge in fisheries management, particularly for determining the Total Allowable Catches (TACs). PelALIS will address this by supplementing with reliable species composition and size data from the integrated AI technology. This high-precision data will lead to more informed stock assessments, improved by-catch management, and better regulatory frameworks.

EFFOP’s involvement in projects underscores our commitment to sustainable development and responsible fishery management. Our research initiatives are aligned with global efforts to promote sustainability, ensuring that the fishing industry can meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

For more detailed information on our research projects and sustainability initiatives, please contact us directly.