After three years of collaboration, innovation and close partnership with the fisheries sector, the Horizon Europe NETTAG+ project successfully concluded in April 2026. Although the project has officially come to an end, its impact will continue well beyond its lifetime. Throughout the project, NETTAG+ has empowered fishers as key partners in tackling marine litter while advancing innovative technologies to locate, recover and reduce lost fishing gear. By combining stakeholder engagement with practical, field-tested solutions, the project has laid the foundations for cleaner seas, healthier marine ecosystems and more resilient, sustainable fisheries across Europe.
About NETTAG+
Working in close collaboration with fishers, scientists and NGOs, the project empowered the fisheries sector to adopt more responsible practices for preventing marine litter and reducing the environmental impacts associated with fishing gear. It contributed to preventing fisheries-related marine litter, reducing the loss of fishing gear, and supporting the detection, tracking and recovery of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), thereby contributing to healthier marine ecosystems and more sustainable fisheries. NETTAG+ solutions were tested, validated and demonstrated in real conditions in the following Atlantic and Mediterranean countries:
• Portugal
• Spain
• Italy
• Croatia
• Malta
• United Kingdom
General Assembly Meeting in Patti, Sicily (Italy) May 2025. Photo: NETTAG+
Working in close collaboration with fishers, researchers, technology developers and local stakeholders, the demonstrations showcased the effectiveness of solutions like MyGearTag, an acoustic gear tracking system that enabled fishers to locate lost fishing gear. The demonstrations also tested IRIS, an autonomous underwater robotic system capable of detecting, tracking and supporting the recovery of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). Together, these technologies demonstrated an integrated approach to preventing ghost gear, reducing marine litter and supporting more sustainable fishing practices across a range of European fisheries.
In addition to successfully demonstrating its technological solutions, NETTAG+ produced a range of key results to support their long-term uptake and replication. These included technical guidelines, best practice recommendations, scientific publications, policy briefs, communication materials and training resources that promoted the adoption of innovative technologies to prevent and recover ghost gear.
Impact and Legacy
Overview video capturing the key results and achievements of NETTAG+, from technological demonstrations to stakeholder collaboration and industry engagement. Video: WWF Mediterranean
While NETTAG+ has officially concluded, the impact and legacy of the project will continue through the solutions, partnerships and knowledge developed over its lifetime. The strong collaborations established among fishers, researchers, technology developers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers will continue to support the uptake of innovative approaches to prevent, detect and recover ALDFG.
The achievements and impact of NETTAG+ have also recently been highlighted by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA): NETTAG+: turning lost fishing gear into action for healthier European seas – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
ERINN Innovation’s Role
As part of these activities, we supported the identification and development of seven Key Exploitable Results (KERs) emerging from the project. These results highlighted the most promising innovations and outputs generated by NETTAG+ and were published on the Horizon Results Platform, increasing their visibility and supporting opportunities for further development, uptake and impact within the marine and fisheries sectors.
Reflecting on her time working on the NETTAG+ project, Karla Corrales, ERINN Innovation Communication Officer, said:
“It has been really rewarding to be part of conversations that brought academia, industry and other stakeholders together, helping to connect research with real-world applications. Through NETTAG+, we had the opportunity to support activities such as developing business plans and exploring ways to help these innovations move beyond the project. One of the most exciting parts was seeing the change within the industry over the course of the project. New relationships were built, new collaborations emerged, and stakeholders came together with a shared goal of finding practical solutions to reduce ghost gear and support more sustainable fisheries. I look forward to seeing how these connections and innovations continue to develop beyond NETTAG+ and to the impact they can create in the years ahead.“
Learn more about ERINN Innovation’s Knowledge Transfer and Impact services here.
