Dutch researchers, in collaboration with the fishing industry, have unveiled a groundbreaking AI-based tool as part of the Fully Documented Fisheries (FDF) project, supported by EU funding. The initiative addresses the longstanding challenge of unwanted catches in fisheries, streamlining the catch registration process while contributing to more sustainable practices.
In compliance with EU regulations, fishers are required to document all catches, a process that consumes time, space, and incurs significant costs. The newly developed AI tool, pioneered by Wageningen University and Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, automates the identification of each fish’s size and species. This innovation facilitates onboard catch handling and recording, providing crucial data for fisheries management.
The FDF project stands out by enhancing existing systems, promoting adherence to landing and registration obligations while bolstering transparency in the sector. The AI algorithm, a cornerstone of the tool, distinguishes between catches suitable for human consumption (above minimum size) and unwanted catches (below minimum size), a task traditionally challenging for the crew.
Beyond improving working conditions for fishermen, the FDF tool promotes selective fisheries by alleviating the need for manual sorting of undersized fish. Albert Visser, a trawler skipper, highlights the advantages, stating, “One of the advantages of the camera system, for example, is that you don’t need to sort undersized fish manually.”
The benefits of FDF extend to improved onboard catch processing, reduced crew workload, and diminished administrative burdens. Real-time monitoring of total catches by size, species, and weight enables detailed data collection for scientific research, stock estimates, and fisheries policy. Additionally, there is potential for commercial use, enhancing the selectivity of fisheries.
The FDF project, running as a pilot for over three years, garnered voluntary participation from numerous fishers, who received compensation for their involvement. The system, employing video cameras and on-board AI units, decoded video images to identify and record fish species and size, aiding fishers in making informed decisions about fishing grounds.
The success of the initial pilot phase has prompted an expansion of the FDF project to include other fishing methods and countries, such as Denmark and Belgium. This evolution marks a significant stride toward making the European fishing sector more sustainable, as Edwin van Helmond, fisheries biologist at Wageningen University and Research, affirms: “We have improved data, improved stock assessment, better research, better policy, and ultimately a better fisheries sector. It’s really a win-win situation.”
