Project overview

Pillar 1: Technology for fish detection, classification and capture process monitoring
Acoustic instruments for fish finding and classification, and equipment for monitoring and controlling fishing gear during fishing, will become increasingly important in the future, not only in order to maximize profitability, but also to mitigate the environmental effects of fishing. Norwegian manufacturers (e.g. Simrad and Scantrol) already have a significant share of the world market for professional fisheries instrumentation, a position they are determined to maintain by joining forces with the Centre. The work will start out at the cutting edge of underwater technology, taking on board state-of-the-art generic computer technology, all in consultation with the fishing community in order to establish needs and ascertain relevance. 
 
Pillar 2: Low-impact and selective fishing gears 
Present principles for selectivity in trawls are mesh size modifications, escape windows, oblique panels and grids. Releasing species of similar size and shape to the target species is difficult, and the development of new dynamic selection methods, e.g. built on visual inspection of the catch during fishing, will therefore be a focus area for the CRISP consortium. Traditional demersal trawls have several components that come into direct contact with the seabed, and differences in the design of these components determine their impact on the seabed. CRISP will focus on options to make trawling more bottom-habitat friendly, e.g. by developing trawls with fewer contact points between trawl components and the seabed, lighter contact of trawl components with the ground, trawl doors rigged to be towed off-bottom and pelagic trawling (whole gear above bottom). 

Excessive catches or unwanted size and/or quality are the two main reasons for slipping catches in the purse seine fisheries for pelagic species. If a vessel, for whatever reason, casts its net on suboptimal fish, or casts on too big a shoal, technology is needed to slip some or all of the enclosed fish as gently as possible. The purse seines used today are constructed with the aim of maximizing catch quantity. Purse seines designed for responsible fishing should catch the target species in a way that ensure high-quality catches, with insignificant mortality of non-target fish.

Pillar 3: Quality and value adding
In a global competitive market for seafood, the Norwegian seafood industry competes with a rising number of competitors located in low-cost countries. The Norwegian fish processing industry is therefore searching for market segments that are less exposed to global competition from low-priced fish species and frozen products, e.g. by producing more fresh seafood and high-quality products.  Concern about environmental issues, animal welfare, sustainability and ethical issues together with health concerns are becoming gradually more important determinants of consumer choice. Capture, transfer, transport and pre-processing procedures are the initial stages in the production line of food from fisheries, and quality flaws incurred at this stage will reduce product quality throughout processing, and hence a potential reduction in profitability. Improved quality can be obtained if low levels of stress can be maintained throughout the harvesting process. CRISP will integrate landing quality thinking into the capture-landing chain with the aim of providing the processing industry with raw materials that represent a credible basis for highly priced quality products.

The practical research and development work of CRISP will take place within the frames of six work packages, each consisting of several projects. These work packages are:

WP 1. Pre-catch identification of catch
WP 2. Monitoring of fish behaviour and gear performance
WP 3. Active selectivity and release in fishing gears
WP 4. Low-impact fishing gears
WP 5. Quality improvement by gear and handling modifications
WP 6. Value adding in a sustainable fishery framework