ecoefishent logo

EcoeFISHent is a project funded by Horizon 2020, the financial instrument aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.

It aims at demonstrating a replicable regional cluster for deploying climate-neutral, Circular Economy solutions.

The project aims at interconnecting Blue Economy and Green Economy to reconcile human activities with marine ecosystems and Protected Areas.

It will also pursue eco-efficient valorization of fishing and fish industries side-streams.

The EcoeFISHent innovative technologies will enable sustainable and efficient exploitation of fish processing side-streams for food supplements and skin care products, biodegradable and compostable barrier layer for food packaging, soil fertilizer, oil for biodiesel and chitin for cosmetic applications.

Automotive components and packaging for cosmetic products will be obtained by fishing nets recycling.

EcoeFISHent is one of the only 4 projects approved out of the 92 presented in response to the latest European call for proposals on circular economy of the Horizon 2020 Green Deal Program, and will benefit from a direct contribution of 15.1 million euros against an overall investment plan of over 18.5 million euros.

The six Circular Value Chains

In order to foster a Climate Neutral Circular Economy, interconnecting blue and green economy, EcoeFISHent has the main purpose to develop six multilevel and synergic Circular Value Chains (CVCs).

Every chain connects different industrial sector: Fish Industry and Aquaculture, Fishermen and Fish Industries with Manufacturers in the territorial ecosystem, also involving Agriculture sector, Research organizations and many other public and private stakeholders, in a well-defined geographic area.

In that way, discard products from an industrial sector are the raw material for another business, in compliance with circular economy rules and to capitalize on potential synergies in terms of resource sharing.

The six interconnected Circular Value Chains:

  • From fish to food

  • From fish to cosmetics

  • From fish to pack

  • From fish to soil

  • From fish to soil improver

  • From fishing nets to cars – from fishing nets to pack

Project partners are 34 among companies and research institutions from 7 different countries (Italy, Spain, Israel, Norway, France, Bulgaria, Kenya) and belong to various thematic and industrial domains related to science, biology, fishing, cosmetic, packaging project management and many others.

Project’s Duration: 60 months. Start date: 1 October 2021, End date: 30 September 2026

The project goal in a nutshell

To streamline the fishing industry operational flows. Including its industrial side-streams.
Establishing a climate-neutral regional reproducible cluster based on the bio/blue/green/circular economy approaches. With a proper focus on valorization of the related waste. For pre-treatment and extraction of bio-active components. And for recycling end of life fishing gear from aquaculture and fisheries. To supply the food, automotive, cosmetic, and packaging industries. Providing fertilizers and biodiesel for agricultural applications as well.

Follow EcoeFISHent in social media!