European fisheries have long faced a series of crises, from declining fish populations, to the concentration of capital and fishing rights in the hands of a few large-scale operators. These challenges have severely impacted small-scale coastal fisheries, which, despite their lower environmental impact and social importance, struggle to survive.
The future of the fisheries sector lies in a shift from prioritising quantity to valuing catch quality, ocean health, and the well-being of fishing communities, ensuring we fish today without compromising the ability of future generations to fish. Small-scale, low-impact fisheries are key to this transformation, using sustainable methods that help preserve marine ecosystems while supporting local economies.
The report ‘Fisheries for a New Era’ showcases twelve innovative business models pioneered by small-scale, low-impact fishers across Europe. These models demonstrate how sustainable practices can ensure the survival of both fisheries and coastal communities.
Fresco y del Mar 
Fresco y del Mar is a sustainable seafood company from Galicia. It operates as an online fishmonger between small-scale fishers and consumers, ensuring fair prices for fishers while promoting sustainable practices. With 20-30 small boats and 70-80 shellfish gatherers, the company sells species including hake, sea bass, clams and octopus. The company buys seafood from local auctions and delivers it to customers, allowing it to offer fishers higher prices than those typically achieved at auction, while also promoting conservation. Challenges include market visibility and transportation logistics.
Sea invaders AKD LTD. 
The NGO Mediterranean Conservation Society, was established in response to the growing threat of invasive species such as lionfish in Türkiye’s waters and it focuses on creating a sustainable market for these and other invasive species to both help small-scale fishers and reduce the impact on marine ecosystems. The NGO collaborates with fishing cooperatives, involving 400 fishers, managing the entire supply chain, from purchasing the fish to cleaning, freezing, and delivering them to restaurants. Despite challenges including seasonal fish availability, fishers’ hesitance to adapt, and infrastructure deficiencies, the business achieved success by fostering demand and offering competitive pricing. Future plans include increasing consumer outreach, and potentially opening a restaurant exclusively serving invasive species.
Cabaz Fresco Mar 
Cabaz Fresco Mar is a fish box scheme launched by the Associação de Armadores de Pesca da Fuzeta to connect local small-scale fishers directly with consumers. Established in 2016, the initiative offers fresh, seasonal seafood such as octopus and clams, promoting sustainable fishing and fair prices for fishers. Customers receive 3 kg or 5 kg boxes of mixed catch, with options for weekly or monthly deliveries. The project uses a cold-storage van for home deliveries and ensures traceability by purchasing seafood from local auctions. Challenges include competition from similar services and securing staff. Despite this, Cabaz Fresco Mar has increased fishers’ profitability and promoted environmentally friendly practices.
Empesca’t – Spain 
Empesca’t is a direct-selling platform launched by small-scale fishers, to bypass the traditional auction system, which poses several financial and logistical downsides for small-scale fishers. The platform allows fishers to sell their catch at prices up to 15-20% higher than auctions, ensuring a fair and stable income. Fishers use sustainable practices and handle species such as cuttlefish, octopus and sea bass. Orders are taken via WhatsApp, seafood is packed on ice, and then delivered directly to local restaurants. Challenges include regulatory uncertainty, limited staff, and inconsistent catches. Empesca’t plans to expand, hire staff, and reach private consumers.
Ligneurs de la Pointe de Bretagne 
In 1993, small-scale fishers in Brittany, France, created the Ligneurs de la Pointe de Bretagne association to differentiate their high-quality, line-caught sea bass from industrially caught fish, which flooded the market in that period, driving prices down. The association established a label for longline-caught fish, ensuring higher prices than trawl-caught ones. Fishers must follow strict guidelines, including using only hook-based gear and adhering to biological rest periods. Despite early resistance from wholesalers and some fishers, who found the label’s conditions burdensome, the label gained acceptance, particularly among high-end restaurants. Concerns for the future are linked to continuing ecosystem degradation and the potential future decrease in fishing quotas.
Blueat Pescheria Sostenibile 
In 2021, Carlotta Santolini embarked on a marine expedition to explore the impact of invasive blue crabs on Italian fishers. She later partnered with four female friends to turn this threat into an opportunity, founding the company Mariscadoras. The company promotes blue crab as a culinary delicacy, working with local fishers and a processing plant to supply markets in the United States, Korea and Italy. Despite early challenges, including fishers’ scepticism and high processing costs, the company has thrived. It now continues to expand into international markets, promoting eco-friendly initiatives, and exploring innovative uses for blue crab, including textiles.
Sole of Discretion
Sole of Discretion, connects small-scale fishers in the UK with private consumers through an online platform. The company buys fresh seafood, processes it into small portions, and sells it directly to customers. Sole of Discretion aims to support sustainable fishing practices and provide fair prices to fishers. The considerable mismatches between supply and demand, required adaptations to the business model, including sourcing top quality frozen seafood from small-scale fishers abroad when local supply is low. Challenges include declining fish stocks, and bureaucratic costs related to Brexit. Future plans include introducing smoked fish and creating a certification label for small-scale fisheries to promote sustainability.
Snowchange Cooperative 
The Snowchange Cooperative in Finland preserves traditional ice fishing and indigenous ecological knowledge, while training young people in fishing techniques. When the “young seining crew” was formed, to sell fresh fish directly to local consumers, they faced early challenges in communication, customer engagement, and knowledge gaps but gained expertise over time. The crew now operates a fish processing plant. A remaining challenge is serving customers living in remote areas, as it requires extensive driving, with an increased logistical burden. For the future they aim to expand through community-supported fisheries and a canning station, with plans to reach European markets, particularly in Germany.
Thorupstrand Kystfiskerlaug
Thorupstrand Kystfiskerlaug, a Danish quota guild, was formed to counteract the impact of EU quota privatisation that threatened local fishers with corporate buyouts and speculation. The guild collectively owns quotas and distributes them among its eight vessels. Fish are processed locally and sold through shops, auctions and their own company. Facing challenges from declining fish stocks and foreign trawlers, the guild focuses on expanding its national market presence, advocating for sustainable fishing practices, and continuing the political fight against beam trawlers, who have recently arrived in the area, degrading the marine ecosystem.
Sebastian Baier Fish Butchery
Sebastian Baier, a third-generation fishmonger in Hamburg, runs a fishmonger that focuses on sustainability and regional seafood. He has direct access to fresh fish without intermediaries, and the proximity keeps transport costs to a minimum. Baier processes fish, with unique and creative methods. He also diversified his activity working with lesser-known regional fish species and launching the sustainability consultancy Good Fish Guys, which offers sustainability training. Challenges include high startup costs, and employee recruitment issues. Baier plans to refine his business focus, expanding educational efforts rather than focusing on growth or selling.
Abalobi 
The Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation represents islanders from four groups of offshore island communities (Donegal, Mayo, Galway, and Cork). Fishers from Donegal are trialling South Africa’s Abalobi app – an online marketplace for fishers – to develop local seafood sales, using it to sell catches directly and improve traceability and profit margins. The target market is seasonal, with a local community of around 500 people during the winter and an influx of tourists in the summer. Fishers advocated against the negative impacts of standardised legislation on island communities, urging for recognition of the specific needs of small offshore islands. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, technological issues and funding constraints, the app has shown promise. A key objective is to expand the market to restaurants on the mainland.
FiskOnline
FiskOnline was an online direct-selling platform. It arose after the collapse of the Baltic cod population, which led many fishers to leave the industry. The remaining fishers began selling fish directly to consumers. Despite initial success, high operating costs, declining fish populations, and competition from existing sales channels led to its closure. One of the fishers behind FiskOnline now sells his catch directly to consumers and restaurants, and diversified his activity by delivering lectures on sustainable fishing practices.
Read the press release and the report.
Posted on: 1 October 2024
