Digital & Green Integration for Intelligent, Sustainable Mediterranean Fisheries & Aquaculture
DIGI-FISH is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action that aims to accelerate the digital and energy transition of Mediterranean fisheries and aquaculture. The project addresses the sector’s dependence on fossil fuels, fragmented data ecosystems and limited access to digital tools by developing an integrated suite of AI-enabled solutions, a FAIR-by-design Mediterranean Data Space, and a collaborative digital platform. Through five full-scale demonstrators across the Mediterranean basin, DIGI-FISH will validate innovative technologies capable of reducing fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and feed waste while improving operational efficiency and sustainability. The project will also provide training, evidence-based decision-support tools and investment roadmaps to support large-scale adoption and replication across Europe.
General objective
The main objective of DIGI-FISH is to catalyse the decarbonisation and digitalisation of Mediterranean fisheries and aquaculture by delivering a validated, industry-ready digital toolbox and a FAIR-by-design data space that achieves measurable reductions in fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and feed waste. These solutions will be integrated into a collaborative, user-centred platform that supports real-time decision-making, stakeholder uptake, transferable guidelines and investment roadmaps.
Technologies
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) for operational optimisation and decision-making.
- Smart Energy Management Systems (i-EMS) to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
- IoT-based Real-Time Monitoring for fisheries and aquaculture operations.
- FAIR-by-Design Mediterranean Data Space enabling secure data sharing and advanced analytics.
Specific objectives:
-Reduce energy use and emissions
Develop and validate AI-enabled technologies capable of reducing fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, underwater noise and feed waste in real operational environments.
-Build a Mediterranean data space
Create a trusted, interoperable and FAIR-by-design data space that transforms fragmented fisheries and aquaculture data into actionable evidence for sustainability and innovation.
-Enable digital uptake and replication
Deploy a collaborative platform, training programmes and five large-scale demonstrators to accelerate digital adoption, improve operational efficiency and support sector-wide replication.
Project benefits
Blue economy
Supports the transition towards a climate-neutral and digitally enabled seafood sector by reducing operational costs, emissions and resource consumption while increasing competitiveness and resilience.
Maritime and port industry
Provides validated technologies, operational data, investment roadmaps and best-practice guidelines that facilitate vessel retrofitting, digital transformation and energy efficiency improvements.
Society
Contributes to climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection, sustainable food production and skills development through accessible digital tools, training resources and transparent environmental reporting.
Innovative factor
DIGI-FISH combines, for the first time at Mediterranean scale, AI-enabled decarbonisation technologies, a trusted FAIR-by-design Data Space, blockchain-based carbon accounting and a collaborative digital platform into a single integrated ecosystem. By validating these solutions through five full-scale demonstrations, the project will deliver a scalable and transferable model for the digital and green transition of fisheries and aquaculture.