The DecarbonyT project continues to gain significant recognition within the scientific and industrial communities, cementing its role as a key player in the transition toward sustainable fisheries. On February 2, 2026, Industrias Pesqueras—widely regarded as one of the most influential journals dedicated to professional fisheries in Spain—published an in-depth interview with Miquel Ortega, a distinguished researcher at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC).
Dr. Ortega, who specializes in marine food systems, fisheries food chains, and marine conservation policies, used the interview to discuss the state of the art and the future prospects for improving fishing practices in the Mediterranean. His analysis focused particularly on the urgent need for an environmental and ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.
In this context, Dr. Ortega explicitly highlighted the DecarbonyT project as a leading example of practical innovation. He detailed the project’s experimentation with advanced fishing gear, specifically referring to the technical shift from traditional bottom-contact otterboards to pelagic doors.
Thus, the interview played a role in shedding light on a crucial finding from the sea trials performed in the Western Mediterranean: Dr. Ortega explained that the fuel savings achieved through these fishing gear modifications are capable to economically compensate for the lower catch levels of the main commercial species, especially after an appropriate learning process on how to use the new gear, since they require new skills to be effectively deployed. As a consequence, this balance suggests a viable path forward where environmental sustainability aligns with economic resilience for fishers, with the latter becoming more and more critical as the oil prices are expected to increase in the year to come.
This reference by a leading expert in a top-tier publication highlights the relevance of DecarbonyT’s research in providing actionable solutions for the decarbonisation of the fishing fleet in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.