NETTAG+: turning lost fishing gear into action for healthier European seas

Lost and abandoned fishing gear remains one of the most persistent forms of marine litter in European waters. Once lost, nets and traps can continue to catch marine life, damage seabed habitats and contribute to plastic pollution for years.

NETTAG+ has addressed this issue by developing and testing practical solutions that support both prevention and recovery. The project combined innovative tracking and detection approaches with technologies designed to help locate and retrieve gear in case of loss more efficiently, reducing its long-term environmental impact.

A key achievement of NETTAG+ is the development of MyGearTag, a market-ready acoustic tracing device that helps fishers locate and recover lost fishing nets. Produced from 100% recycled fishing nets and offering a tracking range of up to 2.5km and certified operation at depths beyond 650m, with structural integrity testing down to 1,400m., The device enables the precise localisation of lost gear before it becomes a long-term source of marine pollution. Developed within the project and now entering commercialisation, MyGearTag illustrates how EU-funded innovation can move from research to real-world application.

The technology was demonstrated in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia and the North Sea, proving its effectiveness across different fisheries and marine environments. This broad testing provides a strong foundation for wider uptake across Europe and highlights the added value of transnational cooperation in addressing marine litter.

Beyond the technology itself, NETTAG+ demonstrated the value of working directly with fishing communities. At the heart of the project was a simple but powerful idea: fishers are not only affected by marine litter, are also essential partners in solving it. Fishers were involved since the beginning and throughout the process, in a total of more than 200 professional fishers from Croatia, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain participating in the project. Their operational knowledge helped ensure that the solutions were not only technically sound, but also realistic in everyday fishing conditions. This collaborative approach helped strengthen trust between science and industry while promoting a shared responsibility for protecting marine ecosystems.

Working across borders for shared seas

Because marine litter moves freely across boundaries, NETTAG+ brought together partners from seven different European countries to test solutions in varied environments across the Atlantic and Mediterranean. This cross-border collaboration strengthened the robustness of the results and demonstrated their potential for wider use across EU waters.

By connecting research organisations, technology developers and fishing communities, the project helped build trust and create shared ownership of solutions that directly affect those working at sea.

Supporting EU policy and Mission Ocean

NETTAG+ contributes directly to the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” by helping to prevent marine pollution, protect marine biodiversity and support a more sustainable blue economy.

The project’s approach also aligns with key EU policy priorities, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Zero Pollution ambition. The project demonstrates how innovation, stakeholder engagement and cross-border cooperation can work together to address complex environmental challenges.

A pathway towards wider uptake

With its activities concluding in April 2026, NETTAG+ leaves behind a set of tested approaches that can be further developed and replicated in other fisheries and sea regions. Through solutions such as MyGearTag and the partnerships established throughout the project, NETTAG+ provides a pathway for wider uptake of technologies and practices that can reduce ghost gear, support sustainable fisheries and contribute to Europe's ambition for healthier oceans and waters.

For more information, please see the EU factsheet.

Published on 25 June 2026.