DigiWaves sets sail, marking the start of a new chapter for European fisheries
A new Horizon Europe project, DigiWaves, has officially launched its four-year journey to accelerate the digital transformation of European fisheries.
The DigiWaves consortium gathered in Bilbao, Spain, on 13–15 October 2026 for its Kick-off Meeting, jointly organised by project Coordinator ILVO and project partner AZTI. The three-day meeting brought partners together to establish a shared vision, align priorities and lay the foundations for the work ahead.
DigiWaves is made up of 20 partner organisations, combining expertise in fisheries, research, digital technologies, governance and stakeholder engagement to address the challenges facing small-scale, long-distance and recreational fisheries.
At the heart of the project is a key ambition: to make European fisheries more transparent, sustainable and resilient through smarter, data-driven monitoring, control and surveillance.
To achieve this, DigiWaves will develop and demonstrate 13 innovative digital solutions, supported by an interoperable digital platform designed to improve fisheries data collection, sharing and analysis. The project will also strengthen digital readiness, support evidence-based policymaking and promote the adoption of practical, cost-effective technologies across the fisheries sector.
During the Kick-off Meeting, partners discussed the project’s work around key areas, including digital readiness, innovative technologies, testing and validation, data quality and standardisation, and policy harmonisation. Interactive Serious Games sessions and dedicated discussions on the three fisheries types further encouraged collaboration and the exchange of perspectives.
reframe.food’s role
reframe.food leads Work Package 6 on Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication, driving the project’s visibility, knowledge sharing and long-term impact. Our role includes developing DigiWaves’ communication strategy and digital presence, managing its website and social media channels, and establishing the DigiWaves Knowledge Hub, which will bring together project results, resources and knowledge from related European initiatives.
Beyond communication, reframe.food plays a key role in bringing DigiWaves innovations closer to real-world application, assessing the market potential of the project’s 13 digital technologies, developing business models and supporting intellectual property management and long-term sustainability.
Learn more about the project at digiwaves.eu.
