Improving Fishing Gear Waste Management Practices on board fishing vessels operating in the Arctic: Workshop

Dates: 27-28 January 2026

Location: Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.

Draft agenda: To be posted

About the workshop:

Over the last decade, important progress has been made, and much work is currently being carried out by the fishing industry, governments, and NGOs to address the issue of Abandoned, Lost or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG). Despite these efforts, net and rope cutting waste from bottom trawl vessels remain one of the main sources of beach litter, based on recent surveys.

This two-day workshop brings together fisheries representatives, policymakers, researchers, NGOs, and other experts. The workshop will focus on identifying practical ways to capitalize on ongoing efforts and further improve waste management practices on board fishing vessels operating in Arctic waters, with particular attention to bottom-trawl fisheries.

By fostering dialogue between participants, we aim to strengthen the understanding of onboard waste practices and challenges and to identify key knowledge gaps and practical, regionally relevant solutions. Social gatherings will be organised on both days to encourage informal exchange and networking.

While the focus of this workshop will be on the Arctic, we aim to draw broader lessons that are applicable to similar fisheries in other regions, as this issue is not unique to the Arctic. The insights gathered will thus contribute to ongoing efforts within the Arctic Council, OSPAR, and the IMO, and will help lay out the groundwork for a Fishing Gear Management Plan tailored to vessels operating in Arctic waters.

The workshop is organized and hosted by Iceland, Norway, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the Netherlands in collaboration with Wageningen Social & Economic Research, the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries; the Norwegian Environment Agency; the Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency; the Icelandic Directorate of Fisheries; the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Aarhus University.

Please note that the number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 50 to ensure an effective and interactive workshop.

Since it will be an interactive workshop, in-person participation is preferred and recommended, but it will be possible to join online for some parts of the workshop.

The workshop will be conducted in English, with adherence to the 'Chatham House Rule', allowing participants to freely and openly express their opinions.