On September 18–19, the CIBBRiNA team joined scientists, policymakers, fishers, and other stakeholders at North Sea Days in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. This annual event is a hub for collaboration in the Dutch North Sea and beyond, and this year focused on sustainability, climate adaptation, and cross-border cooperation provided the perfect stage to showcase our work on bycatch reduction.
Our session, led by Anne-Marie Svoboda, Merel den Held, Marije Siemensma and Lina de Nijs, invited participants to dive into three key themes:
- What are worldviews and why do they matter?
- The fisheries perspective and creating a safe working environment.
- CIBBRiNA’s pelagic fisheries case study.
Why Worldviews Matter
Merel opened the session by exploring the concept of worldviews – the lenses through which people experience and interpret the world. These perspectives shape how we see ourselves in relation to nature and, ultimately, how we approach environmental challenges. Drawing on scientific insights, we discussed four dominant ways people relate to nature:
- Living from Nature – valuing resources and efficiency.
- Living with Nature – emphasizing stewardship and responsibility.
- Living in Nature – seeking beauty, health, and belonging.
- Living as Nature – embracing oneness and harmony.
Anne-Marie explained why these differences play a crucial role in tackling challenges like bycatch. From there, she introduced the audience to CIBBRiNA, sharing our video encapsulating our powerful approach to truly engage stakeholders.
Building Trust and Collaboration
Marije then highlighted the fisheries perspective and CIBBRiNA’s commitment to a safe working environment. Collaboration is at the heart of our approach: fostering mutual trust, respecting different viewpoints—even when they do not align—and striving for co-creation. Our best practice guidelines and stakeholder engagement strategy ensure transparency, knowledge sharing, and constructive dialogue. This is how we create space for innovation while safeguarding confidentiality and fairness. We also premiered two videos from our partners CETMAR and Marine Institute Ireland, part of our stakeholder engagement series.
Pelagic Fisheries in Practice
Lina brought the discussion to life with a deep dive into our pelagic fisheries case study. Using videos and visuals, she explained how freezer trawlers operate and showcased the technologies we’re testing in the project: underwater cameras, bycatch excluder devices, and towed hydrophones. These tools, combined with ongoing conversations with fishers and net makers, are key to reducing bycatch of endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) species.
Engaging Beyond the Fisheries Bubble
One of the most striking aspects of the session was the lively discussion that followed. The North Sea Days audience – broader than our usual fisheries circle – asked numerous questions about, amongst others, pelagic fishing methods, and the role of innovation in sustainability. These conversations were invaluable, reminding us that tackling bycatch is not just a technical challenge but a societal one.