Duration: 7 to 15 April 2026

Area: North Sea

Purpose: Trials of fishing gear for the shrimp fishery

Solea’s 862nd research expedition is investigating fisheries technology approaches to improve species selectivity in bottom trawl fishing for shrimp (Crangon crangon) in the North Sea. Against the background of high demands for sustainable and resource-conserving fisheries, the expedition aims to test technical solutions that enable more efficient separation of target and by-catch species. The focus is on the use of the newly developed ‘KingGrid’ sorting grid in combination with an innovative 4-panel shrimp net, which was developed as part of the ‘Innovationsprogramm Krabbenfischerei Schleswig-Holstein (IPK)’. Data collection will be carried out by means of a catch comparison in German fishing grounds in the North Sea and is designed to yield as representative a mix as possible of the target species, the North Sea shrimp, and various typical by-catch species.

The expedition combines and complements ongoing research activities within the framework of the IPK and the EU-funded ECO-CATCH project. The findings are intended to drive the further development of KingGrid technology with regard to species and size selectivity, as well as commercial applicability. In the long term, this work will contribute to the development of practical, selective fishing gear, thereby supporting the objectives of the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy, particularly with regard to the sustainable use of marine resources and the reduction of unwanted by-catches.