Research Directions:
Production technologies
Description:
DIGI-FISH is an innovation and demonstration project that accelerates the decarbonisation and energy-efficiency transition of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors by combining digital monitoring, AI optimisation and an evidence-based Data Space. The project integrates heterogeneous operational and environmental data (e.g., site sensors/IoT, energy and operational logs, vessel and metocean information) into a federated, interoperable data ecosystem that supports secure sharing, FAIR data practices, and auditable performance assessment. On top of this infrastructure, DIGI-FISH deploys and validates a toolbox of AI-enabled applications, including intelligent energy management, operational/routing optimisation, and feed-use optimisation for aquaculture, aiming to reduce energy consumption, operating costs and associated greenhouse-gas emissions while maintaining productivity and welfare. The solutions are tested through real-world pilots (use cases) across participating countries, using harmonised monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) approaches so that impacts can be quantified, compared and replicated. The overall outcome is a set of validated digital solutions, datasets, and practical guidance (best practices and uptake roadmap) that help operators and policy stakeholders scale low-carbon, data-driven operations in fisheries and aquaculture.
HCMR contribution
HCMR contributes as a key aquaculture partner, providing scientific leadership and implementation capacity in the Greek demonstration. It supports the definition and co-creation of aquaculture use cases, leads/coordinates the Greek aquaculture pilot execution and validation, and ensures that field trials deliver high-quality, comparable evidence under the project MRV logic. HCMR also contributes domain expertise, data streams, and operational context to the development and deployment of the project’s core digital tools—especially AI energy management, smart operational optimisation, and smart feeding/feed optimisation—so that they are fit for real farm conditions and deliver measurable efficiency and emissions benefits. Finally, HCMR helps translate pilot results into best practices, standards-oriented recommendations and uptake guidance, leveraging synergies with related EU initiatives where relevant.