SAFET (Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technologies), a global nonprofit initiative, has released a new insight brief highlighting how emerging technologies can transform sustainable fisheries management and ocean protection, while also launching a new digital platform to showcase real-world deployments.
The report, titled The Fourth Industrial Revolution at Sea: How New Technologies Enable More Sustainable Management of Fisheries and the Ocean Environment, was released on 15 January 2026 in London, UK, at the midpoint of the United Nations’ “Ocean Decade.” It identifies more than 10 key technologies capable of supporting sustainable fishing practices, strengthening marine ecosystem protection, and improving transparency across seafood supply chains.
Alongside the report, SAFET launched SEA-TECH-IN-MOTION, an online platform and database designed to highlight successful, real-world applications of ocean and fisheries technologies. The platform allows policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to explore verified case studies and commercial deployments from across the globe.
According to SAFET, the timing of the release is significant for the seafood sector. Sustainable seafood sales reached a record high in 2025, driven largely by growing consumer awareness. Research cited in the report shows that 38 percent of European consumers and 42 percent of North American consumers now consider sustainability when making seafood purchasing decisions.
Despite this progress, the report notes that major challenges remain. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing accounts for roughly one in five fish caught globally, costing the world economy billions of dollars each year. Bycatch—the unintended capture of non-target species—continues to threaten marine biodiversity, while seafood mislabeling affects an estimated 40 percent of products sold in restaurants, markets, and fishmongers worldwide.
As countries work toward the global target of protecting at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030, SAFET says transparency and verifiability in seafood supply chains are becoming increasingly critical.
The insight brief examines four priority themes for sustainable seafood and ocean governance: improving transparency and consumer confidence; reducing bycatch and other negative impacts of legal fishing; eliminating IUU fishing and preventing illegal catch from entering supply chains; and strengthening the broader protection, enforcement, and sustainable management of ocean ecosystems.
Technologies featured in the report include electronic monitoring and logbooks, vessel tracking systems, digital traceability solutions, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, and bycatch reduction technologies, among others. SAFET argues that these innovations can play a decisive role in curbing illegal fishing, protecting marine life, and building trust in sustainability claims.
The newly launched SEA-TECH-IN-MOTION platform complements the report by documenting how these technologies are already being deployed. The database includes an interactive global map of projects and allows users to filter case studies by technology type, region, company, and use case. SAFET said the platform will be updated regularly as new deployments emerge and results evolve.
Ocean technology companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations are encouraged to submit case studies for inclusion in the database.
“We’re now halfway through the Ocean Decade, and while positive momentum is building, seafood and fisheries leaders need more clarity and confidence to replicate what works,” said SAFET Executive Director, Inga Wise. “By highlighting proven deployments and practical examples, SAFET is helping decision-makers adopt technologies that can bring the 2030 ocean goals within reach.”
SAFET’s mission is to support the sustainable management of marine resources by connecting technology providers with the seafood and fisheries sector. In addition to its insight reports and digital platforms, the organisation is known for its biennial ocean technology conference, with the next edition scheduled for September 2026 in Cebu, Philippines.
The full insight brief, The Fourth Industrial Revolution at Sea, is available online [here]. More information about the SEA-TECH-IN-MOTION platform can be accessed [here], while enquiries to SAFET can be directed [here].
