The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
PROJECT AIMS TO CUT FISHING NET WASTE
THE SS Net-reuse project by Sea Synergy was launched recently as part of Culture Night in collaboration with Iveragh CoDesRes and the Storybank project.
The project re-imagines how synthetic fishing net waste, in particular offcuts from the fishing industry, net manufacturers and fishermen can be repurposed.
Sea Synergy and the CoDesRes team will be working with local coastal communities in Portmagee and Cahersiveen using a unique co-design process to reduce the volume of plastic waste going to landfill.
The project is funded by Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and seeks to develop a number of prototype projects that offer opportunities for the development of micro-businesses and industry in the local area.
“Sea Synergy’s team have a high level of experience in the areas of re-use, design and waste management. The team also has strong connections to Ireland’s fishing sector”, said Mo Mathies, BIM Sustainability Officer.
CoDesRes began in January 2018. It is a two year project supported by one of six national STRIVE awards made by the Environmental Protection Agency to encourage an engagement and delivery in line with the 2030 UN Global Goals and Sustainable Development.
Their project Storybank collects and retells stories relating to making, mending, fixing and innovation in the Iveragh Peninsula as a foundation for 21st Century sustainable practices and in combination with ecologically grounded design thinking and engineering.
Sea Synergy – working in combination with the CoDesRes team and local experts like offshore sailor and ocean ambassador Damian Foxall and fisherman Alex Crowley – aims to work with local communities and ‘re-imagine’ a new story for net waste by using design-thinking.
The project will develop four prototypes of products that create value in net offcuts and plastic waste.
These new prototypes will be evaluated for market readiness, and then explored for production and distribution by local micro-businesses.
The project team boasts a wealth of experience working with local residents’ expertise, in a collaborative, co-design process.
They firmly believe answers to the challenging problem of marine plastic waste could just as easily be found thanks to the creative imagination of a 12-year-old or the vast experience of an 80-year-old. The team look forward to working with local communities in Iveragh to create and design sustainable products that will reduce the plastic footprint of Ireland’s coastal communities.
For further information and updates go to seasynergy.org/ projects/ssnetreuse and keep an eye out on the Sea Synergy Net Reuse Facebook page and see how you can get involved in their activities to change plastic waste into potential produce.