Digital technologies and energy transition in fisheries and/or aquaculture

This Horizon Europe call, designated HORIZON-MISS-2025-03, aims to support the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission by funding projects that enhance energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors through digital technologies. The application process is a single-stage submission, opening on May 7, 2025, and closing on September 24, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes for funded projects include improved energy efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions, measurable reductions in energy usage and costs leading to better economic sustainability, wider adoption of digital solutions like AI and data analytics for energy management, and the establishment of best practices in fisheries and aquaculture management. Furthermore, projects should enhance digital skills related to energy efficiency.

Proposals must focus on one of the specified sea basins: the Atlantic and Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea, or Danube River (including its delta and the Black Sea), and must conduct demonstration activities in at least three different countries within the chosen basin. Legal entities from these countries will participate as beneficiaries. The call emphasizes the need for a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that incorporates the active engagement of stakeholders, including SMEs and end-users like fishers and aquaculture operators.

Projects should demonstrate operational feasibility and economic viability of digital solutions in reducing energy consumption and associated costs while ensuring ecological sustainability and improved treatment of animals. Emphasis is placed on addressing barriers to the uptake of these solutions, incorporating technical, social, legal, regulatory, and policy considerations, with attention to worker safety and well-being.

Funding amounts range significantly based on the specific topics outlined in the call. For instance, HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-01 has a budget of approximately EUR 5 million for one grant, while other topics have budgets ranging from EUR 12 million to over EUR 23 million for multiple grants.

Collaboration is encouraged with existing initiatives such as the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, and projects utilizing satellite-based services must engage with Copernicus or Galileo systems. The proposal emphasizes the importance of building capacity through dedicated training and user-centric activities, along with developing roadmaps for the adoption of digital solutions.

Overall, this call seeks to transform the energy landscape of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Europe, making them more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable, while also contributing to broader goals of food security and environmental protection.

This is a Horizon Europe call supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission, focusing on digital technologies and energy transition in fisheries and/or aquaculture. The call is structured as a single-stage submission process with an opening date of May 7, 2025, and a deadline of September 24, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are: enhanced energy efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions in fisheries and aquaculture without harming ecosystems and biodiversity; measurable reduction in energy use and associated costs, leading to improved economic sustainability and operational safety; wider adoption of digital solutions, including AI and data analytics, for efficient energy management; improved understanding of barriers to the uptake of digital solutions; establishment of best practices for fisheries and aquaculture management; and enhanced digital and energy efficiency related skills.

The scope of the call is to demonstrate how digital technologies can address the need to reduce energy consumption and associated costs in European fisheries and/or aquaculture. This includes using technologies like advanced sensing, IoT, AI, data analytics, robotics, and automation. Proposals must explicitly identify the sea basin being addressed: Atlantic and Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea, or Danube River (including its delta and the Black Sea). Only one basin per proposal is allowed, and activities should be tailored to the specific basin.

Projects should carry out demonstration activities to prove the operational feasibility and economic viability of digital solutions for energy efficiency in operations at sea or in inland aquaculture. Evidence must be provided that these solutions do not harm ecosystems and biodiversity and contribute to better animal treatment. Consortia must conduct demonstration activities in at least 3 different countries of the chosen basin, involving legal entities established in those countries as beneficiaries.

The implementation of demonstration activities should include an analysis of obstacles and opportunities for the uptake of solutions, considering technical, social, legal, regulatory, and policy aspects, including skills, the labor market, and the attractiveness of the sector. Safety, well-being of workers, and digital security issues should also be addressed.

A holistic and transdisciplinary approach is required, involving relevant stakeholders, including SMEs and other maritime sectors. Active involvement of end-users (fishers, aquaculture operators, sea-farmers) is crucial. Dedicated training and user-centric activities in demonstration sites are expected to build capacity and support skill development.

Specific actions should support the replication potential of solutions and accelerate their uptake. Roadmaps for the adoption of digital solutions for energy transition in fisheries and aquaculture are also expected. Projects should consider providing advisory support to end-users to enhance energy monitoring and management.

Projects are expected to cooperate and exchange with relevant initiatives such as the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport Partnership, and projects funded under HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-05. Proposals are encouraged to consider services offered by European research infrastructures and related projects like AQUASERV.

The general conditions for participation are described in Annex A, Annex B, Annex C, Annex D, Annex E, Annex F and Annex G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

The application form templates and evaluation form templates are available in the Submission System. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include HE MGA, HE Unit MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Operating Grants MGA, and Framework Partnership Agreement FPA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

The call includes the following topics with their respective budgets and indicative number of grants:

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) with a budget of EUR 5,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant, with contributions ranging from EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-02: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 22,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants, with contributions ranging from EUR 4,500,000 to EUR 5,500,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-03: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 23,300,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants, with contributions ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 5,825,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-04: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 15,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant, with a contribution of around EUR 15,000,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-05: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 15,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant, with a contribution of around EUR 15,000,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-06: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 13,500,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant, with a contribution of around EUR 13,500,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-07: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) with a budget of EUR 14,200,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants, with contributions ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 3,550,000.

HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-08: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of EUR 12,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants, with a contribution of around EUR 6,000,000.

This Horizon Europe call aims to foster the energy transition in the European fisheries and aquaculture sectors by leveraging digital technologies. It seeks to fund projects that can demonstrate innovative solutions for reducing energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and operational costs, while also promoting sustainability and resilience. The call encourages collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including SMEs, research institutions, and end-users, to develop and implement digital tools and practices that can transform the energy landscape of these critical industries. By addressing technical, social, and policy barriers, the funded projects are expected to contribute to the establishment of best practices, enhanced skills, and the wider adoption of sustainable energy solutions in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors across various European sea basins.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the call is open to a wide range of stakeholders with complementary expertise, including SMEs and other relevant maritime sectors. The active involvement of end-users such as fishers, aquaculture operators, and sea-farmers is crucial. The call is part of Horizon Europe, so standard Horizon Europe eligibility criteria apply, which generally include legal entities from EU Member States, associated countries, and potentially some third countries.

Funding Type: The funding type includes HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions) and HORIZON-CSA (Coordination and Support Actions). The Model Grant Agreement is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. The consortium must carry out demonstration activities in at least 3 different countries of the basin addressed by the proposal.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible if they have specific provisions for funding in Horizon Europe projects. The project must focus on one of the following basins: Atlantic and Arctic sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin, or Danube River basin (including its delta and the Black Sea).

Target Sector: The program targets the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, including algae, with a focus on energy, environment, climate, ICT, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, data analytics, robotics, and automation.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity focuses on the Atlantic and Arctic sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin, and Danube River basin (including its delta and the Black Sea). Member States and Associated Countries are considered part of a given sea/river basin if they have a coast/riverbank on the relevant sea/river or contain river basins flowing into the relevant sea.

Project Stage: The project stage is demonstration. Projects should carry out demonstration activities, proving in real conditions the operational feasibility and economic viability of digital solutions to enhance energy efficiency.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic:
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-01: €4,000,000 to €5,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-02: €4,500,000 to €5,500,000 (4 grants)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-03: €5,000,000 to €5,825,000 (4 grants)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-04: Around €15,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-05: Around €15,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-06: Around €13,500,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-07: €3,000,000 to €3,550,000 (4 grants)
HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-08: Around €6,000,000 (2 grants)

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, which can be used to estimate the potential success rate based on the number of expected applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The presence or absence of a co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the text.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call (HORIZON-MISS-2025-03) aims to support the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission by funding projects that enhance energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors through the use of digital technologies. The call is structured into multiple topics, each with a specific budget and scope, ranging from research and innovation actions to innovation actions and coordination and support actions. Eligible applicants must form a consortium and carry out demonstration activities in at least 3 different countries within one of the specified sea basins (Atlantic and Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic and North Sea, or Danube River). The projects should focus on developing and demonstrating digital solutions that provide real-time, accurate data to reduce energy consumption, improve economic sustainability, and enhance operational safety in the fisheries and aquaculture industries. The call encourages a holistic, transdisciplinary approach with the active involvement of end-users and relevant stakeholders, including SMEs. The ultimate goal is to transform the energy landscape of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, making them more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable while also contributing to food security and environmental protection.