KIMO Fishing for Litter - Marine Debris Collection by Fishing Industry

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Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-11 11:22

Award-winning program since 2004 engaging fishermen in marine litter removal. KIMO provides fishing vessels with collection bags and covers waste disposal costs. Operating in UK, Netherlands, Faroe Islands with adoption in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy. Over 30,000 bags collected in Scotland alone.

Source: https://fishingforlitter.org/learn-more

Funding Details

Funder: KIMO International
Funding Goal: Reduce marine litter by providing fishing vessels with collection bags and covering waste disposal costs, enabling fishers to remove plastics, ghost gear, and debris accumulated in their nets during normal fishing activities.
Funding Amount: No cash grants. In-kind support: collection bags provided free of charge; all waste disposal costs covered by KIMO.
How to Apply: Contact KIMO International directly (info@kimointernational.org) or visit the country-specific page for the relevant region. Participation is open to all ports and fishing vessels.
Target Region: Europe (UK, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Adriatic region)
Contact: KIMO International, Stigsborg Brygge 105, 9400 Nørresundby, Denmark. Tel: +45 23359457. Email: info@kimointernational.org
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 16:31

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Must be a fishing vessel operator or port authority — individual NGOs are not eligible as direct beneficiaries
Participation requires willingness to volunteer; fishers collect debris during normal fishing activities at no extra effort

Project Scope

Collected litter must be unloaded at a participating port for KIMO to arrange collection and disposal

Required Documents

Contact KIMO International or local country coordinator to register a vessel or port

Constraints

Operates in specific European countries; check if a country-specific program exists before applying
No cash disbursement — support is strictly in-kind (collection bags + disposal cost coverage)
Program is open-ended and rolling — no application deadline or funding rounds

Summary

Fishing for Litter is an operational marine litter program launched in 2004 by KIMO International — a network of over 80 local government municipalities in eight European countries. The program provides participating fishing vessels with large bags to collect plastic waste, ghost gear, and other marine debris that accumulates in their nets during normal fishing trips. When vessels return to port, the bags of litter are collected and the waste is recycled or disposed of on land, with KIMO covering all disposal costs. All participating fishers are volunteers. The program has been recognized by major international bodies including the European Commission (as a best practice example), the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan, and the OSPAR Regional Sea Convention. It is currently active in Scotland, England, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Italy/Croatia, Greece, and the Adriatic region, with the hub infrastructure supported by EU Interreg Clean Atlantic funding. This is not a traditional grant program — rather, it is a participation-based operational initiative open to any port or fishing vessel in Europe. The "funding" consists of in-kind support (collection bags) and covered waste disposal fees. Organizations or local authorities interested in setting up or joining the program in their region are encouraged to contact KIMO International directly. While the initiative contributes meaningfully to marine litter reduction and raises environmental awareness among fishing communities, it does not offer cash grants to NGOs or nonprofits. Its primary beneficiaries are fishing vessels and port authorities, not civil society organizations seeking project funding.

Historical Context

Program launched in 2004 by KIMO International. Over 30,000 bags collected in Scotland alone. Funded in part by EU Interreg Clean Atlantic programme. Recognized by European Commission as best practice, UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, and OSPAR Regional Sea Convention.

Why it was added

Coastal cleanup/beach litter Baltic North Sea

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