KIMO International - Fishing for Litter Programme
Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-11 12:21
Award-winning initiative equipping fishing boats with bags for collecting marine litter. Active in Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, UK. Funded by Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, EU Interreg, and CleanAtlantic project.
Source: https://kimointernational.org/fishing-for-litter
Funding Details
- Funder
- KIMO International
- Funding Goal
- Engage the fishing industry in reducing marine litter by equipping fishing vessels with bags to collect waste caught during normal operations, with KIMO covering collection and disposal costs at port.
- Funding Amount
- In-kind support only: KIMO provides collection bags and covers waste disposal costs at port. No monetary grants to participants.
- How to Apply
- Vessel skippers can register via KIMO's website registration form. Even if no active scheme exists locally, registering interest helps KIMO identify potential harbour-based programmes for future expansion. No formal grant application process — this is a participation-based programme.
- Target Region
- North-East Atlantic and Baltic regions — currently active in United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Faroe Islands. Replicated in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy and beyond.
- Contact
- KIMO International Secretariat, Stigsborg Brygge 105, 9400 Nørresundby, Denmark. Phone: +45 23359457. Email: info@kimointernational.org
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-11 21:23
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
Fishing for Litter is an award-winning programme operated by KIMO International (Kommunernes International Miljøorganisation), a network of over 80 coastal municipalities across nine European countries. Established in 2004, the initiative provides participating fishing vessels with sturdy bags to collect marine waste encountered during normal fishing operations. KIMO manages and covers the costs of collection and disposal at port, converting routine fishing into a marine cleanup mechanism without disrupting commercial activities. The programme is currently active in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Faroe Islands. It has been endorsed as a model project by OSPAR (the Regional Seas Convention for the North East Atlantic), and has since been replicated by other organisations in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy and beyond. The programme is funded through sources including the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, EU Interreg, and the CleanAtlantic project. This is not a traditional grant or funding programme — it is a participation-based initiative where vessel skippers register to join. KIMO provides the materials and waste disposal infrastructure at no cost to participants. The programme aims to achieve cleaner seas, cleaner beaches, and a healthier marine environment while raising awareness about marine litter impacts among the fishing industry.
Historical Context
Programme established in 2004. Endorsed as a model project by OSPAR (Regional Seas Convention for the North East Atlantic). Has been replicated by other organisations in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy and beyond. KIMO itself was founded in Denmark in 1990 as a network of coastal municipalities.
Why it was added
Direct fishing-for-litter program removing plastic from North Sea and Baltic, OPF plastic-circular
Sources
- https://kimointernational.org/fishing-for-litter
- https://kimointernational.org/
- https://kimointernational.org/about/
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