BITSDRAIN: Porous Bituminous Pavements for Sustainable Urban Drainage
July 8, 2025
Race Walk Chip: a chip developed by the UPC to transform race walking
July 14, 202510/07/2025
The organisation CARBOPESCA, together with the research group Development Center of Remote Acquisition and Information Processing Systems (SARTI) and the Efficient and Robust Integrated Circuits and Systems (EFRICS) group, at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), is leading the iPROPEZESPADA project, an initiative aimed at optimising the capture and management of swordfish fishing using artificial intelligence.
Surface longlining is one of the most commonly used fishing techniques to catch swordfish in the Mediterranean. It is a selective fishing method that involves a very long line extended close to the sea surface, from which multiple hooks hang at different depths, allowing the capture of fish that inhabit the upper layers of water, such as swordfish. This technique enables efficient and sustainable fishing, as it reduces bycatch of other species and optimises the performance of the fishing fleet.
In this context, as part of the iPROPEZESPADA project, an innovative biometric measurement system has been developed combining a video camera and a digital scale connected to computer vision software. This tool ensures compliance with current fishing regulations through automatic species identification, as well as estimation of size and weight.
The system will allow precise recording of the biometric characteristics of fish directly onboard the vessel, optimising catch management. This automation will not only save time and reduce operational costs (as these measurements are currently done manually), but will also facilitate more accurate and efficient control, contributing to more sustainable exploitation of marine resources. In this way, the project has great potential to transform the fishing sector, increasing profitability and minimising environmental impact.
The biometric measurement technology will impact not only onboard operations but will also help improve scientific data collection on the species. With more accurate information on the size and weight of captured specimens, quota planning can be enhanced and a more balanced exploitation of the resource encouraged. Furthermore, the digitalisation of these data will facilitate transparency in catch traceability, benefiting both fishermen and consumers.
Budget and Funding
The iPROPEZESPADA project has a budget of € 89,600, co-funded by the Spanish programme of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Andalusian Regional Government. The project is part of the EDLP of GALPA Almería a Levante – Specific Objective 3.1: "Contribute to enabling a sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and inland areas, and to promote the development of fishing and aquaculture communities," under the aid line: Applications of Local Development Strategies Led by Communities (operation 3.1.02.14).
You want to know more?
Related Projects
- The La Volta project foresees the construction of a large Catalan vault pergola within the Llars Mundet campus, in the Montbau neighbourhood (Horta-Guinardó district). This structure will become a new architectural landmark for Barcelona, combining traditional construction techniques with contemporary innovation. The project involves the Rehabilitation and Architectural Restoration Research Group (REARQ), at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), and is led by the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC) and the Barcelona Provincial Council.
SATE-VEG: A system for energy renovation of buildings that helps reduce the urban heat island effect
Researchers from the Architecture, Energy and Environment (AiEM) group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) have developed SATE-VEG, an external thermal insulation system with a vegetal coating that offers seasonally adaptive thermal behaviour, enhances urban biodiversity and promotes positive health effects. The system is made from organic materials, requires low maintenance and consumes minimal water.- A research team from the Interdisciplinary Group on Building Science and Technology (GICITED) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) is leading the BioSAFE project, which aims to develop sustainable building envelopes —mainly façades— designed according to sustainability, comfort and safety criteria, with particular attention to their acoustic behaviour and fire performance.
- The Architecture, Energy and Environment (AiEM) research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has characterised Barcelona’s residential buildings according to their capacity to adapt to climate change. This study is part of the project ‘VeUvE: Urban havens for vulnerable zones’. The work highlights the climate inequality conditions present across different areas of the city and will help to better define the priorities and energy renovation strategies for its districts.
