"How can we end overfishing?"

Approximately a quarter of all food produced for human consumption goes uneaten. From field to fork, losses and waste occurs along the entire food chain. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 focuses on "conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development", and specially (14.4) on regulating harvesting and ending overfishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible.

Following on from the last competition theme on reducing food waste sustainably, the 2027 BIEA STEM competition season asks you to come up with innovative solutions to reduce overfishing across the journey from sea to table.

What can we do?

Using your STEM knowledge and understanding, you will design an innovative solution to reduce overfishing at a single point along the journey from sea to table. This journey includes catching systems, monitoring and enforcement and aquaculture. You will explore a single stage.

You might choose to focus on one of the following areas:

• Bycatch reduction technology
• Illegal fishing monitoring and enforcement
• Sustainable aquaculture innovation
• Selective and low-impact fishing gear or methods

The 2027 competition theme challenges you to consider how we can end overfishing. How can we help fish stocks recover? How can we reduce the amount of bycatch caught alongside target species? How can we detect and prevent illegal fishing? How can we make fish farming more sustainable? How can consumers and retailers make more sustainable seafood choices?

These are some of the questions you will need to ask as you take on this project on how to reduce overfishing. As you complete the project, you will need to ensure that your ideas work towards enhancing environmental wellness, including both individual and social well-being.