Sector | Marine sector Processing & retail

Fish processors and retailers will find an answer here to “what can ILVO do for me?”. You’ll get a brief overview of relevant expertise, analyses, infrastructure, and the professional approach that characterizes ILVO. You can contact the Marine Living Lab for specific services and questions regarding possible collaborations.

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What does ILVO do?

Thanks to self-developed techniques and customized studies, ILVO is the place to be for analyses concerning freshness, preservation, quality during processing, and tracing the identity of fish species, both fresh and processed.

> See our list of marine related analyses
ILVO develops and implements methods to score the sustainability of fishing activities and related products. With the sustainability trajectory ‘Visserij Verduurzaamt’ (Towards a more sustainable fishery), ILVO has created a scientific basis with indicators that reliably score the sustainability of the fishing fleet, sub fleets, and individual vessels. Fishermen and scientists will work together to make measurable adjustments to their way of working in order to improve their sustainability score. ILVO also monitors the sustainability of the fishing industry products, both from wild-catch and fish farms. Sustainability sheets can be drawn up for specific products based on this.

> More info: Visserij verduurzaamt (NL)

> Contact for sustainability scoring of fisheries products: Arne Kinds
ILVO evaluates the potential of residual flows from the fishing industry (bycatch, cuttings, shells, etc.) and the fish processing sector as biomass for the bioeconomy. In addition to recycling and waste reduction, the profitability of the blue sectors is a priority.

> Read also what ILVO does for blue biotechnology, bio-economy, fishing industry and aquaculture
ILVO designs, supervises, and analyzes scientifically substantiated sustainability tracks for fishing-related activities. In addition to ecological and social sustainability, economic sustainability is also an important pillar. ILVO therefore strives to translate sustainability into added value for the producer and the customer, through research into employment, economic results, added value creation, and regional trends.

How does ILVO work?

ILVO strives for optimal use of the resources of the sea, with maximum added value, and far-reaching sustainability in the chain. This requires an in-depth partnership, in co-creation with our researchers and technicians.

Your point of contact: Marine Living Lab

ILVO’s Marine Living Lab strives for accelerated and sustainable innovation in the blue sectors, including the fishing industry, through co-creation. ILVO listens to you, analyzes your question or challenge, and – together with you – searches for a (high-tech) solution and a concrete project, as well as suitable partners and funding. ILVO scientifically follows up on the implementation of the joint project.

Your ILVO guarantee

Scientifically-based solutions
Individual and/or co-creative guidance for innovation trajectories
Confidential treatment of your question
Clear and easy-to-interpret results that are applicable to day-to-day operations
Technological support for various farm processes

Specialized infrastructure

Lab for genetic analysis
Lab for fish quality (under standard EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017)

Wide network

ILVO is an active member of The Blue Cluster and of the Covenant for a Sustainable Fishing Industry (NL). On an international level, ILVO works closely with ICES, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

All ILVO expertises at your service

ILVO works in an interdisciplinary fashion and has a network of living labs that work closely together. A problem or question is therefore examined from many different angles by ILVO experts from different disciplines. This is guaranteed by ILVO's broad and systematic approach, together with the typical openness of the ILVO culture.