Joint Latvian-Estonian practical workshop on DFG pre-processing at Puise harbour; 11.08.2026

On 11 August 2026, COREEL partners KPR and KEST successfully carried out a joint Latvian-Estonian experimental workshop at Puise harbour, Estonia. The workshop focused on testing practical methods for cleaning, dismantling and pre-processing derelict fishing gear before further treatment and potential material recycling.

The fishing gear cleaned and sorted during the workshop had an interesting history. According to local fishers, the traditional fyke nets had been lost approximately 30 years ago. They were rediscovered in August 2025 during COREEL sonar surveys and retrieved from the seabed in mid-July 2026.

The old fyke nets were made primarily of kapron (nylon) netting, reinforced with traditional circular frames made from spruce branches. Natural dolomite-lime stones had been attached to the gear as weights.

The task of the joint Latvian-Estonian project team was to dismantle and pre-process the recovered gear. The nets first had to be carefully untangled, followed by the removal and separation of the spruce frames, ropes and stone weights. Once these components had been removed, the nylon netting was cleaned of accumulated vegetation, mud and other organic material. As part of the experimental workshop, the team tested a rotating high-pressure water jet for cleaning the recovered netting. The working method proved successful and demonstrated an effective practical approach for preparing contaminated historical fishing gear for further handling.

As a result of the workshop, approximately 200 m² of cleaned, heavy nylon netting will be handed over to a waste management partner for the next stage of processing. The workshop was also visited by the Interreg EstLat Programme representative, providing an opportunity to observe the practical activities on site and discuss the progress of the project directly with the Latvian and Estonian project teams.