Robot dives up to 500 meters into the dark depths of the sea to retrieve ghost nets that total more than 600,000 tons per year in the ocean and continue capturing animals for centuries.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 25/05/2026 at 21:41

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NetTag+ Project tests acoustic markers and autonomous robot capable of diving up to 500 meters to locate ghost nets, reduce damage to marine biodiversity, and support fishermen in Portugal

More than 600,000 tons of ghost nets enter the sea every year, representing 10% of all marine litter and continuing to capture animals for centuries. To reduce this impact, the NetTag+ project tests acoustic markers and the ÍRIS robot in areas of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

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Ghost nets continue fishing for more than six centuries

Ghost nets are among the main threats to marine biodiversity because they remain active even after being abandoned or lost in the ocean. Made with durable materials, such as nylon, they can remain in the environment for more than six centuries.

During this period, these equipments continue capturing turtles, mammals, and seabirds indiscriminately.

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NetTag+ uses acoustic markers to locate lost nets

To tackle this cycle, NetTag+ was created, a project led by the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, CIIMAR, at the University of Porto. The initiative brings together 15 partners from seven countries.

The solution is based on smart acoustic markers installed on fishing gear. When a net is lost, these devices allow the equipment to be located precisely, facilitating recovery before it continues to cause damage on the seabed.

The technology is being tested in real conditions in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with a special focus on the communities of Vila do Conde and Póvoa de Varzim, in northern Portugal.

ÍRIS robot dives up to 500 meters in search missions

When the net disappears in the ocean, researchers deploy the ÍRIS robot, an autonomous device developed by INESC TEC. The equipment can dive up to 500 meters deep to conduct search missions.

Communication occurs via a hydrophone installed on the nets themselves. With an advanced onboard computer and sound navigation systems, the robot calculates distances and orients itself to the target, even without visibility in the water.

After locating the equipment, ÍRIS begins the retrieval phase. The machine uses a mechanical system to attach a recovery cable to the detected net, which is then pulled to the surface by a support vessel or the competent port authority.

https://youtu.be/RCJlQYwJONs?si=CxMqCF9VIYMRNyl7 — Image: Artistic illustration

Artificial intelligence helps operate in dangerous areas

The robot also uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to distinguish the net from other natural objects on the seabed.

This capability allows identifying the safest point to attach the cable and increases the chance of recovery.

The innovation was designed for deep areas, where the presence of human divers would be dangerous.

The system was also designed to operate on small vessels, which broadens its application in different fishing fleets.

Fishermen do not operate the robot directly due to costs, but they play a central role in the process. On a daily basis, they only need simple location systems and nets equipped with acoustic markers.

Through a mobile application, professionals can recover most of the lost equipment. ÍRIS is reserved for critical cases, such as rocky areas or locations with very strong currents.

Currently, about two hundred fishermen from northern Portugal are participating in the validation of prototypes in a real environment.

They also receive training on good environmental practices and participate in cleaning campaigns, ocean conduct guides, and distribution of portable ashtrays.

This article was prepared based on information from the material provided about the NetTag+ project, CIIMAR, University of Porto, and INESC TEC, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.

Robot dives up to 500 meters into the dark depths of the sea to retrieve ghost nets that total more than 600,000 tons per year in the ocean and continue capturing animals for centuries.

NetTag+ Project tests acoustic markers and autonomous robot capable of diving up to 500 meters to locate ghost nets, reduce damage to marine biodiversity, and support fishermen in Portugal

Ghost nets continue fishing for more than six centuries

NetTag+ uses acoustic markers to locate lost nets

ÍRIS robot dives up to 500 meters in search missions

Artificial intelligence helps operate in dangerous areas

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Robot dives up to 500 meters into the dark depths of the sea to retrieve ghost nets that total more than 600,000 tons per year in the ocean and continue capturing animals for centuries.

NetTag+ Project tests acoustic markers and autonomous robot capable of diving up to 500 meters to locate ghost nets, reduce damage to marine biodiversity, and support fishermen in Portugal

Ghost nets continue fishing for more than six centuries

NetTag+ uses acoustic markers to locate lost nets

ÍRIS robot dives up to 500 meters in search missions

Artificial intelligence helps operate in dangerous areas

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

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