NEPHROPS PROTOTYPE MACHINE
WHAT IS THE NEPHROPS PROTOTYPE MACHINE PROJECT?
Nephrops is an important fishery for UK seafood, providing scampi and langoustine. A coalition of businesses have come together with a shared aim to find a solution to challenges facing UK nephrops supply chains.
The project will develop an onboard nephrops stunning and tailing machine; the ability to stun and tail nephrops at sea will bring significant improvements to the fishery, including to the welfare of nephrops landed. The technology to either stun or process seafood catches does exist, but has not been used together at sea on UK vessels catching nephrops. Project partners have worked together to produce a prototype, which has now had its first successful sea test on board a commercial fishing vessel.
PARTNERS
Thanks to our exceptional partners working together to ensure that nephrops fishermen have bespoke technology to handle their catch to the highest standards. Together, we are a unique, pre-competitive collaboration, resolved to tackle challenging issues when it comes to welfare of nephrops. We need support from government and others to incentivise early adoption of this importance piece of machinery – the stunning and tailing machine. The prize is a resilient scampi market that supports businesses and communities, and produces great quality, accessible UK product.
PROJECT ACTIVITY
Catch Welfare
In 2022, decapod crustaceans and cephalopods became legally recognised as sentient through the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. Yet, there was no automated nephrops stunning and tailing device available for use on board UK fishing vessels. Seafood companies are under unprecedented scrutiny about live tailing without stunning, and fisheries are acting responsibly – ahead of legal requirements – to meet new obligations for humane despatch of nephrops at point of capture.
Optimar Trip
In March 2023, M&S partnered with Optimar to host an ‘Animal Welfare Week’ in Ålesund, Norway. In May 2023, following the Optimar trip to Norway, the coalition came together to develop proof of concept of a nephrops stunning and tailing machine for use on board fishing vessels while at sea.
Catch Welfare
In 2022, decapod crustaceans and cephalopods became legally recognised as sentient through the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. Yet, there was no automated nephrops stunning and tailing device available for use on board UK fishing vessels. Seafood companies are under unprecedented scrutiny about live tailing without stunning, and fisheries are acting responsibly – ahead of legal requirements – to meet new obligations for humane despatch of nephrops at point of capture.
Success at Sea
The prototype Nephrops stunning & tailing machine has now had its first successful sea test on board a commercial fishing vessel in May 2025.
DEARA Funding
The Nephrops machine project secures funding from Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to drive forward the next phase of the machine’s development. The grant will improve the machine to create a full-capacity, automated system ahead of a next phase of sea trials in Spring 2026.
Welfare Award
Recognising of the pioneering machine’s potential in terms of catch welfare impact, novelty and socio-economic benefit to fishing communities, the Nephrops stunning & tailing machine was awarded the first-ever Catch Welfare Innovation Award by the Catch Welfare platform at its annual conference in the Netherlands.
PROJECT GALLERY
