Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
This master's prepares you to lead the transformation of industrial fishing toward sustainability and efficiency. You will learn to apply cutting-edge technology across the fishing value chain: selective gear design and energy efficiency, metocean data, echosounders and satellite models, digitalization and artificial intelligence on board, product processing, quality and traceability, ecosystem-based management, IUU compliance, marine robotics and the business models that allow blue technologies to scale in the fishing industry.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies?
This master's covers innovation in industrial fishing end to end. You will study the structure of the sector, fishing operations, productivity, costs and critical risks; fishing gear hydrodynamics, gear design, selectivity devices and bycatch reduction; fisheries oceanography, onboard sensors, satellite data, habitat and catch prediction models and geofencing; digital architecture from sensors to cloud, electronic logbooks, production analytics, computer vision and MLOps; plant operations, quality control, cold chain, HACCP, product innovation and packaging; the ecosystem approach to fisheries, carbon footprint, certification, ghost nets and ESG indicators; fisheries regulation, IUU fishing, VMS and AIS monitoring, observers and remote electronic monitoring; ROVs, AUVs, USVs and drones; fleet O&M and operational excellence; and the business, intellectual property and go-to-market side of blue technologies.
What sets this master's apart: it is built around the real operations of industrial fishing fleets and processing plants, with hands-on workshops in every module, from gear optimization and metocean dashboards to AI use cases, compliance programs and robotic mission plans; it measures every innovation with concrete KPIs such as CPUE, cost per kilogram, fuel savings, bycatch reduction and quality; it treats sustainability and IUU compliance as operational disciplines rather than add-ons; and it closes with a Final Project in which you research and develop an innovation for the fishing sector and defend its results.
Program highlights
- Fishing gear engineering: hydrodynamics, gear design, selectivity devices, energy efficiency and bycatch reduction.
- Operational oceanography: metocean data, echosounders, sonar, satellite data and catch prediction models.
- Digitalization and AI: electronic logbooks, production analytics, computer vision for species classification and MLOps.
- Processing, quality and traceability: plant yield, cold chain, HACCP, product innovation and export requirements.
- Sustainability and compliance: ecosystem approach, carbon footprint, certification, IUU, VMS/AIS and electronic monitoring.
- Marine robotics, fleet O&M and the business, IP and go-to-market of blue technologies.
Syllabus of the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
11 modules. Select a module to see its content.
The industrial fishing value chain and the blue tech landscape: operating models, productivity and end-to-end risk
- 1.1. Structure of the industrial fishing sector: fleets, gear, target species, markets, ports and processing plants
- 1.2. Types of operations: trawling, purse seining, longlining, jigging and distant-water fishing with their technical and human constraints
- 1.3. Productivity and costs: fuel, time, yields, losses, shrinkage and profitability drivers by segment
- 1.4. Critical risks: safety on board, weather, incidents, compliance, reputation and business continuity
- 1.5. Product data and traceability: catch, landing, processing, distribution and document control points
- 1.6. Innovation and technology adoption: maturity, barriers, CAPEX and OPEX, cultural change and selection criteria
- 1.7. The blue tech ecosystem: sensors, robotics, AI, energy, new materials and digital platforms
- 1.8. Industrial strategy: vertical integration, alliances, R&D, technology procurement and operational scale-up
- 1.9. End-to-end KPIs: CPUE, yield, cost per kilogram, quality, time, compliance and environmental footprint
- 1.10. Priority use cases: fuel reduction, selectivity, safety, traceability and added value
Fishing engineering, gear and selectivity: operation design, energy efficiency and bycatch reduction
- 2.1. Hydrodynamics of fishing gear: drag, geometry, stability and fuel consumption in trawling and purse seining
- 2.2. Gear design and optimization: materials, mesh, buoyancy, ballast and durability in real operation
- 2.3. Selectivity technologies: TEDs and BRDs, panels, grids, acoustic devices and effectiveness criteria
- 2.4. Gear instrumentation: opening, tension, depth and position sensors integrated with the bridge
- 2.5. Energy optimization: speed, route, fishing tactics, maintenance and drag reduction
- 2.6. Bycatch strategies: identification, mitigation, release, good practice and event recording
- 2.7. Fishing near sensitive seabeds: restrictions, operational alternatives, mapping and impact prevention
- 2.8. Gear maintenance and reliability: inspection, repair, inventory, wear control and breakage prevention
- 2.9. Decision models during fishing: signals, tactics, uncertainty and data-driven continuous improvement
- 2.10. Design workshop: gear optimization proposal with selectivity, energy and cost KPIs
Observation, detection and operational oceanography: metocean data, echosounders, satellites and models for better decisions
- 3.1. Oceanography for fishing: fronts, upwelling, thermoclines, chlorophyll and species distribution
- 3.2. Onboard sensors: echosounders, sonar, radar, loggers and signal quality in real conditions
- 3.3. Satellite data and reanalysis: SST, chlorophyll, altimetry, wind and waves and resolution limits
- 3.4. Data fusion: cleaning, normalization, georeferencing and source traceability
- 3.5. Prediction models: habitat, presence and absence, CPUE, uncertainty and operational validation
- 3.6. Navigation and geofencing: fishing zones, closures, protected areas and geospatial compliance
- 3.7. Survey and sampling design: scientific observation, electronic logbooks and quality control
- 3.8. Bridge visualization: operational maps, alerts, layers and quick reading for decisions
- 3.9. Cybersecurity and data resilience: integrity, backups, access and system continuity
- 3.10. Operational intelligence workshop: metocean and echosounder dashboard with decision rules and KPIs
Digitalization, AI and automation in industrial fishing: eLogbooks, analytics, MLOps and evidence-based operations
- 4.1. Digital architecture for fishing: sensors, edge, satcom, cloud, ERP and event traceability
- 4.2. Electronic logbooks and reporting: data capture, validation, audit and reduced administrative burden
- 4.3. Production analytics: yield per haul, time, fuel, shrinkage and anomaly detection
- 4.4. Applied AI: catch prediction, route optimization, predictive maintenance and operational safety
- 4.5. Computer vision: species classification, measurement, counting and quality control on deck and in the plant
- 4.6. MLOps and model governance: datasets, bias, drift, explainability and version control
- 4.7. Process automation: alerts, workflows, compliance integration and decision support
- 4.8. Change management: adoption, training, resistance, incentives and standardized use
- 4.9. Digital indicators: data accuracy, system availability, latency, usage and return on investment
- 4.10. Implementation workshop: an end-to-end AI use case with data, model, KPIs and deployment plan
Processing, quality and product innovation: traceability, food safety and industrial added value
- 5.1. Plant operation and yield: shrinkage, bottlenecks, OEE and flow optimization
- 5.2. Quality control: freshness, histamine, temperature, sensory analysis and acceptance criteria by market
- 5.3. Cold chain: design, critical points, monitoring, contingencies and traceability
- 5.4. Food safety: HACCP, cleaning, allergens, audits and defensible records
- 5.5. Advanced traceability: batch, species, area, gear, time, certifications and anti-fraud
- 5.6. Product innovation: formats, convenience, ready-to-eat, premium lines and demand adaptation
- 5.7. Packaging and shelf life: modified atmosphere, materials, sustainability and shelf-life validation
- 5.8. Digitalization in the plant: sensors, MES, machine vision and real-time control
- 5.9. Export requirements: documentation, labeling, claims, standards and compliance control
- 5.10. Improvement workshop: yield and quality plan with KPIs, SOPs and a control dashboard
Sustainability, ecosystems and impact management: EAFM, footprint, biodiversity and circular economy
- 6.1. The ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM): principles, biological limits and adaptive management
- 6.2. Carbon and energy footprint: measurement, hotspots, fuel reduction and technological alternatives
- 6.3. Bycatch and protected species: plans, monitoring, mitigation and evidence
- 6.4. Habitat impact: seabed, benthos, reefs and preventive and compensatory measures
- 6.5. Certification and standards: MSC and ASC where applicable, audits, traceability and documentation
- 6.6. Waste and circularity: ghost nets, valorization, recycling and reverse logistics
- 6.7. ESG indicators: metrics, reporting, verification and responsible communication without greenwashing
- 6.8. Environmental monitoring: design, sensors, surveys, QA/QC and stakeholder reporting
- 6.9. Social acceptance and license to operate: conflicts, transparency and community engagement
- 6.10. ESG workshop: sustainability roadmap with KPIs, initiatives and a verification plan
Fisheries regulation, compliance and control: IUU, VMS/AIS, observers, sanctions and evidence
- 7.1. Regulatory architecture: fisheries management, quotas, minimum sizes, closed seasons and reporting obligations
- 7.2. IUU fishing and fraud control: patterns, red flags, document chain and preventive measures
- 7.3. Fleet monitoring: VMS and AIS, geofences, alerts, evidence and reconciliation with logbooks
- 7.4. Observation and verification: observers, remote electronic monitoring and cameras, sampling and data quality
- 7.5. Inspections and audits: preparation, documentation, responses to requests and nonconformity management
- 7.6. Sanctions and liability: risks, documentary defense and improvement of the compliance system
- 7.7. Legal traceability: landing, transshipment, first sale and market requirements
- 7.8. Incident management: evidence preservation, internal investigation and corrective and preventive actions
- 7.9. Compliance KPIs: incidents, response times, false positives, control effectiveness and cost of compliance
- 7.10. Compliance workshop: IUU program design with dashboard, SOPs and audit plan
Marine robotics, instrumentation and blue tech operations: ROVs, AUVs, drones, sensors and maintenance at sea
- 8.1. Introduction to marine robotics: ROVs, AUVs and USVs and their applications in fishing and monitoring
- 8.2. Sensors and payloads: acoustic, optical and environmental and selection criteria by mission
- 8.3. Operation and safety: planning, permits, risks, communications and recovery
- 8.4. Inspection and maintenance support: hull, gear, moorings, infrastructure and traceable visual evidence
- 8.5. Aerial drones in fishing: search, surveillance, safety and operational limits
- 8.6. Blue tech data integration: ingestion, synchronization, calibration and visualization
- 8.7. Maintainability and logistics: spare parts, batteries, cleaning, corrosion and availability plans
- 8.8. Cost and scale-up: CAPEX and OPEX, suppliers, training and operational bankability
- 8.9. Cybersecurity and access control: hardening, telemetry and incident response
- 8.10. Operational workshop: robotic mission plan for a use case with KPIs and risks
Fleet management, O&M and operational excellence: reliability, safety, cost and performance during the fishing season
- 9.1. Campaign planning: objectives, metocean windows, logistics, home ports and contingencies
- 9.2. Predictive maintenance: condition, vibration, oil analysis, alarms and planning by criticality
- 9.3. Spare parts management on board: critical stock, lead times, obsolescence and asset traceability
- 9.4. Operational safety: permit to work and LOTO, critical tasks, reporting culture and metrics
- 9.5. Crew management: competencies, fatigue, rotation, coordination and performance
- 9.6. Fuel and efficiency: routes, speed, tactics, benchmarking and deviation control
- 9.7. Incident management: investigation, root cause, corrective actions and shared learning
- 9.8. Fleet KPIs: availability, CPUE, cost per kilogram, time, quality and compliance
- 9.9. Change management: standardization, SOPs, audits and continuous improvement
- 9.10. Excellence workshop: dashboard and O&M plan by role and system
Innovation, business and scale-up of blue technologies: funding, intellectual property and industrial go-to-market
- 10.1. Identifying opportunities: pain points, prioritization, TAM, SAM and SOM and validation of assumptions
- 10.2. Business models: product, service, subscription, outcome-based models and alliances with fleets and ports
- 10.3. Technology roadmap: TRL, pilots, sea trials, certification and industrial scale-up
- 10.4. Contracts and procurement: pilots, SLAs, warranties, performance and risk management
- 10.5. Intellectual property and data: IP, licensing, use of operational data and third-party agreements
- 10.6. Funding: CAPEX, leasing, project finance, public funding programs and dossier preparation
- 10.7. B2B sales: pricing, consultative selling, case studies, references and long sales cycles
- 10.8. Impact and ROI metrics: fuel savings, bycatch reduction, quality, compliance and safety
- 10.9. Ethics and communication: verifiable claims, transparency and avoiding technological greenwashing
- 10.10. Scale-up workshop: go-to-market plan with value proposition, KPIs, risks and implementation plan
Final Project
- 11.1. Choosing the topic and defining the research problem
- 11.2. Objectives, hypotheses and scope of the project
- 11.3. Review of the state of the art and specialized literature
- 11.4. Analysis of the applicable regulatory and technical framework
- 11.5. Methodology design and work plan
- 11.6. Data collection, processing and validation
- 11.7. Technical development and analysis of results
- 11.8. Discussion, conclusions and future lines of work
- 11.9. Writing the report to academic standards
- 11.10. Presentation and public defense before a panel
Duration and format of the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
Career opportunities after the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
Questions about the Master's in Industrial Fishing Innovation and Blue Technologies
Industrial fishing fleets and their value chain: fishing operations and gear, onboard data and digital systems, processing plants, compliance and the companies that develop blue technologies for the sector.
Yes. Every module ends with a workshop, such as a gear optimization proposal, a metocean and echosounder dashboard, an end-to-end AI use case, an IUU compliance program or a robotic mission plan.
Yes. A full module covers fisheries management rules, IUU fishing and fraud control, VMS and AIS monitoring, observers and remote electronic monitoring, inspections, sanctions and legal traceability.
Yes. You study catch prediction, route optimization, predictive maintenance, computer vision for species classification and measurement, and MLOps and model governance, always linked to operational KPIs.
Basic knowledge of statistics and project management is recommended; profiles from biology, engineering, economics or the fishing industry itself can apply, and the admission interview confirms that the program suits your profile.
Through the workshops and practical exercises in each module and a Final Project in which you research and develop an innovation for the fishing sector and defend it before a panel.
A master's issued by Navalis Institute, together with the plans, dashboards and analyses you develop during the program.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7 with live sessions that are recorded, forums and tutorials. It comprises 1500 hours of study across 11 modules of about 136 hours each.
More programs in Biology and conservation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at industrial fishing professionals, engineers and technicians developing solutions for sustainable fishing and aquaculture, managers and entrepreneurs in the blue economy, researchers and consultants, and graduates in marine biology, environmental sciences and related fields. A degree in marine biology, fisheries engineering, marine sciences, economics or business administration with sector experience, or proven professional experience in the fishing industry or blue technologies, is recommended, together with basic knowledge of statistics and project management.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection and videoconferencing software such as Zoom or Teams.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.