Project Spotlight – GREENFISH: Toward Biodegradable Fishing Lures

Project Overview
GREENFISH: Toward Biodegradable Fishing Lures

Led by VELAY INNOVATIVE FISH (VIF)—under the NEED2FISH brand—and certified by Polymeris as part of the BOOSTER call for proposals, the GREENFISH project (2022–2025) addresses the core environmental challenges associated with sport fishing. Its goal was to develop hard and soft lures that are biodegradable in aquatic environments, as an alternative to conventional plastics and lead-containing materials. At the intersection of materials innovation and market expectations, this project has provided the first concrete solutions to reduce the environmental impact of a rapidly evolving sector.

Against the backdrop of a changing sport fishing market (1.6 million licensed anglers in France, €10 billion in revenue), the lure segment represents approximately €150 million annually in France and is experiencing strong growth. The environmental stakes are high: loss of lures in aquatic environments, accumulation of persistent plastics, and the toxicity of current materials.

The project was structured around six work packages covering formulation, prototyping, user testing, LCA, and coordination.

The scientific work (Work Package 1) conducted with the IMP focused on the development and characterization of formulations based on PLA, PHBH, and mixtures thereof. Accelerated aging tests (6 months at 40°C in distilled water) were used to analyze mass loss, changes in crystallinity, mechanical properties, and hydrolysis kinetics. The results show that PLA crystallinity strongly influences degradation. The incorporation of PHBH significantly accelerates biodegradation, particularly at low crystallinity.
The addition of enzymes (Lipozyme, Cutinase) demonstrated enhanced degradation in the laboratory, particularly with cutinase, which is more active on PHBH. However, scaling up to an industrial level encountered difficulties related to sourcing, cost, and reproducibility.

Lot 2 led to the development of 3D-printable PLA/PHBH filaments. After numerous extrusion tests and parameter optimizations, a 70% PLA/30% PHBH formulation was identified as functional in the laboratory.

Lot 3 focused on soft lures produced via injection molding of recycled or bio-based elastomers. Constraints related to reproducibility and performance led to a shift in research toward blends based on natural rubbers and lignocellulose, yielding encouraging results regarding hardness and processability. Standardized testing (ASTM, ISO—soil, aqueous, marine) enabled the initiation of environmental validation, while the LCA highlighted certain methodological discrepancies and the impact of raw material selection.

The outcomes are significant: increased expertise in PLA/PHBH blends, qualification of biomaterials for 3D printing, scientific publication, hiring of a postdoctoral researcher, and strengthening of the marketing positioning of NEED2FISH/VIF.

Outlook:

The GREENFISH project demonstrates the scientific feasibility of partially biodegradable lures, but highlights the complexity of moving toward industrial-scale production, particularly with regard to enzymes and controlling degradation kinetics in a real marine environment. The logical next step (Greenfish 2) could focus on:

• optimizing formulations without reliance on external enzymes,
• developing industrially stabilized bio-based elastomers,
• integrating a comprehensive LCA from the design phase onward,
• and a distinctive environmental certification strategy.

In the medium term, GREENFISH 2 positions itself as an innovative player in the sustainable fishing equipment segment, with the potential to become a leader in a market undergoing ecological transition.