Fishing for Litter: 500 tonnes of waste recovered from Guanabara Bay
The Fishing for Litter programme, an initiative by BVRio, reached an important milestone this month: 500 tonnes of waste recovered from the islands, shores and mangroves of Guanabara Bay. The achievement was celebrated during Rio Ocean Week 2025, on 24 October, in a panel dedicated to adaptation, resilience and the transformation of the livelihoods of artisanal fishers who lead this collective action.
Participating fishers were honoured with a plaque made from recycled plastic, recognising them as Guardians of the Ocean.
“The greatest enemy of fishers is waste. What we pull most from our nets isn’t fish, it’s rubbish. Our dream is to see that amount decrease. Now, through the programme, we’re recognised and paid for doing this,” said Branca Silva, artisanal fisherwoman.
Since 2020, BVRio has supported fishing communities in Guanabara Bay, engaging artisanal fishers in marine litter collection as a way to complement their income and strengthen the local economy.
“The programme goes far beyond environmental impact. It promotes the creation of a dignified and purpose-driven market capable of transforming lives and strengthening an entire value chain. The challenge of cleaning up Guanabara Bay is immense and demands continuous, coordinated work. That’s why we’re building the foundations for a productive chain focused on waste recovery and recycling,” explained Pedro Succar, BVRio Circular Economy Specialist and Project Manager.
In 2021, the original project was published on the Circular Action Hub, a global platform created by BVRio to connect circular economy solutions with funders. This visibility enabled a partnership with the Italian company Ogyre, established in November 2021, which consolidated the programme’s operations in Guanabara Bay. The initiative has since benefited more than 100 local fishers and attracted new partners such as Ocyan (2023–2024).
“Being with the fishers every week shows how much the project has transformed their daily lives. More than collecting waste, they now see themselves as part of the solution,” said Juliana Miranda, BVRio Circular Economy Analyst who works directly with community leaders.
Since then, BVRio has acted as an articulator and facilitator, connecting fishing communities with recycling cooperatives, public agencies and private companies to strengthen the social and economic foundations needed to keep this work active and sustainable. As a result of this process — and with BVRio’s support — the fishers organised themselves autonomously to create the Marine Waste Collectors’ Cooperative (COOPROMAR), the first of its kind in Brazil. This milestone represents the consolidation of community leadership and the rooting of this work within local communities.
Adaptation and resilience for a circular and inclusive economy
More than an environmental initiative, the Fishing for Litter programme is an act of resilience, cultural adaptation and the structuring of a new labour market. Amid increasing pollution and urban pressure on coastal zones, fishers have found in the project a new way to maintain their ties with the sea and ensure a sustainable future for their communities.
“As a community leader and woman, I’m proud to see other women getting involved and taking their place in this work. It has also inspired younger generations, who are becoming more interested in this activity and in valuing the sea. We hope this movement continues to grow and remain alive in the next generations,” said Gláucia Souza, community leader and local coordinator of the programme, co-founder and president of COOPROMAR.
BVRio continues to strengthen the structural foundations that sustain the programme — both through training this new local workforce and by creating the conditions for developing a circular market for waste recovery. The organisation is building multi-sector partnerships to strengthen and integrate every link in the value chain, ensuring continuous income generation and positive environmental impact.
The project is also testing new options and partnerships for energy generation and materials recycling, in collaboration with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). These actions aim to connect scientific knowledge with the traditional expertise of fishing communities, aligning this work with efforts to restore and conserve mangroves.
“The programme promotes the systematic removal of plastic waste from waters and mangroves and has become a model ready to be replicated in other coastal and riverine areas of Brazil, Mozambique and across the Global South, where traditional communities face similar challenges with mismanaged waste and biodiversity loss,” said Maria Accioly, BVRio Circular Economy Specialist.
All collections are recorded and monitored through the KOLEKT app, which tracks the process from collection to final destination with photos, GPS and real-time data. The system ensures transparency and traceability, linking fishers’ activities with recycling cooperatives and credit buyers through the Circular Credits Mechanism (CCM) — a results-based financing model that combines environmental outcomes with social inclusion.
