Smarter Fishing: How Katchi is Making Ocean Harvesting More Sustainable and Profitable
Through this four-part series, IGNITE is highlighting startups that are reimagining what sustainable innovation looks like. Each company featured, whether a current resident, alumni, or connected collaborator, is building solutions that create environmental and economic impact.
This series is part of IGNITE’s contribution to the national BioCAN Initiative, celebrating Canadian leadership in the bioeconomy and clean innovation space. Together, we’re sharing the stories of those building a cleaner, more resilient future, one startup at a time.
Katchi’s Story
Fishing has always been at the heart of Atlantic Canada’s economy — but the industry faces a defining challenge: how to balance livelihoods with the health of the ocean. Katchi, a Nova Scotia-based ocean tech startup, is proving that innovation can make those two goals work together.
Their mission is clear: to help fishers thrive economically while harvesting sustainably caught wild protein. By designing intelligent, ocean-friendly trawl systems, Katchi is reimagining one of the world’s oldest industries through the lens of modern sustainability.
Bottom trawling — which supplies nearly a quarter of all global seafood — is both vital and controversial. It’s efficient but can damage marine habitats and consume massive amounts of fuel. Katchi’s goal is not to eliminate trawling, but to make it smarter — a bridge between tradition and technology. Their SmartNet system keeps fishing viable while dramatically reducing its ecological footprint.
At the core of Katchi’s innovation is the SmartNet, a high-tech trawl that “flies” above the seabed instead of scraping it. Using hydrodynamic blocks, depth sensors, and automated winch controls, the system keeps the net at the optimal altitude to protect marine habitats and reduce drag.
Their hardware lineup also includes HydroPucks, which replace heavy trawl doors, and advanced cable-control systems that allow real-time adjustments — all designed to reduce fuel use, prevent gear damage, and improve catch efficiency. It’s a complete rethinking of how commercial fishing gear interacts with the ocean floor.
Founded by Marc d’Entremont, a lifelong commercial fisher turned entrepreneur, Katchi is built on lived experience. Marc saw first-hand how traditional trawling methods were becoming unsustainable — both environmentally and economically.
Katchi has been recognized across the blue economy ecosystem. A member of IGNITE’s ocean-tech cohort, the company has secured $3.3 million in funding from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster to lead its Precision Fish Harvesting Project.
Katchi’s work is part of a larger movement toward a blue economy — one that balances ocean health with human prosperity. By reducing by-catch, lowering emissions, and preserving seabed ecosystems, they’re showing that sustainable practices can also make financial sense.
Learn more about Katchi: https://katchi.tech/
Learn more about IGNITE Residency: https://igniteatlantic.com/ignite-residency/
