Derek Wiseman: Recycling the marine industry’s discarded ropes and nets in Scotland

This post is a part of a series of profiles on Shell LiveWire entrepreneurs.

In Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Derek Wiseman is tackling one of the marine industry’s toughest waste problems: discarded ropes, nets and fibres. These materials, often sent to the landfill because they are so difficult to recycle, now have a second life through DekMar, the niche recycling business he founded.​

​What began with the painstaking deconstruction of a single 1.2-ton fishing net has grown into a thriving operation processing 30 tons of material each month. Soon, DekMar will take in 500 tons of rope, introducing a recycling process never before attempted in the UK. Most of his customers are in the aquaculture business, and a growing number are from the oil and gas sector.​ 

​“My motivation is creating a legacy,” Derek says. He credits Shell LiveWire with sharpening his vision: moving from lists of tasks to a clear strategy and purpose. Today, his work is also deeply personal, rooted in the skills passed down by his father, who once repaired nets by hand and now proudly supports his son in tearing them down for recycling.​ 

Watch how Derek and his team keep ropes and nets from reaching the landfill in the full video: