The second Blue Balance project use case draws attention to Flemish North Sea coastal fishing and the world of blue food. DAE Research collaborated with a group of six DAE students to design a fun and interactive experience focused on key Blue Balance themes.

In the game, you find yourself aboard a fishing boat in the middle of the North Sea. You’re not alone—you’ll have plenty of time to chat with a range of AI-powered characters brought to life through Convai. The more you talk to your shipmates, the more you’ll discover that each has unique perspectives on the past, present, and future of fisheries and related topics. The experience is designed to spark reflection on your own views, and maybe even inspire conversations with family and friends. In other words, it’s plenty of (blue) food for thought!

You can also brush up on your knowledge of North Sea fish by sorting the day’s diverse catch. If you’re unsure about a particular fish, you can always ask the fishermen on board for tips—though be prepared, they might tease you if you can’t keep up.

The Blue Balance project had the chance to showcase the game at the Oostende voor Anker festival. This provided valuable insight into how much people know about the North Sea and fisheries, and how they interact with AI. At first, many visitors were hesitant to play due to some wariness about AI. But once they gave it a try, they often enjoyed engaging with the AI characters and testing their ability to identify North Sea fish.