Tag: Marine

Fishing Associations sit at the heart of local fishing industries and provide fishers with a voice in decisions that affect them. A new toolkit, funded by the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust provides essential guidance to support fishers interested in establishing an association.

Click here to download the guide.

There are significant benefits in bringing people together to form a representative organisation or association. The reasons for setting up a fishing association should include a broad range of activities that benefit the community at large. Priorities could include improving the value of landed catch, implementing new management measures, collecting data and research, and/or the purchase of gear, technology and infrastructure to improve livelihoods and the sustainability of the sector.

However, setting up an organisation can be a daunting and challenging process. This toolkit is designed for anyone thinking of setting up a fishing group.  Complete with practical guidance, tools and templates, this guide will help you think about the best way to develop a strong fishing association.

Further resources to support fishers in the process can be found on the Fishing into the Future website.

By 30 November this year, all fishermen, regardless of age, will be required to have a medical fitness certificate in order to work at sea. 

The medical certificate will either be a ENG1 or ML5, which are doctor approved medical certificates that shows a fisherman is fit enough to work at sea. A ENG1 is valid for up to 2 years and a ML5 is valid up to five-years (so long as the seafarers’ mental and physical health remains in line with the regulations). Both the certificates may be issued with restrictions attached and if you are over 65-years of age, it is only valid for one year.

We are aware that industry representatives are seeking to have the regulations changed. However, as charities that support people working in fishing, we are concerned about what might happen regarding those who do not get the required certificates by the deadline date. For example, fishermen without a health certificate may find themselves in a situation whereby they are unable to find work or their fishing licence is revoked or their insurance nullified.

We urge all who work at sea on fishing boats to book a medical check  before the deadline date of 30th November. Applying for a medical certificate before the deadline date means fishermen with a pre-existing medical condition that would otherwise not qualify for a certificate, can be considered for what is referred to as ‘grandfather rights’.

Grandfather rights would mean that, where you can do so without significant risk to your own or others’ health and safety, you are allowed to continue to work in your current occupation with a pre-existing medical condition which would otherwise exclude you from working at sea in commercial fishing. For example, grandfather rights may apply to colour blindness. If you do not apply for your medical certificate by 30th November, you may not be eligible for grandfather rights. The rules state that you will then be classed as a new entrant who needs to meet the MSN 1886 medical standards. The medical assessor will then have less flexibility to consider your history of working with any medical condition.

For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions produced by MCA.

Last year the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust provided a small grant to enable a company to promote their carbon reducing tool to the fishing industry. Ecomotus have developed technology, the EcoPro, which can improve the way an engine burns fuel, enabling vessels to significantly reduce their pollution and fuel consumption. As the EcoPro works at the point of combustion, it also helps to keep the engine oil cleaner and reduces black smoke from the stack and carbon deposits on the engine. The EcoPro can be monitored and remotely adjusted, and it comes with 3-year warranty. The technology is eligible for up to 80% funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, with help available to write the grant application. You can view the film here:

Would you like to help raise vital funds for grassroots nature restoration projects in Devon… AND win an amazing prize from a lovely local business?

We are excited to share that Devon Environment Foundation’s 2023 Silent Auction is now live, taking bids until Thursday 28th September at 10.30pm (BST).

View Auction and Bid Here

Prizes include:

⭐ Dinner, bed & breakfast at Dartmoor’s exquisite Gideigh Park Hotel.

⭐ A stunning sea-life painting by the artist Giles Ward courtesy of the Mayne Gallery, Kingsbridge.

⭐ Super comfortable minimalist shoes for the whole family from Vivobarefoot.

⭐ A marine wildlife safari boat trip for ten people from Sea-Life Conservation Tours.

⭐ Brewery tour and beer tasting for five friends from Salcombe Brewery.

⭐ A year’s supply of sustainable seafood from Rockfish.

…and much more!

See our auction for full details of all the prizes kindly donated by local people and businesses that care deeply about nature in Devon.

Big thanks to all who generously donated prizes to help with DEF’s autumn fundraising, we are hugely grateful for your support!

The Devon Environment Foundation has already funded a wide variety of impactful nature-based solutions, including the kelp restoration programme co-funded by the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust. You can see all the grants we have awarded to date here.

However, we have many exciting and innovative projects in our pipeline and need to step up our fundraising efforts to get funding where it is needed to make a positive difference to nature.

Can you help us raise more funds for brilliant nature restoration projects in Devon?

DEF specialises in pooling funds from like-minded donors and strategically directing them, quickly, to where they are needed most.

We are advised by a board of leading local nature experts to optimise our funding decisions and make the biggest impact for nature.

Since launching in July 2020, we have supported 50 grassroots projects addressing the climate and nature emergencies in Devon, awarding more than £670,000 of grants.

Supporting the Devon Environment Foundation is a quick and effective way to give back to nature in the place you love!

Bidding ends Thurs 28th Sep, 10.30pm (BST).

View Auction and Bid Here

Join Fishing into the Future and the Fishmongers’ Company at the Future Towns Innovation Hub at the University of Southampton for an Industry-Science mixer on Tuesday 7th November at 6pm. The event presents a chance for people working in the fishing industry and marine science & technology sectors to connect and exchange ideas.

Use this opportunity to share your work, pitch collaborative research ideas, hear insights from people working in the fishing industry and build connections to develop ideas that support the science used in UK fisheries and marine policy.

Click here to apply. Applications close on the 9th October.

Event format

The aim of this event is to share knowledge and build connections between fishermen and people working in the marine research and technology industry – with a focus on developing ideas that support the science used in UK fisheries and marine policy. We will be hosted by the Future Towns Innovation Hub based at the University of Southampton’s Science Park, Chilworth. Fishing into the Future will be joined by a group of 20-30 fishermen and people working within the fishing industry, all with a shared interest in co-management and collaborative research. Using industry facilitators, you will have the opportunity to pitch research ideas and projects, and develop these ideas and gain insights through informal conversations.

This is part of a wider event hosted by Fishing into the Future at Chilworth Manor, the 3-day Fisheries Resource Education Programme – sharing expertise and building connections for fishermen, scientists and fisheries managers to work together effectively.

Why it’s important?

The value of involving industry and using the intimate knowledge and experience of fishermen has historically been side-lined in scientific research and fisheries management, despite industry being most directly affected by management decisions in terms of their economic livelihoods and well-being. The difficulty of bringing industry into the fold has ultimately impacted the sustainability of fisheries and has contributed to data deficient fisheries, poor research capacity and a siloed approach to conducting and developing fisheries science and management.

It is now widely accepted that industry, academia, and government all have unique contributions to fisheries research, and no single group can provide the information required to meet the increasing challenges of fisheries sustainability alone. Research that is collaborative (i.e., involving industry, academia, and government) will help to solve persistent and emerging problems in fisheries; effectively utilising the skillset of stakeholders; and help to build new capacity in fisheries science. Collaborative research also allows stakeholders to disseminate insight to a wider audience so that the science is effectively understood and accepted outside the scientific community.

A report released today from Fisheries Innovation and Sustainability, funded by the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, marks a significant step towards understanding the requirements for a net zero fishing industry. The report represents the culmination of a collaborative effort between Macduff Ship Design, the University of Exeter’s Centre for Future Clean Mobility (CFCM), and FIS. It sets out six first-of-their-kind designs for alternatively-powered fishing vessels, highlights the barriers to their development, and proposes next steps for the industry in exploring the transition to a net zero future.

In April 2022, industry leaders and key stakeholders converged in Glasgow for the FIS-organised ‘Vessels of the Future‘ workshop, to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the creation of net-zero fishing fleets. Following this participatory workshop, FIS commissioned Macduff Ship Design, in collaboration with the CFCM, to identify critical barriers and obstacles to achieving net-zero emissions in the fishing sector, with a focus on three distinct vessel types.

A second stage, supported by Marine Fund Scotland, focused on the development of six concept vessel designs based on the most viable clean fuel options identified in the earlier stage. These designs have undergone rigorous proof-of-concept validation to ensure feasibility and are set out in the report launched today.

The concept designs we provided for this report represent a feasible way for fishing vessels to transition away from diesel to a net zero alternative. Whilst we ensured that all the designs are viable from a development perspective, the report also highlights the significant challenges facing this transition that need to be overcome in order to achieve the goal of a net zero fishing fleet.

Duncan Boag, Naval Architect at Macduff Ship Design.

The report presents two concept designs for each of the following vessel types: under 10m creel boats, 15m Nephrops trawlers, and under 24m whitefish trawlers. These designs are tailored to use some of the most promising alternative fuel options – battery electric, methanol, and LNG (Liquified Natural Gas).

Underscored within the report is the need to address technical, regulatory, and financial barriers before widespread industry investment and adoption becomes viable. Technical challenges noted include equipment availability and the development of the critical underpinning infrastructure for the alternative fuels listed. Regulatory compliance remains a concern, but the report anticipates smoother interactions with regulators as understanding relating to zero-emission vessels accumulates. Financially, increased capital costs and uncertainties surrounding fuel prices require careful consideration and remain a significant challenge for the sector.

These designs show what could be possible for UK fishing vessels if we can address current financial, regulatory, and technical barriers. However, they do verify concerns raised in our earlier project – that vessel owners trying to do the right thing in switching to alternative fuels will, for now, be at a critical disadvantage competing in a market with diesel vessels. These early adopters must be able to access financial assistance, business advice, and regulatory support. Not only that, the enabling architecture (such as ports and harbour infrastructure, fuel supply chains, vessel finance packages, and skills and safety training) must be established before these designs can become a reality, meeting government and retailer net zero targets whilst also keeping fishermen safe and competitive.

Kara Brydson, Executive Director of FIS.

Looking ahead, the report identifies potential next exploratory steps to further progress on the road to net zero fishing vessels, including a review of harbour infrastructure, the investigation of retrofitting options for existing vessels, and the use of the concept designs to build a demonstration vessel. Findings from the report have the potential to influence new innovations and regulatory frameworks, taking practical steps to move towards a sustainable future for the UK seafood industry.

Until now, it has not been possible to evaluate the practical implications of our work on optimised clean powertrain design on the performance and operation of vessels. This ground-breaking work from Macduff Ship Design has shed invaluable light on the challenges of developing clean propulsion vessels, and highlights the necessary regulatory, operational, and infrastructure-related changes needed to make this work a reality.

Professor Chris Smith, Director for the CFCM.

Read the report.

View the vessel designs.

Support from the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust has delivered the launch of a new apprenticeship programme designed to bring through the next generation of fishers. With recruitment presenting a key challenge to the future of the UK fishing industry and the sector facing an ageing work force, it is hoped that this programme will help develop a new cohort of British fishermen who can continue the legacy of this historic industry.

The programme, developed by the South Western Fish Producer Organisation (SWFPO) will support the first fisher apprenticeship programme in England. The 18 month apprenticeship allows students to get a hands-on experience and learn about the whole fishing operation from sea to sale.

As an apprentice, students will be employed by Supplytrain, but get to work across different boats within the SWFPO membership, catching different fish and learning from experienced crew while also studying seamanship, gear construction and how to care for the catch at South Devon College.

The life of a commercial fisher is physically demanding but immensely rewarding, providing the skills and opportunities to become an experienced deckhand, a skipper, a marine engineer or even a future vessel owner.

The programme has now secured the support of the Morrisons supermarket chain, who are transferring over £100K of apprenticeship funding to the fishing sector. Morrisons is transferring an Apprenticeship Levy to Supplytrain to help train ten new apprentice fishermen.

The Government Apprenticeship Levy is paid by employers to help fund apprenticeship programmes and Morrisons has agreed to transfer £100,000 of its funds to pay for the SWFPO’s first cohort of ten apprentices. The first cohort will start their programme this September.

Fisheries Innovation and Sustainability, a coalition of experts working to drive strategic innovation for a prosperous UK fishing industry, funded by the FCFCT’s Good Practice in UK Fishing programme, are developing new technology which could significantly reduce the amount of bycatch (the unintentional capture of non-targeted species) in fishing vessels.

Smartrawl – an underwater robotic sorting device which helps fishing trawlers prevent bycatch by identifying and sizing fish and other marine life in real-time – is being developed by researchers from Heriot-Watt University in partnership with FIS, and funded by the UK Seafood Innovation Fund.

The technology has now been covered on STV, you can watch the footage here.

Smartrawl uses AI-technology to determine the individual size and species of marine life captured inside a trawl net using images taken by an underwater stereo camera. It then releases or retains each marine animal depending on whether it qualifies against a trawler’s intended catch using a computer-controlled robotic gate.

Trawling is a fishing practice that herds and captures target species, like fish or prawns, by towing a net along the ocean floor. This method of fishing is known to cause discarding and bycatch, where fish or other marine animals are accidentally caught and returned to the sea, most often dead. According to global marine fisheries data, it is estimated that 46% of all marine fish that are discarded come from this method of fishing.

Developed by researchers from the Lyell Centre and the National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University, the sorting device has been designed in collaboration with the UK fishing industry. An industry steering group composed of commercial skippers, fisheries scientists and seafood experts have fed into the unique project since 2017, led by FIS. The Smartrawl device is able to fit into existing nets of all sizes of vessels and requires no additional cables due to the device’s patented gate system which works with the force of the water to rotate between open and closed states.

Using the system, fishers will be able to programme trawls to catch specific marine animals according to their size and species, market conditions and allotted quotas, resulting in no discards or bycatch.

Components of the project have already been tested at sea, and further trials are scheduled for later this year [2023] in Shetland using the research vessel Atlantia, operated by the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Paul Fernandes, the inventor of Smartrawl, is scientific lead for the project. He is a professor of fisheries science and technology at the Lyell Centre and Heriot-Watt Bicentennial Research Leader. He said:

“More than 4 million tonnes of marine fish are unintentionally caught by trawlers around the world every year, as well as bycatch of sharks, rays, dolphins, critically endangered turtles and seabirds. The sad reality is that these creatures, more often than not, are returned to the sea dead or dying.

“Current methods used on trawlers are unable to distinguish between different species and animals or give skippers enough information to build an accurate understanding of the size of individual fish prior to capture.

“Smartrawl has been developed to ensure that vessels only catch the fish they’re targeting, releasing other animals back into their natural environment quickly and without harm. As a result, we’re confident that discarding and bycatch could quickly become a thing of the past and our precious marine life preserved.”

David Richardson, chief entrepreneurial executive at Heriot-Watt University, said:

“Smartrawl presents a significant step towards benefiting the marine environment whilst protecting the business reputation of seafood producers and contributing to the UK economy. Significantly, it has the potential to revolutionise fisheries around the world by supporting them to be more commercially viable and sustainable.

“Across Heriot-Watt’s breadth of research facilities, institutions and campuses, we’re delivering real-world impact everyday, developing ground-breaking research into commercial applications and pioneering solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing challenges.”

FIS Executive Director, Kara Brydson, noted:

“The UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. That perfectly describes Smartrawl, and this grant will take us nearer to our goal of enabling UK fishers to select and retain their high-quality catch while releasing non-target species back into our seas.”

Fishing into the Future is playing a pivotal role in a social research project providing industry guidance, communications support, and fishermen facilitators to build trust and bridge connections between industry and academia.

The industry-led charity and long term partner of our Fisheries Charitable Trust, Fishing into the Future (FITF), are working alongside industry to design a Commercial Fisheries Social Survey, which will will collect data on health and wellbeing, cultural identity, community, traditions, and values amongst fishers. The survey will be led by the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) at the University of Gloucestershire and is funded by DEFRA. Industry stakeholders will have an opportunity to say what they feel needs to be included in the survey. Fishing into the Future are helping CCRI to directly reach members of the catch sector. This includes online and in-person workshops at fishing ports, held between March and May 2023.

Emma Plotnek, FITF Executive Director said:

“We have many experienced, forward-thinking people on our Trusteeship, so we are very well positioned to play a supporting role to communicate, provide advice and build trust and connections in projects such as this one. In particular, being able to have fishermen from our Board of Trustees facilitating and actively participating in the workshops has been so valuable to the work.

Participants see a member of their local industry vouching for the credibility of this work, and are able to keep the jargon to a minimum helping to bridge gaps in understanding between industry and the researchers, and vice versa.  

When the team at the University of Gloucestershire asked us to be involved in the co-design process, we saw this as a fantastic opportunity to support the advancement of industry, researchers and policymakers towards co-management.  It’s well known that social data is scarce in the fishing industry, so we want to encourage meaningful research that could potentially inform future fisheries management and capture the social situation within the industry and how it changes over time.”

More information on the project can be viewed on the Fishing Porthole Website. If you would like to get involved with the charity you can visit the website, follow them on social media or contact the FITF Executive Director, Emma Plotnek, for more information.

Contact: emma@fitf.co.uk

The Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, in partnership with UK Women in Fisheries, is offering five free places on The Oxford Women’s Leadership Development Programme from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

This 6-week online course offers a space to critically examine, acknowledge, and develop your leadership style and skills within a community of like-minded professionals. The course will help you to gain an understanding of the challenges female leaders face within the workplace and explore the unique strengths that will enable you to lead, negotiate, and influence others. Discover how to analyse and navigate cultural dimensions, and expand your mentorship capabilities in order to empower others to pursue leadership roles. Based on an overarching programme framework of self-acceptance, self-management, and self-development, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to broaden your impact and realise your full potential as a leader.

Applicants for the Fishmonger’ grant do not need to have formal qualifications, but they must have knowledge of and experience within the fishing and seafood sector. Applicants should also express an interest in supporting fisheries management, with preference given to those who currently manage or would like to support the development of fishing associations. The grant forms part of Fishmongers’ ambitions to support the development of fishing and seafood associations that address regional and national opportunities and challenges.

In order to complete the programme, you’ll need a current email account and access to a computer and the internet, as well as a PDF Reader. You may need to view Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and read and create documents in Microsoft Word or Excel.

To apply, please email Alison.Freeman@Fishmongers.org.uk by 26th February 2023.