Tag: UK Fish Trade

26 fishmongers from across the UK were rewarded for their skills, knowledge and passion at the third Master Fishmonger Standard Awards Ceremony, hosted at Fishmongers’ Hall on Monday 25th October.

The ceremony, hosted by comedian Aideen McQueen and opened by Court Member and Chairman of the Fish & Fisheries Committee Nigel Bankes, recognised fishmongers across all levels of the trade, from new entrants to those with decades of experience.

The Master Fishmonger Standard assesses technical skills, knowledge of the fishing trade and sustainability as well has hygiene and customer service to acknowledge those that uphold the highest standard in the fishmonger trade. Entrants are examined by those who have achieved Master status, fostering peer-to-peer learning and the sharing of best practice in the sector.

Stewart McQueen, CEO of the Seafood School at Billingsgate, who manage the Master Fishmonger Standard, with support from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, explained: “It was great to hold the event in person after 2 years and seeing so many awards presented, we look forward to continuing participation in the scheme and recognising the talent in the industry”.

The start of 2021 has proved an exciting time for the Company’s Discover Seafood project, working to promote the consumption of locally caught seafood at a critical time for the UK’s fishing industry, launching a new UK coastal relay and working collaboratively to connect the public with seasonal British seafood. Here, Sophie Fontes, who, as part of an internship with Mindfully Wired Communications, sponsored by our targeted academic sponsorship programme, has been supporting the programme over the last few months, provides an update on its progress and how the internship has developed her knowledge of the UK seafood sector and developed her career opportunities.

Well, three months is already up and a part of me feels like I’ve only just submitted my welcome blog! But if I think back to where I was when I began at Discover Seafood and where I am now, I realise how much we have fitted into a mere three months and how far I have come in regards to my knowledge and understanding of the UK fishing industry.

With the invaluable support and advice from Harriet and Elspeth at Mindfully Wired, and Gavin at The Fishmongers’ Company, I have dived right into the world of Discover Seafood; writing blogs, managing social media, creating graphics, making videos, editing websites, researching ports and so much more.

Before beginning the programme, I considered my knowledge of UK fishing to be quite limited and was eager to learn more. I have been blown away by what I have seen and read, especially by the vast array of seafood we have right here on our doorstep and by the people who work within the industry; their histories, stories and passion for sustainable seafood. In three months, we have seen many more seafood retailers sign up to the map, enabling us to connect customers with local fish suppliers, allowing us to play a small part in supporting independent businesses during what has been a challenging time. I have also found myself frequently using the site for recipe inspiration and to check which species are in season every month, as well as constantly recommending it to family and friends who have been interested to hear where they too can find fresh UK fish.

It has been especially exciting to be part of the project whilst the topic of eating more UK seafood has been so prevalent in the media, with the Prime Minister calling for a campaign to encourage people to eat more fish and the CFPO tackling the public’s perceptions of under-loved UK species. One of my hopes at the start of the internship was to learn more about creative communication strategy which can instigate positive change, so what a perfect case study Discover Seafood has been in the effectiveness of good communications. Through our social media presence, celebrating fishermen’s stories, sharing recipes and (most recently) launching the UK seafood relay, we aimed to harness the increased public interest in UK fish and effectively use the Discover Seafood platform to educate, inspire and incite change.

Being a part of the project has sparked multiple conversations with friends and family and it’s been encouraging to find so many people eager to try more UK seafood, but don’t always know where to start. I have found Discover Seafood to be an absolutely vital educational project and the website an incredibly useful tool for people to use. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the Discover Seafood team and I’m very grateful to Gavin and The Fishmongers’ Fisheries Charitable Trust for the opportunity.

Although my internship with the Fishmonger’s has come to an end, I am thrilled that Mindfully Wired is taking me on for longer to work on their diverse range of projects. One of these is the Discover Seafood UK Relay, which I am especially excited to be working on over the next few months. This is the next step for Discover Seafood, bringing together a diverse range of coastal explorers who are keen to discover local seafood and share stories from the fascinating fishing communities all over the UK. We’ve already had many people signing up to take part in the project and our aim is to have an explorer in every port! If you’d like to become a relay explorer or you’re simply interested in reading more about the project, you can head to it’s homepage here.

The UK Relay is the exciting next step in advancing Discover Seafood’s ongoing work to celebrate the UK seafood industry and the fascinating people behind it. Our goal is to form an inspiring collective of professional and hobbyist creatives who will gather stories from key fishing towns that will be shared on the Discover Seafood website and social media channels. The relay will ultimately foster a greater understanding of local seafood at a point in time when support and recognition of the UK fishing industry is absolutely critical. 

We are on the hunt for passionate journalists, bloggers, photographers and filmmakers, who are keen to use their tale-telling talents to shed light on the ‘faces of fishing’ and ‘undiscovered’ local gems in their area. 

As a Coastal Explorer for the UK Relay you will identify opportunities to attend seaside events, make meaningful connections with members of the community, visit places of interest and (best of all!) try local seafood. Document your experiences through whichever medium you choose. This can be via blog posts, short films, illustrations, photography essays or vlogs. The stories collected by our Coastal Explorers will cover every inch of the UK coastline with tastes, experiences, personal testimonies and local insights.

Whether you’re up on the Isle of Skye or down south in Penzance, we are looking for people who are either passionate about their local patch or have an eye for adventure and a willingness to explore further afield and try something new. 

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What’s in it for you? 

At the end of the year, to celebrate your achievements and to thank you for your work, you’ll have the opportunity to attend a networking event with industry professionals and fellow Coastal Explorers at the Hall, where work from the UK Relay will be presented.

This is an exciting opportunity for individuals to build their creative skills and writing experience, whilst educating and inspiring a new audience of seafood enthusiasts to go out and support the incredible businesses that exist on their doorstep. Volunteer writers and content creators will also be able to reference Discover Seafood and the Fishmongers’ Company on their CV. 

Click here to sign up now.

“Without doubt the grant helped increase sales of fresh fish – therefore having an effect on profitability as well as introducing a new type of affordable and delicious locally caught fish into the marketplace for people to enjoy”

Amanda Pender, Director of Island Fish and RRGP recipient

In March 2020, with the sudden closure of overseas markets and the local restaurant trade, the UK’s fishing and seafood industry was thrown into chaos. Knowing the community we work to support was teetering on the brink, we acted swiftly, working with partners Seafarers UK to launch an emergency fund for fishermen, fishmongers and community groups to diversify and collaborate – to survive the financial pressures of lockdown, and to support some of the most vulnerable in their local communities.

Our independent impact assessment is in, and we can now share key achievements of this initiative, as well as lessons learnt. Key findings include increased business resilience, job retentions, and raised profile of local seafood in local communities. Click here to read the executive summary or here for the full evaluation report.

Island Fish used their grant to purchase new equipment:

The Numbers:

• Supported 121 beneficiaries across all 4 devolved regions of the UK
• Enabled businesses to support jobs – 65% of recipients said that grant supported the employment of at least one individual & 57% said the grant allowed their business to keep staff in employment
• Prevented businesses from closing – 28% of recipients said that the grant kept their business running during lockdown
• Developed resilience in the seafood sector – 82% of recipients said that they aim to continue the elements of the business/project established in response to COVID-19

When recipients were asked about the impact that the Rapid Response Grants had, they listed:

• Retention of jobs
• Creation of new employment
• Increased profits
• Heightened links with local communities
• Increased awareness of locally caught seafood

Lessons Learnt:

At a time when applicants were stretched and stressed, our evaluation reveals that recipients really valued the simple application form and rapid pay out of funds. We also identified that the independent help and support provided by the Fishing Animateurs, who guided anyone who asked for help through the application process, was very much valued by recipients. This provides a clear lesson on the importance of facilitators and guidance when aiming to support communities that don’t have always have a strong background in IT and form filling.

As part of our ongoing engagement and quest to better understand and work to support the seafood industry, the programme also revealed key “future needs”, we will use this new understanding of the sector will help to guide our future charitable initiatives.

Future Needs:

• Promotion of British seafood: customers are willing to pay a premium for locally caught products
• Support for existing distribution networks; and improvements to inland transportation
• Improved practical training opportunities to support apprenticeships
• Access to technical and marketing support for small businesses
• Improvements to waste management across the supply chain

2020 saw the launch of our new Discover Seafood site, working to connect the British public with their local fishing industry, seafood and coastal communities. After a successful launch, 2021 marks the next phase in the project, building up the site’s capacity and launching an exciting UK-wide Seafood Relay. To support these next steps Sophie Fontes has just joined our partner on this project, Mindfully Wired Communications, as an intern through our Fisheries Targeted Academic Sponsorship Programme. Here, Sophie talks us through what 2021 means for Discover Seafood and what the internship means for her future career prospects.

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2021 has already gotten off to a flying start, as I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Mindfully Wired in partnership with The Fishmonger’s Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust.  As part of my new role at Mindfully Wired, I’ll be working on The Fishmongers’ Company’s Discover Seafood project, an exciting interactive online portal helping to connect people with local seafood.

Now more than ever, it’s important to support independent businesses and our local fishing communities, where we can and I’m delighted to be working on a project which provides an exciting new platform for those in the fishing industry, helping them to reach new customers during a challenging time.

The prospect of instigating positive change through creative communications with Mindfully Wired Communications was a huge draw for me. The opportunity to use and build upon my current marketing experience (my background lies in publishing and the travel industry) in order to educate others about local seafood and sustainability sounded like an exciting challenge, with the added bonus of expanding my own knowledge of UK fisheries and marine sustainability. I love cooking and I’m a keen forager, so promoting seasonal and sustainable eating is a subject right up my strasse!

The Discover Seafood site is already a fantastic resource and I look forward to adding to it as much as we can: more local retailers, more stories and more delicious recipes! The most exciting addition in 2021 will be the introduction of the Discover Seafood Relay, which will bring together a diverse range of coastal explorers who are keen to discover local seafood and share stories from the fascinating fishing communities all over the UK. If you have a seafood story please get in touch!

I am only one week into the role but the time is already flying! There is so much work to be done and we’ll be sharing all the goings-on at Discover Seafood over the next few months. In the meantime, if you’re in need for some local fresh fish during lockdown, Discover Seafood has your back: https://discoverseafood.uk/retailers/.

Introducing Discover Seafood, the new interactive portal for all things seafood, designed to help people find, cook and eat local, seasonal catches from across the UK. Having scoured the coast to bring you closer to the seafood on your doorstep, the site allows users to find their local harbour, see which fishmongers are nearby and meet the local fishermen selling fresh fish and shellfish by the quayside.

In 2014, the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust launched Fish on Friday,a seafood blog celebrating British seafood and those who catch it. Now, six years later, building on the fantastic stories, recipes and diverse seafood community featured on the Fish on Friday website, the Trust has created Discover Seafood. This interactive, UK-wide map connects the public seamlessly to local fishermen, fishmongers, seasonal and sustainable species, ports and other seafood businesses.

Guiding users around the UK’s ports, the site features the fishermen and fishmongers who bring fresh, locally-caught seafood to our plates. Retailers can add their business and provide all the information customers need, right down to updates on what is in stock that day.

Having enabled users to find where to buy their seafood and knowing exactly what to ask for to make sure they are eating the most sustainable seafood on offer, Discover Seafood also provides countless recipes and guides to make sure people know exactly how to cook and prepare the delicious produce.

As well as an abundance of information about the diverse seafood you can find across the UK coast, the map also includes a huge selection of stories straight from the seafood community. The story archive is a treasure trove of tales, touching on heritage, seafood guides, personal accounts from fishermen and more. Meet the folk who catch and cook your seafood and be inspired to try something new.