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Commercial Fishing

NEW CORE VALUES AIMS TO SHAPE COLLABORATIVE UK FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

New Core Values Aims To Shape Collaborative UK Fisheries Management

Fishing into the Future (FITF) has set out a series of guiding principles for effective collaboration between fishermen and policymakers. The fishermen-led charity launched their ‘Core Values for Working Together Effectively’ describing it as a crucial missing piece in building a new fisheries management system based on co-management—where the fishing industry actively participates in decisions that shape how the sector is managed.

The UK fishing industry has been undergoing seismic changes since the country’s withdrawal from the European Union in 2020. The Joint Fisheries Statement – authored by the previous government in consultation with the industry – referred to a ‘movement toward co-management’, signalling the end of the top-down approach to decision-making advocated by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.

Fishing into the Future’s Executive Director, Emma Plotnek, who edited the Core Values guidance explains how it seeks to place a new system, rooted in co-management, on steadier foundations:

“Over the past few decades, there’s been an erosion of trust between those making the decisions and the fishermen who are impacted by them, exacerbated by major challenges in the industry. Co-management has the potential to be a promising step forward, allowing fishermen to contribute to decisions and it is hoped that new management measures co-designed with industry will lead to greater buy-in.”

“But in practice, there is an obstacle to overcome in setting the foundations for fishermen and policymakers to collaborate – a dynamic untested before in UK fisheries management.

“The Core Values guidance provides a blueprint for building trust, understanding and robust processes for working together, that most importantly comes directly from fishermen’s ideas and suggestions. We believe that taking these industry ideas onboard will provide a greater chance of success for co-management.”

The guidance was developed through authentic conversations that took place between fishermen and industry representatives, fisheries managers, researchers and other stakeholders at Fishing into the Future’s Fisheries Resource Education Programme (F-REP), a series of hands-on, three-day residential events in which those involved with the industry come together to build connections and share their expertise with one another. There have been two events so far in the South of England in November 2023 and the East of England in March 2024, with more planned for 2025 across other parts of the UK.

As part of these events, attendees split into breakout groups, offering their unique perspectives on ways of working together, which were later refined into the Core Values. David Stevens, Chair of FITF and skipper of the Crystal Sea fishing vessel based in Newlyn, Cornwall, was at the first F-REP event and explains the significance of the Core Values being framed from discussions there:

“The approach to creating the Core Values provides it with enormous credibility. There may have been concerns from people in our industry if it had been authored without the first-hand views of fishermen represented.

“By making sure our views were fed in, we’ve ended up with values that speak to the needs and realities of fishermen. From encouraging communication on the platforms fishermen use, and organising meetings at times and days that suit those of us who spend a lot of time at sea, to placing more trust in fishermen’s expertise and respecting the role we play in providing food security.”

“This not only helps us to get buy-in from the industry, but it means we can go to the government and devolved authorities and say ‘here’s a readymade strategy, backed by people in the industry, scientists and managers, for how to set up these new management systems’ – you wouldn’t be able to start from a much better place.”

The Core Values summarise eight key talking points from the discussions at F-REP. These include trust and open communication, simple, dependable and responsive systems for working together, evidence-based decision-making and a wider understanding of sustainability that also prioritises both social and economic factors in building resilient fishing communities over the long term.

Mike Roach from the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), who attended both events and supported group facilitation during these sessions, emphasised the importance of the Core Values in shaping future UK fisheries policy:

“The fishing industry is being asked to engage on a wide range of issues at a scale that has never been seen before. This guidance is a powerful reflection of what the fishing industry has long been advocating for—a collaborative, bottom-up approach to making decisions. It’s not just a vision; it’s a practical roadmap informed by the fishermen who are directly affected.

“By bringing together a cross-section of the industry, from small-scale operators to larger fleets, and incorporating diverse perspectives, the Core Values offer a robust foundation for co-management that can be applied across the industry. They provide a clear pathway for developing new fisheries management systems that are informed, inclusive, and make use of the wealth of experience and expertise held by the industry.”

The Core Values guidance can be found in full at FITF’s Fishing Porthole website.