UK Seafood Fund – Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) (Part B - Procurement)

Enhanced data collection is required to ensure UK fisheries policy, management and negotiation decisions are based on the best possible science and evidence. There are challenges around implementing the sustainable management of stocks; some of these are data limited stocks and species which have complex life-histories that affect our ability to assess their status. Contracts awarded under this Lot will be expected to address key data and knowledge gaps to develop monitoring, assessment and management approaches, particularly for data-limited stocks. These aspects form a key component of the Fisheries Management Plans that will guide our future management of fisheries. These types of projects would include: Stock assessments and understanding life history parameters such as growth and maturity. Establishing sustainable harvest limits for data poor stocks, including appropriate metrics. Ecological processes such as predator-prey relationships. Stock definition. Rates of discards and impact of selectivity measures. Projects on data-limited stocks and non-quota species are particularly encouraged. This includes, but is not limited to, deep sea stocks, cuttlefish, squid, skates, rays, shellfish and other data poor species. Improved data could lead to increased opportunities for the UK fishing industry and seafood sector by supporting operational flexibility and, by supporting improvements in traceability (tracking seafood supply chains and limiting mislabelling of products by location or species), to demonstrating environmental credentials and provide improved market access.

Mixed fisheries & selectivity (Lot 2): The main UK fisheries catch a mix of commercial species and stocks. A key challenge remains in exploiting the fishing opportunities from healthy commercial stocks whilst simultaneously protecting vulnerable stocks and other protected marine species and habitats. There is a need to identify and develop new technical measures in selectivity that significantly reduce environmental impacts, bycatches and discards whilst maintaining fishing opportunities within advised limits. The UK remains fully committed to ending the wasteful discarding of fish and minimising catches of sensitive and protected marine species. This FISP lot will fund data collection and research on measures, methods and gear which aim to address these challenges, to support policy and decisions on future fisheries management measure. Proposals for projects under this section should focus on collecting data on: Discards and bycatch that would support the development and implementation of a UK catch and discards policy; Ecosystem impacts of fishing practices/gear to achieve the environmental objectives of the Fisheries Act; Marine litter and ghost gear. Gear modifications to achieve reduced environmental impact or less damaging fishing gear innovations Improved data could lead to increased opportunities for the UK fishing and seafood industry by supporting operational improvements in sustainable catching, and including reducing discards, demonstrating and better evidencing environmental practices which reduce the damage to the marine environment and help to improve fishing opportunities

This area of funding is specifically for research into aquaculture. This area of funding will be focussed on improving our understanding of the ecosystem benefits of aquaculture, for example aquaculture as a nature-based solution to ecological contaminants and improving our understanding of how the environmental impacts of existing aquaculture systems can be minimised. Proposals for funding under this section should focus on research in the following areas: Understanding the ecosystem benefits of aquaculture e.g. seaweed, bivalves, integrated multi-trophic; Practical proposals of aquaculture as a nature-based solution and the identification of areas that could benefit from this. Minimising the environmental impacts of existing aquaculture systems, including escapees; disease & parasite management; recirculation, control and reduction of discharges. Ecological impacts and benefits of seaweed farming, offshore aquaculture, and recirculation to generate additional evidence on ecological impacts and benefits. Improved data and knowledge could lead to increased opportunities for the aquaculture sector by supporting the development of fish farming as a nature-based solution towards sustainable fisheries management. Minimising environmental impacts and increasing our understanding of the ecosystem benefits of aquaculture will increase the accessibility of seafood whilst sustainably using marine resources towards the development of healthy stocks.