Steering Groups
Each FIP has a dedicated Steering Group representing stakeholders with a vested interest in the fishery’s performance.
An independent consultant works with the group to develop and deliver the FIP Action Plan, which aims to enable the fishery to reach the best practice level that would meet the MSC Fisheries Standard.
Together, these stakeholders work collaboratively to inform, support and contribute to the success of the FIP, taking a direct role in the implementation of FIP Action Plans. Several FIPs are now chaired by Steering Group members, with the aim that as the FIPs progress, more industry members will move into the chair role; others are chaired by the Secretariat. Details of each Steering Group can be found on its associated FIP page.
Independent Consultants
Consultants provide independent technical expertise on the FIP Action Plans. They play a critically important role in reviewing information and data, providing advice and guidance, and corroborating evidence gathered by other Steering Group members for each FIP. The consultants undertake an annual review of each FIP, to review the Steering Groups’ progress against the Action Plan. This is measured using the MSC benchmarking and tracking tool, and the reports are publicly available.
Industry and Producer Organisations
The catching sector is represented through Producer Organisations, who attend meetings on behalf of their constituent members and provide industry insight and hands-on knowledge. Their priority is to ensure that the Action Plans are feasible for implementation on the ground, and that sustainable improvements include socio-economic considerations.
Retailers and Supply Chain
Steering group participants include businesses from across the seafood supply chain, from processors and distributors to retail. As well as contributing to actions, many also fund Project UK and are keen to promote sustainably sourced seafood in their supply chains.
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
Environmental NGOs participate in the FIP Steering Groups to ensure that environmental impacts are adequately considered. They represent conservation interests with a view to ensuring that fishing activities have a reduced impact on marine habitats and non-target species. In Project UK FIPs NGOs have led on, or provided input to, actions related to endangered, threatened, and protected species interactions, and habitat and ecosystem impacts.
Academic Institutions
Academic institutions provide technical support to FIPs through scientific research, data collection, and analysis in support of the FIP Action Plans. Several Project UK FIPs have been supported with research from MSc students and post-doc studies at universities around the UK, and such research projects help gather evidence needed for Steering Groups to assess the environmental impacts of the fishery.
Policy Makers
Government representatives are responsible for national policies relating to the marine environment, as are officials from the corresponding executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. These stakeholders vary in size and responsibility, ranging from national bodies to regional authorities. Several policy-making organisations sit in Steering Groups as observers, while others have considerable research and reporting capacities, and are commissioned by Project UK to undertake studies, for example on catch composition.
Photos by ©Nina Constable (Images 1, 3 & 7) and ©Seafish (Images 2 & 4-6) and