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| Exemplar sustainable fishery - MSC Cornish Sardines - current annual take, just 3% of the total stock. |
Summary of the paper:
The paper discusses the societal and national benefits derived from sustainable fisheries in the UK, emphasizing the necessity to reconceptualize fisheries governance under the UK's Fisheries Act 2020. It argues for a "full-spectrum" vision that balances environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and social justice to ensure fisheries contribute maximally to national well-being.
Key points include:
- The need to clearly articulate and evidence the broad range of societal benefits provided by sustainable fisheries, going beyond just fish stock management to include social, economic, and cultural dimensions,,.
- Recognition that the fishing fleet is in decline across the UK, with some sectors (especially small-scale vessels under 10 meters) and regions disproportionately affected, which threatens the benefits fisheries provide,.
- The call for a governance approach that "leaves no one behind," focusing on inclusion and support for those most vulnerable within fishing communities by understanding varying sensitivities and vulnerabilities not solely related to vessel size,.
- Emphasis on local and regional engagement in policymaking as a vital way to tailor interventions to diverse community needs and avoid uniform policies that do not account for local socio-economic conditions.
The paper also highlights growing public awareness and consensus on the importance of protecting sustainable fishing fleets as a public good, which should be leveraged to advocate for unified government action.
In conclusion, the authors call for urgent and committed action by government, industry, and science to halt the decline of the fishing fleet to preserve both the tangible and intangible benefits of fisheries for current and future generations,.
The Eight National Benefits of Sustainable Fisheries:
The paper conceptualizes eight ‘National Benefits’ which collectively represent a public good arising from sustainable fisheries. While the document does not list them as a numbered bullet list, it distills these benefits as follows:
- Coastal Economy Benefits: Sustainable fisheries support local employment both on boats and auxiliary industries like processing, repair, sales, and tourism, contributing to regional wealth across rural and urban settings.
- Public Accessibility & Quality of Benefits: The importance of fish landing sites accessible to the public, where people can directly engage with fishers and purchase fresh fish, thereby distributing benefits socially and culturally.
- Social and Cultural Well-being: Maintenance of cultural continuity, local traditions, and community identity connected to fishing livelihoods.
- Environmental Sustainability Benefits: Ensuring fishing respects marine habitats and fish stocks, maintaining long-term ecosystem health.
- Livelihoods and Inclusion: Sustaining viable livelihoods for those dependent on fishing, ensuring no one is disproportionately disadvantaged,.
- Diversity in Fishing Fleet: A diverse fleet comprising small, medium, and large vessels employing various gears is critical for balanced delivery of economic and social benefits.
- Resilience and Adaptation: Capacity of fisheries to adapt to changing conditions to avoid irreversible decline or crisis.
- National Food Security and Well-being: Contribution to food supply and public health through providing sustainable seafood.
How Decline of Fishing Fleets Threatens These Benefits:
The paper documents a clear and widespread decline in fishing fleet size across almost all UK regions, with the greatest losses in smaller vessels (<10 m), which typically represent small-scale fisheries,. This decrease leads to reduced employment time in fishing, losses of boats actively working, and weakening of local economies and cultures tied to fishing,.
Unequal regional impacts exacerbate vulnerabilities for specific communities, potentially accelerating social and economic exclusion. The paper highlights:
- Decline directly diminishes coastal employment and ancillary economic activities that rely on fishing,.
- Loss of public access to fisheries and fish landing sites, which undermines social and cultural connections and public engagement with fishing.
- Reduction in fleet diversity, which is necessary to balance economic and social benefits and ensure resilience.
- If unaddressed, the decline risks permanent loss of fishing communities and the benefits they provide,.
The authors urge targeted research and policy engagement to understand and address differential vulnerabilities within fishing fleets beyond a simplistic focus on vessel size, considering local context and broader social dynamics,.
Recruitment and Vulnerability of Fishing Communities:
The paper explicitly discusses the need to recognize those disproportionately burdened within the fleet, which relates directly to recruitment issues: attracting and sustaining new fishers is critical to maintaining viable fishing livelihoods and fleet diversity,. It stresses that vulnerability is complex and not solely determined by vessel size, meaning that recruitment challenges may similarly be distributed unevenly.
An all-inclusive interpretation of "leaving no one behind" involves championing regions and groups with declining recruitment and increasing exit from the sector, to prevent further erosion of fishing activity,. Local ownership and decision-making, supported by coherent social science research, are needed to understand recruitment dynamics and support fishers facing disproportionate challenges.
In summary:
- Sustainable fisheries deliver multiple and diverse national benefits vital to social, economic, cultural, and environmental well-being.
- The UK fishing fleet is declining, risking loss of these benefits, with small-scale sectors and certain regions particularly vulnerable.
- Addressing this requires inclusive governance that tackles vulnerabilities holistically, including recruitment challenges, through locally contextualized policies aligned with "leaving no one behind."
- Coordination among government, industry, and society is urgent to maintain and enhance the national benefits sustainable fisheries offer.
Recognising and Protecting the National Benefit of Sustainable Fisheries in the UK: A Call to Action
Sustainable fisheries in the UK are about much more than just fish stocks. They are vital to coastal economies, cultural identity, local livelihoods, public access, and our national food security. Yet, as recent analysis reveals, the UK fishing fleet is in widespread decline, notably within small-scale sectors and certain regions—a trend that threatens to erode these essential benefits.
The UK’s Fisheries Act 2020 lays down a national benefit objective, but what exactly does that mean? This paper presents eight clear “National Benefits” that all well-managed sustainable fisheries should deliver across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. These include supporting local jobs both at sea and onshore; maintaining public access to fish and fishing culture; safeguarding coastal community resilience; promoting environmentally responsible fishing; and ensuring fisheries contribute to a secure, sustainable food supply.
But these benefits are at risk. Data show shrinking fleet numbers, particularly vessels under 10 meters that often sustain small-scale, local fishing. This gradual loss not only diminishes employment opportunities but also impacts cultural continuity, social networks, and the resilience of coastal places. Public engagement with fishing is also jeopardized, as smaller fish landing sites fade away or become less accessible.
A critical point is that vulnerability varies widely. Size alone doesn’t define who is most at risk—regional differences, social fabric, and community dynamics all matter. The paper cautions that fisheries governance must adopt a “leave no one behind” approach, focusing on inclusion and fairness. Recruitment into fishing, a key concern for the future viability of the fleet, must be part of this conversation, highlighting the need for policies that support new and existing fishers alike.
There is growing public awareness and support for protecting the sustainable fishing fleet. Now, coordinated and decisive action from government, industry, and communities is urgent. Without it, valuable national benefits may be lost—likely forever.
The takeaway? Sustainable fisheries are a public good that deserve greater recognition, protection, and promotion if the UK is to secure the broad societal benefits they provide for generations to come.
