Our achievements

Below we have listed some of our key achievements in recent years, achievements which we will add to in the years ahead.

Information -  support for business decisions

• We answer enquiries from industry, consumers and the media - over 1,500 general enquiries in the past 12 months
• In the past six years our Industry Project Fund has funded over 60 projects with a total value in excess of £3,500,000.

Market information 

• We publish over 240 market reports each year
• We are on track to deliver over £1.5m of 'benefit in kind' information to industry in 2011.

Safety - creating a safer working environment at sea

• 3,000 fishermen have now attended voluntary (EFF-funded) training towards the Seafish Under 16.5m Skipper's certificate.
• We delivered 34% more training places for fishermen in the six months to March 2011 than during same period in 2009/2010.
• We have 1,700 subscribers to our online learning platform

Environment - protecting the environment at sea and on land

• Discard Action Group (DAG) is a cross-industry forum mediating a common response to discard issues and help accelerate measures to help reduce discards.
• Aquaculture Common Issues Group (ACIG) Draws interested parties together to develop consensus positions on important issues affecting the aquaculture industry.
• The Responsible Fishing Scheme  -  an independently-audited scheme guaranteeing standards of care for catch, crew training and environmental management, actively involving over 600 UK registered vessels.

Training for fishermen:

• Seafish completes on average 8-10 courses each year, benefiting around 100 fishermen.

Understanding, interpreting and responding to legislation

• Technical input into developing Regulation
  We work with government authorities to input technical seafood knowledge to assist in drafting guidance and negotiations in Commission working groups.
• Drafting technical guidance
  We use our knowledge both of seafood regulation and the seafood industry to draft practical guidance.
• Legal input into Industry groups
  We assist industry groups working within the EU and attend various groups to represent the UK industry
• Horizon scanning
  We monitor sources of information to make industry aware of issues as soon as possible and to protect industry's interests.
• Membership and co operation with other groups
  We work with other trade bodies to share information and support in negotiations. This includes food industry groups, food importers groups and European groups.
• Marine Environmental Legislation Expert Group (MELEG)  facilitates discussion between Defra/devolved administrations and industry over policy and guidance emanating from The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Standards - quality and efficiency standards

• SALSA/BRC In conjunction with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the Safe and Local Supplier Approval scheme provides companies with greater control over the quality and health and safety accreditation of their suppliers. Seafish has to date supported over 100 seafood businesses wishing to achieve certification.
• Illegal Fishing - Working in partnership with the Food and Drink Federation and leading retailers, Seafish has created new guidelines to combat illegal fishing in the UK and elsewhere.

Promote, Protect, Inform

• Informing Public Debate - Seafish continues to represent the industry as the authority on seafood in the public debate about the marine environment.
• Common Language Group (CLG) helps develop industry consensus on a range of important issues affecting the seafood supply chain and is a forum for all sectors of the industry to engage in constructive dialogue.
• Seafish Responsible Sourcing Guides provide fish and seafood buyers with objective information on stock status and now cover 32 species
• National Fish & Chip Awards - a self-funding competition designed to raise standards and improve practice in the frying sector, as well as boosting media coverage.

Training 

• We have devised a suite of training materials relevant to all sectors of the industry.
• Seafood Training Academy  aims to raise standards of training and promote learning and development in the seafood industry, offering a range of specific training programmes
• Marine Services  we certify around 200 vessels a year, ensuring proper implementation of standards and providing major financial benefit to the industry at no cost to our levy payers.