Who we are

Who we are 

Seafish is a non-departmental public body supporting the UK seafood industry across the entire supply chain; from catching and farming to processing, distribution and retail. 

We work with fishing vessels and their crew, seafood processing businesses, aquaculture producers, and restaurants and fishmongers reliant on the industry and the top-quality seafood we fish, farm and process. 

Our unique, non-competitive position means we work in partnership with both industry and government to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Established under the Fisheries Act 1981, our sponsor is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). We also work with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved administrations.  

We have around 80 staff with a range of knowledge and expertise. We have offices in Edinburgh and Grimsby and homebased staff working across the UK.  

We are led by our Executive Team and our work and is overseen by the Seafish Board. 

What we do 

Every five years we consult with industry representatives to understand their priorities and gather input on where we should focus our efforts for the years ahead. The results of this consultation directly shape our strategic direction, priorities and ambitions. 

We're currently delivering on the priorities set out in our 2023–2028 Corporate Plan.  

• Ensuring a safe and skilled workforce: We help businesses attract workers, improve safety, and deliver practical training across the supply chain. 
• Facilitating and promoting international trade: We support seafood businesses to access global markets by reducing trade barriers, promoting UK products, and providing market insight. 
• Responding to the climate change emergency: We guide the sector on cutting emissions and adapting to climate impacts with tools, data, and research. 
• Improving fisheries management: We support co-management and science-based policies to help deliver sustainable, well-regulated fisheries. 
• Enabling supply chain resilience: We help businesses adapt to change and manage emerging issues through insight, collaboration, and guidance. 
• Improving data, insight, and innovation: We deliver trusted data and in-depth analysis to help industry make informed decisions and plan for the future. 
• Championing industry reputation: We promote the value of UK seafood, monitor reputational risks, and provide trusted content on key issues. 

Our Corporate Plan sets out Seafish’s long-term priorities and strategic ambitions for the UK seafood sector over a five-year period. 

Our Annual Plan outlines what we’ll deliver each year to make progress against those priorities and measure our impact. 

How we are funded 

Most of our funding comes from a levy on the first sale of seafood products in the UK, including imports. This levy helps us deliver services across the entire seafood supply chain.  

You can find out who pays the levy, which products are included, and how it is paid on our Seafish levy page.  

We also secure additional funding for specific projects through UK fisheries funding schemes.  

Following consultation with industry, we’ve proposed changes to the levy system, the first since 1999. The proposal is currently with Ministers for decision. These updates will ensure we can better support the industry’s needs. Learn more on our Seafish levy review page

Our impact  

Watch the video below to see some highlights from what we’ve achieved by working with industry and partners over the last year.  

To learn the full story of how we’re supporting a thriving UK seafood sector, explore our 2024/2025 achievements page.  

Governance structure

As a non-departmental government body (NDPB), we have a robust governance structure in place. This ensures we deliver our work efficiently and that we manage our finances in line with public body spending. More importantly, it ensures the work that we deliver is right for the seafood industry in the UK to support it to thrive. 

Reports and accounts 

We publish annual reports and accounts each year in line with the requirements from the Cabinet Office. These are laid before parliament between September and January each year. We publish the reports following approval. 

You can also click here to download a large print version of this document.