The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group | Seafish
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The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group

The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group brings people together to discuss and share knowledge on catching sector issues.



The Fisheries Management Innovation Group (FMIG) provides a safe meeting space to discuss the key challenges facing the UK catching sector. The three key areas for discussion are: legislation and regulation, domestic stock assessment issues and how to introduce new technology. 

People take part to keep-up-to-date with the latest developments, to be part of a cross-industry discussion and listen to the issues raised by other parts of the industry. They can also raise their own issues, present new ideas, network with other people or make new contacts. 

The group is led by our industry and we take responsibility for running the FMIG. The Group has every year since 2009. The FMIG brings together people who represent the catching sector, as well as the retail, food service and restaurant industries. Other people who attend are not-for-profit environmental voluntary groups, consumer groups, government, scientists and industry bodies. 

This group was formerly the Discard Action Group (DAG) and was originally set up as a forum for the discussion of industry-wide problems relating to discards.

 FMIG meetings  

There are generally three meetings a year. We currently run a mix of in-person and short online FMIG sessions.  

Next meeting

A new calendar of FMIG events for 2026/2027 is being developed and more information will be shared soon.  

To keep updated, subscribe to our newsletter: 

Recent meetings

Presentations from previous meetings, where we have author consent, are available upon request by emailing: issuesgroups@seafish.co.uk. 

FMIG-in-person, ‘REM in practice – helping to secure a sustainable future for UK fisheries’ (12 February 2026) 

Morning session: Strategic framing and operational lessons to date 

  • Unlocking potential for REM, Mike Dowell, Defra 
  • The operational case in Scotland, Ellen Huis, Scottish Government 
  • The process of adopting REM for Denmark’s fishermen and applying it to mixed fisheries, Jacob Handrup, Danish Fishers PO 
  • UK industry perspective of applying REM in a mixed fishery and lessons learned, David Stephens, Cornish fisherman 

Afternoon session: Smarter science, trust and supply chain buy-in 

  • Reducing bias: the benefits to industry of full fleet coverage, Dr Chris Brown, University of Tasmania 
  • Who owns the data and making the right choices, Elinor Brett, Defra and Rebecca Lamb, Cefas 
  • A ‘voice from the deck’ perspective as an early adopter of REM in the UK and reflections of risks and benefits to industry, Phil Haslam, North Atlantic Fishing Company 
  • Supply chain view of REM and business priorities, Doug Beveridge, Thistle Seafoods 

FMIG ‘Fisheries Improvement Projects: a wholescape view  (15 July 2025)

Morning session: FIP matters 

  • Overview of UK FIPs from the last 10 years. Lewis Tattersall, Seafish 
  • The value of FIPs to the supply chain. Drin Lutchman, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership 
  • Value of FIPs for feed production. Dave Robb, Cargill.
  • The value of FIPs to Fisheries Management Plans and the role of UK governments in supporting FIP success. Martin Underwood, Defra.
  • What FIPs are and what they could do. Alice Chamberlain, WWF. 

Afternoon session: the future of FIPs in the UK and practical advice 

  • Funding FIPs: the future of the Fisheries Improvement Fund. Doug Hull, Finance Earth.
  • Beyond Project UK: What’s next for MSC and Round 3 FIPs? George Clark, Marine Stewardship Council.
  • Insights, challenges and practical advice from the Eastern Central North Sea brown crab FIP. Dave Markham, Markham Asia.
  • Insights, challenges and practical advice from the Nephrops FIP. Adam Holland, NIFPO. 

Presentations from recent FMIG online and in person meetings are available upon request by emailing issuesgroups@seafish.co.uk.

FMIG newsletters

We send regular emails with a round up of stories, research and projects in the seafood industry. Subscribe to receive our updates and meeting details.

Terms of Reference and archive

  • We have archived presentations from past FMIG and DAG meetings. These are available upon request by emailing issuesgroups@seafish.co.uk.

The Terms of Reference for the FMIG are available here:

Contacts

For more information about The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group contact issuesgroups@seafish.co.uk.

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