The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group

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, 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 met twice a 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.

There are generally two meetings a year. The presentations and minutes from the most recent meetings are below. Presentations and minutes from previous meetings are available from Karen Green.

We are running a mix of in person meetings and shorter online bite-size FMIG sessions at the moment.

Next meeting

The next online bite-size session is on Tuesday 23 January 2024. This session will run from 2pm to 3.30pm GMT. Our topic is Decarbonisation of UK fishing fleets.

Previous two meetings

FMIG in person meeting. UK fishing industry response to external pressures (5 October 2023). See the presentations from this meeting.

Trawling for the truth. This covered different views and perspectives on current fishing practices.

Transparency and technology to support sustainable fisheries management. Leah Buckley, Global Fishing Watch.
Evaluating the sustainability and environmental impacts of trawling compared to other food production systems. Mike Kaiser, Chief Scientist, Heriot-Watt University. See also the video of this presentation.
The case for spatial management in Scotland's inshore waters. Alastair Philp, Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation.
Shetland Fishermen Fishy Falsehoods papers. Dr Ian Napier, Senior Fisheries Policy, UHI Shetland.

The future for marine protection - current protection and priorities for the future. This looked at aligning marine protection and net gain with offshore industry growth, and balancing infrastructure and spatial needs with environmental protection.

EMFF impact evaluation linked to external pressures and priorities for future funding. Rod Cappell, Poseidon.
IFCAs statutory role in protecting marine ecosystems. Robert Clark, Chief Officer, Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities.
The management, creation and protection of blue carbon habitats. Graham Underwood, Professor of Marine and Freshwater Biology, University of Essex/UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership (UKBCEP).
Benthic Protected Areas - an industry-led New Zealand initiative to proactively protect marine areas from bottom trawling. Geoff Tingley, Gingerfish Ltd.
Preview of forthcoming Defra report ‘Adaptations to Offshore Wind Farms and Fishing Methods to Enable Co-location’. Suzannah Walmsley, ABPmer.

FMIG in person meeting. Fisheries data and REM (15 March 2023). This meeting look at the scientific and management benefits of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) and how it is currently being used. It also explored how we can use REM, as well as advancements in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to modernise the way in which we collect and manage fisheries data to enhance our scientific capability and knowledge. See the presentations from this meeting:

How REM is being used now

The Government and legislative position. Colin Faulkner, External Fisheries Negotiations & Trade Policy, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Devon and Severn IFCA REM project. Mat Mander, Deputy Chief Officer, Devon and Severn IFCA.
The picture in Scotland. David Hill and Lauren Clayton, Marine Scotland.
REM successes in the last 10 years - relationship building between industry science and fisheries management. David Stevens, Crystal Seas.

Future opportunities for REM

The EveryFish project. John Reidar Mathiassen, SINTEF, Norway.
Artificial intelligence – species recognition and other applications. Rebecca Skirrow, Cefas.
REM technology and advice. Jason Bryan, Archipelago Marine Research Ltd.
Defra’s vision for REM and upcoming consultation. Elinor Brett and Imogen Cessford, Defra.

FMIG meeting notes

Notes and minutes from recent FMIG bite-size and in person meetings can be viewed by following the links below.

FMIG monthly newsletters

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

Terms of Reference and archive

We have archived presentations from previous FMIG and DAG meetings. These are available from Karen Green.
View the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the group (March 2019).

Contacts

For more information about The Fisheries Management and Innovation Group contact
Karen Green.