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The Sea Fish Industry Authority (or Seafish) is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Established in 1981, and charged with working with the UK seafood industry to promote good quality, sustainable seafood. Seafish revised its mission in 2018.

History

Seafish was established in the United Kingdom under the Fisheries Act 1981 through the amalgamation of the Herring Industry Board (founded in 1934) and the White Fish Authority (founded in 1951).

Seafish has its administrative base in the Scottish city of Edinburgh and has its research and development base in Grimsby, the UK's main base for the fishing industry and frozen food. The organisation in Grimsby moved into the new Humber Seafood Institute, run by the Grimsby Institute, in July 2008. It was formerly based on St Andrews Dock in Hull.

Seafish carries out research and projects aimed at raising standards, improving efficiency and ensuring the sustainable development of the industry. As well as supplying training and R&D, Seafish operates accreditation schemes for fish and chip shops, fishermen, wholesalers and processors. Seafish has an economics team which collects, interprets and disseminates data about various UK seafood sectors.

Funding

Seafish is sponsored by the fisheries departments of the four UK governments and is funded by a levy across all sectors of the fisheries and seafood industry. This levy is due on all first-hand purchases of sea fish, shellfish, and sea fish products including fish meal landed in the United Kingdom. This includes imports, which make up more than 75% of UK seafood consumption, as well as the domestic catch landed in the UK, the majority of which is exported.

Seafish services

Economics

Seafish is a source of economic information for industry and policy makers on the fishing, supply and processing industries conducting surveys and analyses of the UK fleet and processing sectors, including trends in costs and earnings and economics impact multipliers. The Economics department also produces strategic analyses such as the 'Seafood Strategic Outlook' and fleet futures modelling.

Research and development

Seafish carried out research and projects to improve efficiency and seafood quality and obtain best value for money for the UK seafood industry. The 16-strong team is based around the UK.

A number of research and development projects are funded through the Seafish Industry Project Fund. During 2006 and 2007, over £2.5 million has been invested in 47 projects which have funded research and development partnership projects, grant assistance for innovative ideas and bursaries for students.

Seafood Information Network (SIN)

Seafish has created SIN, an information portal for the global seafood industry. SIN is an internet-based data source for business, researchers and service providers.

Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme

The Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme is a BSi Publicly Available Specification (PAS 72:2006) awarded to individual vessels for vessel operations and traceability in the sea fishing industry. It specifies requirements relating to fishing practices, vessel criteria, crew competence, environmental considerations and record maintenance. It is applicable to the supply chain from the fisherman to the point of first sale. In late 2009 around 500 vessels are involved in the scheme with 325 vessels fully certified covering about 70% of UK landings by weight. The scheme is independently audited by UKAS approved auditors.

Notes

1. Marcus, Coleman. "Corporate Plan". Seafish. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
2. "EIGHT MEN—THE HERRING INDUSTRY'S FATE IN THEIR HANDS". Hull Daily Mail. 8 March 1935. Retrieved 18 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "White Fish Authority". Aberdeen Evening Express. 13 February 1951. Retrieved 18 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. Hansard, 12 January 1981, column 824. The Minister was Mr Alick Buchanan-Smith. "Scottish Executive website"

External links

• Seafish website
• The stealth tax that says to hell with North Sea cod stocks

v t e Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Headquarters: Nobel House, Smith Square
Ministers	Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister of State for Food, Farming and the Environment Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs
Non-ministerial	The Water Services Regulation Authority Forestry Commission
Executive agencies	Animal and Plant Health Agency Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Rural Payments Agency Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Non-departmental public bodies	Executive Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Consumer Council for Water Environment Agency Joint Nature Conservation Committee Marine Management Organisation National Forest Company Natural England Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Sea Fish Industry Authority Advisory Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel Science Advisory Council Veterinary Products Committee Tribunal Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
Other	Broads Authority Covent Garden Market Authority Dartmoor National Park Authority Drinking Water Inspectorate Exmoor National Park Authority Lake District National Park Authority New Forest National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Authority Northumberland National Park Authority Peak District National Park Authority South Downs National Park Authority UK Co-ordinating Body Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Fishing in the United Kingdom
• Fishing trade associations
• Fisheries and aquaculture research institutes
• Organisations based in Edinburgh
• Organisations based in Lincolnshire
• Fishing in Grimsby
• Organizations established in 1981
• Non-departmental public bodies of the United Kingdom government
• Fishing in Scotland
• 1981 establishments in the United Kingdom