A consultation for the seafood industry on the future direction of Seafish, the public body that supports the seafood industry in the UK, closes this week. Businesses and individuals in the seafood industry have until midnight on Friday 20th August to complete the online survey seeking views on Seafish as part of a strategic review.
The link to the survey is Seafish Strategic Review: Stakeholder Survey (alchemer.com)
The strategic review is asking how Seafish can best serve the seafood sector in the UK and how it can be funded.
Seafish was set up in its current form in 1981. The levy funded body has adapted its work over the last 40 years to respond to the needs of the seafood sector. However, the levy system was last updated in 1999.
The survey, which has been open since 12th July, asks:
- What work should Seafish do more of or less of to help the industry to thrive?
- What changes can be made to the levy to ensure it is equitable for the industry and ensures Seafish is funded to help it deliver for the industry in the future?
As a public body, Seafish must carry out strategic reviews from time to time. The review started with the four fisheries administrations in late 2020. Seafish recently held a series of workshops with key representatives from across the seafood supply chain in the UK to discuss the same questions in the survey.
The responses from all three parts of the consultation will be drawn together and a report with recommendations submitted to the Government by the Seafish board at the end of the year.
Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive at Seafish, said: “This strategic review is about trying to strengthen our offering and ensure we are doing what the industry need us to do. However, we are working within a levy system from the last century which doesn’t reflect the seafood industry today. If the industry and government want us to do more then we need to look at how we make that happen.
“The industry consultation is a vital part of this review. We’d urge anyone with an interest in the UK seafood industry and the work that we do to complete the survey before Friday. Don’t miss your chance to shape our future.”
Seafish is working with the UK’s four governments to ensure that the strategic review process is fair and transparent. A Strategic Review Steering Group, including Seafish and all four government administrations, is overseeing the process and ensuring the strategic review fulfils the Government’s needs for a review of a public body.
The link to the survey is Seafish Strategic Review: Stakeholder Survey (alchemer.com) For more information on the strategic review, visit Seafish strategic review — Seafish.