Nephrops
Project UK initiated the Nephrops Fishery Improvement Project in 2019 because of its importance to the UK economy, and because of a drive from the supply chain to support environmental improvements. The FIP is geographically complex, aiming to cover all UK vessels fishing for Nephrops, by both creeling and trawling, in the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland.
Updates
The pre-assessment at the beginning of the FIP, which pinpointed areas for improvement, identified 11 key actions to underpin the ambitious Action Plan for the following five years. Over 100 Steering Group members contributed their time and expertise over the five years of this project, representing 66 UK and EU businesses and organisations.
Since the FIP began, significant efforts have been undertaken through the Steering Group to better understand this complex fishery and the different sustainability challenges the FIP must overcome. Research commissioned by the FIP included a two-year post-doctoral thesis, funded by Project UK, which explored the impact of Nephrops trawling on different seabed habitats around the UK.
Regional Management Groups were formed to enable fishing industry members to discuss management at a regional level. Bespoke identification guides were created to help skippers identify ETP species, to support better recording of interactions with these species to help understand the impact of the fishery. While significant progress has been made during this FIP, many actions remain, and the Steering Group have committed to continuous improvements and intend to apply to the 'In-Transition to MSC' program in 2024.
Units of Assessment (UoA) within the Nephrops fishery
Next Steps
Following five years of work, the Project UK chapter of the Nephrops Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) has now finished. Significant progress has been made during this time, but considerable actions are still to be achieved. Recently, following several years of legislative uncertainty, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering two FMPs which cover the Nephrops fisheries in the UK. These management plans will be the roadmap for the sustainable future of these fisheries.
Further information on the next chapter for the Nephrops FIP can be found on the Seafish website.
The Nephrops FIP is supported by dedicated experts representing a range of stakeholder organisations.
Participants
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) • Anglo North Irish Fish Producers Organisation (ANIFPO) • Associated Seafoods Ltd. • Centre for Environmental & Fisheries Science (Cefas) • Co-op • Communities Inshore Fisheries Alliance • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) • Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) • Hilton Seafoods • Isle of Man Government • Lidl • Macduff Shellfish • Marine Scotland • Marine Scotland Science • Marks and Spencer • Morrisons • NatureScot • Northern Ireland Fish Producers Organisation Ltd. • Northern Ireland Gear Trials • Poseidon • Sainsbury’s • Scot LINK • Scottish Fishermen's Federation • Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation • Seafish • Scottish Seafood Association • Scottish White Fish Producers Association • Tesco • Ulster Wildlife Trust • Waitrose • Whitby Seafoods • WWF • Young’s Seafood
Research and Outputs
FIP Steering Group Meeting Minutes
2023
12/10/2023
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting
30/05/2023
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting
16/01/2023
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting
2022
23/02/2022
Minutes: Steering Group P2
24/02/2022
Minutes: Steering Group P1 & P3
14/07/2022
Minutes: Steering Group
17/11/2022
Minutes: Environmental Subgroup
2021
09/03/2021
Minutes: Nephrops SICA.
20/04/2021
Minutes: Principle 1 and 3.
28/04/2021
Minutes: Principle 2.
02/09/2021
Minutes: Principle 2.
16/09/2021
Minutes: Principle 1 and 3.
2020
06/05/2020
Minutes: Round 2 Environmental Focus Group.
19/05/2020
Minutes: Round 2 Management Sub-Group.
25/08/2020
Minutes: Nephrops Habitats
19/10/2020
Minutes: P1 & P3 Steering Group Meeting
21/10/2020
Minutes: P2 Steering Group Meeting
2019
28/11/2019
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting.
07/11/2019
Minutes: Environmental Sub-Group.
30/09/2019
Minutes: Environmental Sub-Group.
17/06/2019
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting.
04/03/2019
Minutes: Steering Group Meeting.