A new study co-authored by the Marine Biological Association (MBA) highlights what it said is the decline of the UK's fishing fleet, especially in small-scale coastal communities.
Published on April 10 in the international journal Fish and Fisheries, the paper, titled Recognising and Protecting the National Benefit of Sustainable Fisheries in the UK, brings together 19 co-authors including marine scientists, fisheries experts, community advocates, environmental groups and policymakers.
The paper presents eight distinct national benefits provided by sustainable fisheries, one of which is food security.
The research introduces a new framework to help government bodies operationalise the "national benefit" objective of the UK’s 2020 Fisheries Act.
However, long-term analysis of UK fisheries data conducted in the study shows alarming trends: a steep decline in fishing vessels, particularly small boats under 10 metres in length, and a growing imbalance that disproportionately affects rural and economically vulnerable coastal regions.
"The greying of the fleet is a serious warning sign," said Dr Bryce Stewart, marine ecologist and MBA Senior Research Fellow. "We’re not just losing boats—we're losing generational knowledge, resilience, and the very social fabric that connects many of our communities to the sea."
"This new analysis confirms that which fishermen know only too well, that the fishing fleet is in decline across the whole UK," added Dr Sarah Coulthard from Newcastle University, who is also the lead author of the paper. "However, it also highlights that the decline is being unevenly felt with regional and sector disparity.
"New conversations are required now to discuss retaining a diverse and resilient fishing fleet by securing our inshore and small-scale fisheries and the wide distribution of benefits they deliver across our coastline."
The paper argues that by protecting and promoting sustainable fishing practices across all scales—particularly in small, community-based operations—the UK can meet its commitments to biodiversity, levelling-up, food security and rural resilience.
The authors propose a number of policy recommendations, including: reframing sustainability to equally weigh environmental, economic, and social outcomes; empowering coastal communities through co-management and knowledge-sharing with local fishers; and improving data collection and visibility of small-scale fisheries to better inform national strategies.