Fishing News Awards Sponsors

The Scottish White Fish Producers Association Ltd (SWFPA)

Formed in 1943, the SWFPA is the largest fishing association in Scotland. Representing around 260 vessels and 1,400 fishermen, our members contribute £200 million to Scotland’s economy. We are the voice of our members and collate their messages to inform policymakers and other relevant industry figures.

We judge our industry’s wealth, not only by its income, but also by the health of its resources and the well-being of those that work within the sector.

Our goal is to create and maintain a resilient seafood sector; to help our members  invest and plan with confidence. Our members are progressive and at the forefront of innovation.

We deliver our strategy by listening to and engaging with others, through that approach we ensure the stability and economic fabric of the sector is protected. 

The SWFPA is sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Peterhead Port Authority

We are proud of our heritage as the UK’s largest whitefish and pelagic port, handling a record £220m worth of product in 2022.

Peterhead has built its reputation as a centre of excellence for the fishing fleet by providing a full range of modern quayside services including landing and auctioning at one of the most modern and efficient fishmarkets in Europe which carries the highest BRCGS AA accreditation.

Peterhead also provides shore power through renewable energy, waste handling, fresh water, fuelling and multiple ship repair and maintenance opportunities at our syncrolift, slipway and dry dock facilities. All of these services are available at Peterhead and are backed by an extremely competent and competitive supply chain of local contractors and businesses.

Peterhead is one of the UK’s most versatile ports, providing exceptional all-weather, congestion-free deepwater berthing facilities at depths of up to 14m and serving a broad range of industries including fishing, energy, renewables and leisure.

Peterhead Port Authority is sponsoring the Over 10m Fisherman of the Year award

Sunderland Marine

Established in 1882, Sunderland Marine has been providing marine insurance for over 140 years. Its highly qualified and knowledgeable team of underwriters, surveyors and claims staff ensure that customers are provided with excellent levels of service and comprehensive insurance policies.

Sunderland Marine provides a range of fixed premium insurances across the fishing industry: Hull and Machinery, Protection & Indemnity, Personal Accident and cover for Aquaculture, with all insurance products underwritten by NorthStandard, a leading global marine insurer.

Its experienced team of P&I claims handlers are supported by a worldwide network of legal and adjusting professionals to give the very best service at times of need.

Sunderland Marine is also at the forefront of promoting safety at sea and regularly contributes to and sponsors training programmes in the UK and overseas.

Seafish

Seafish is here to give the UK seafood sector the support it needs to thrive.

It’s a non-departmental public body (NDPB) set up by the Fisheries Act 1981. Its sponsors are the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved administrations.

“Using our unique, non-competitive position, we work in partnership with businesses, Government and organisations to overcome challenges and seize opportunities,” Seafish says. “Funded by a levy on the first sale of seafood in the UK, our work makes a huge difference. It keeps fishermen safe, supports sustainable sourcing, helps businesses work efficiently, and boosts the nation’s health.

“We tackle everything from research to campaigns, insights to training – whatever we can do to give our industry the support it needs.”

Visit the Seafish website or follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation is a democratically constituted industry group set up in 1973 and its key aims are:

• Promoting and protecting the collective interests of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Constituent Associations.
• Supporting production of healthy and sustainable wild-caught seafood, ensuring a sustainable future for the industry and our marine environment.
• Advancing the reputation of fishing by championing responsible practice in meeting a growing demand for healthy, climate-smart food.
• Improving fishing safety through supporting and promoting professional standards of training and compliance with safety standards.
• Showing fishing as a positive career choice – one with a viable and positive future.

It has eight Constituent Associations within the Federation, with over 400 vessels within their membership, representing a wide range of fishing businesses, both inshore and offshore and catching a wide range of fish and shellfish species.

 

Marine Stewardship Council

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation that sets globally recognised, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain.   

The blue MSC ecolabel is the world’s most recognised mark for sustainable seafood. The ecolabel and certification programme recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping to create a more sustainable seafood market.  

“Our vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations,” MSC says. “Our work is driving lasting improvements in the way our oceans are fished.” 

The MSC is the only global wild-capture fisheries certification programme that simultaneously meets best practice requirements set by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and has been independently evaluated against ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice. For more information visit msc.org/uk. 

Fishing Industry Safety Group

The FISG is a group of organisations and charities, focused on improving the safety of commercial fishing at sea. The FISG aims to reduce the number of serious accidents and vessels lost at sea due to health and safety issues. Their vision is zero preventable deaths at sea by 2028.

The FISG is made up of the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA), Seafish, National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), Northern Ireland Fishermen’s Federation (NIFF), Welsh Fishermen’s Association – Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru (WFA-CPC), the RNLI and the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association.

FISG are responsible for the Home and Dry fishing safety campaign. They have also run successful safety initiatives in the past including:

• Funding and distributing free Personal Flotation Devices to everyone working on commercial fishing vessels;
• Funding and distributing Personal Flotation Devices with Personal Location Beacons;
• Funding and running Man Overboard Awareness events at environmental pools across the UK

Visit the campaign website www.homeanddry.uk and follow them on Facebook and on Instagram.

Seafood Scotland

Seafood Scotland is the national trade and marketing organisation for the Scottish seafood industry.

Independent, non-commercial and funded by the Marine Directorate of The Scottish Government, Seafood Scotland says it is proud to be the only organisation representing every part of the Scottish seafood industry – from sea to plate – since 1999. Its team is based in Edinburgh.