Seafish’s annual UK fishing fleet researchers will be in Orkney at the start of August.

Until September 19, Seafish’s fleet researchers will be visiting ports around the UK, asking skippers and vessel owners questions about their business performance.

Seafish is a public body that supports the UK seafood industry.

The researchers do not schedule specific locations or times to visit within each area. Anyone interested in speaking to a researcher is encouraged to contact one beforehand and schedule a meeting.

From 4 – 8 Aug, the Researchers will be in:
Outer Hebrides
North Argyll and Bute and Isle of Mull
Orkney

Researchers will conduct interviews with skippers and vessel owners to collect data on business performance and crew demographics, providing an opportunity to give feedback on the state of the industry.  

Interviews during the fleet survey typically last between 10-15 minutes, and all data captured is kept strictly confidential. 

Every skipper and vessel owner who participates in the survey is eligible for a free benchmark report that compares their business performance to vessels of a similar size.  

Additionally, they will receive a print out of the Man Overboard Toolkit, a short guide that covers safety equipment, safety drills and risk assessments for fishermen. The toolkit was produced earlier this year by the Home and Dry Fishing Safety Campaign. 

Juan Carlos Paredes Esclapez, Economics Project Manager at Seafish, said:  

“Our annual Fishing Fleet Survey continues to be one of our most important projects. It serves as an invaluable resource, allowing us to produce reports that support the UK fishing industry, including our Economics of the UK Fishing Fleet Report. 

“We strongly encourage as many skippers and vessel owners as possible to participate in this year’s survey. The information collected through this survey is essential for ensuring that the UK fishing fleet receives the support it needs.” 

Skippers and vessel owners across Scotland can prearrange an appointment with Seafish’s team of fleet researchers at a local port that suits their needs and availability. 

The 2025 Fleet Survey schedule, including Scottish harbour visit dates, is available on the Seafish website. 

To prearrange an appointment skippers and vessel owners must email fleet.survey@seafish.co.uk with the following information:   

• Name   
• Email and/or phone number   
• Port of operation   

 Seafish fleet researchers will then be in touch to arrange an in-person interview.