Socio-cultural mapping of fishing grounds in English waters 2

(2025) Socio-cultural mapping of fishing grounds in English waters 2. Technical Report. Defra.

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Abstract

Social sustainability is a prerequisite for sustainable fisheries governance, yet it has often been overlooked in favour of environmental and economic considerations in research and policy development. The Fisheries Act (2020) and Joint Fisheries Statement (2022) set out new obligations for Defra and other Government bodies to consider and collect data in relation to the social and cultural aspects of fisheries. With increasing concerns around marine space and access to fishing grounds, particularly due to competition with offshore windfarm (OWF) development and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), it is increasingly important to recognise and integrate socio-cultural values into decision-making processes. This project sought to collaborate with fisheries stakeholders to design a practical approach to collecting spatial data and to co-design a framework to identify and map the socio-cultural values of English fishing grounds. From the outset, the intention was for this to be a co-design project, with significant focus and value attributed to the experience and contributions of active fishermen (the term “fishermen” is used throughout this report to refer to anyone, man or woman, active or retired, participating in commercial fishing, in line with the preferences of the people in the industry with whom we work, as advised by the project Working Group). A Working Group, comprised of ten fishermen, representing different fishing sectors and regions, co-developed a framework with the project team and Defra for a participatory approach to identify and map the socio-cultural values of marine spaces important to fishing fleets. Two workshops were held with the Working Group to design the framework and methodology for collecting socio-cultural data on fishing grounds. A communications package and recommendations for a regional pilot and national roll out of the participatory mapping approach were also co-developed. The Working Group made significant progress in agreeing on the details of the framework. However, several aspects will need further refinement during the pilot phase once data have been gathered and are available for analysis. The socio-cultural participatory mapping framework comprises five aspects: 1. Type of data (what) Socio-cultural values refer to the beliefs, practices, traditions, social relationships, and cultural significance that local communities place on fishing activities and the marine environment. During the workshops, the Working Group agreed on the information that this project should collect. This includes mapping four key areas: core grounds, back up grounds, lost/historic grounds, and transit routes, and the associated socio-cultural values that are attributed to these areas. Prompt questions and value categories were developed to help participants with the mapping process. 2. Process of collecting data (how) Discussion during both workshops highlighted the need for a flexible, hybrid approach to data collection, based on the preferences of fishermen in each region and the dynamics of the community. The process for collecting data on socio-cultural values through participatory mapping has been split into five stages, which are elaborated on in this report: • preparation; • data collection; • data analysis and visualisation; • data validation and feedback; • data use. 3. Governance The Working Group and Steering Group will continue to meet during the pilot phase to advise a Project Implementation Team, review progress and discuss how best to address any issues with the framework. In the short term, Defra should identify potential funding for a pilot roll out (discussed in ‘Full pilot’ section) and explore governance options – such as working through a non-government body – that can provide fishermen with sufficient confidence around data confidentiality. Longer term governance arrangements will need to be agreed on as part of the pilot phase. As this is a co-design project, the main steer and input will come from the Working Group. The Working Group, Steering Group, and Project Implementation Team will act collectively to deliver a successful pilot and national roll out. 4. Data access (use) Concerns were raised during the workshops related to data access and who holds or owns the data. The Working Group indicated that fishermen are cautious about sharing information that might be used against them and highlighted the importance of data being held by a trusted party. This report outlines the potential data holders that could be used for the national roll out of this project, as well as the options for data access and data aggregation levels based on discussions with the Working Group and Steering Group. 5. Communications strategy The Communications Strategy is designed to guide effective communications to raise awareness of the project and intended outcomes and encourage engagement from the fishing industry in future regional and national roll out of the mapping project. Several outputs have been developed based on the strategy and will be amended as needed to incorporate learning from the regional pilots. Recommendations for a regional pilot are set out, including details of the framework that will need to be refined during the pilot phase. The Working Group agreed to a ‘pre-pilot’ phase with a small group of fishermen to test the methodology on a manageable scale, with the aim of gathering feedback on the approach from participants prior to rolling out the full pilot. This would be followed by the roll out of a full pilot in two regions suggested by the Working Group: Whitby and Brixham. Next steps to initiate the pilot, along with a regionally specific communications plan, have been provided.

Item Type:	Monograph (Technical Report)
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > Countryside and Community Research Institute
Depositing User:	Nick Lewis
Date Deposited:	21 Jul 2026 13:22
Last Modified:	21 Jul 2026 13:40
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/16437

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