Committee publication · Correspondence · 13 February 2026
Correspondence received from South Western Fish Producer Organisation Ltd requesting the EFRA Committee’s Scrutiny of Defra’s Oversight of Seafish and Recent unconsulted Changes to Industry-Critical Functions, dated 21 January.
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Fisheries and the marine environment
Summary
South Western Fish Producer Organisation requests EFRA Committee scrutiny of Defra's oversight of Seafish following the statutory body's decision to dismantle its Fisheries Management Team without industry consultation. The letter raises concerns about governance failures, abandonment of core functions supporting the UK Fisheries Management Plan, and erosion of confidence in a £7.4 million annually levy-funded organisation.
Key findings
- Seafish dismantled its Fisheries Management Team mid-way through its 2023–2028 Corporate Plan without consulting levy payers, contradicting priorities in the 2021 Strategic Review
- The removal abandons Seafish's core commitment to supporting the UK Fisheries Management Plan programme and undermines industry compliance with the Fisheries Act
- Seafish accounts show no immediate financial need for reductions of this scale; alternative efficiencies (shared HR/finance services) were not explored
- Decision was taken weeks before a CEO change without clear strategic rationale, eroding industry confidence in Seafish Board governance and Defra sponsorship
- The dismantled team supported MSC accreditation, market access, and UK seafood reputation — functions critical to food security and supply chain resilience
Tone
AdversarialTopics
Key actors
South Western Fish Producer Organisation Ltd, Seafish, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Juliette Hatchman, EFRA Committee, UK seafood industry, Seafish Board
Notable line
“The removal of the Fisheries Management Team - midway through Seafish's 2023– 2028 Corporate Plan and in contradiction to the priorities identified in the 2021 Strategic Review - occurred without any industry or levy payer consultation.”
Key Quotes
“This change represents a significant and unconsulted shift in organisational priorities for a statutory-levy funded body whose sole purpose, under the 1981 Act, is to support the UK seafood industry.”
“The levy - amounting to over £7.4 million annually - is a mandatory cost on the industry, placing a clear responsibility on Seafish and on Defra, as sponsor, to ensure transparent governance, meaningful engagement with levy payers, and demonstrable value for money.”
“Given that this team is the primary point of engagement for many industry stakeholders, the withdrawal of these functions without justification risks significant operational disruption.”
“The decision was taken just weeks before a change in CEO and without providing any clear strategic rationale. This has significantly eroded industry confidence in both the Board and the governance mechanisms that should prevent unconsulted shifts in a statutory- levy body's priorities.”
“Defra has yet to provide industry with the assurances they require that they will be able to deliver their objectives without Seafish support.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗