UK: Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme paves the way for further collaboration

The Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme is a collaborative initiative involving the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, UHI Shetland, and the Scottish government's Marine Directorate. Designed to enhance stock management and scientific assessment of mackerel, herring, and blue whiting, the program has seen significant progress from its 2018 pilot, with broad industry participation and the integration of self-sampling and co-sampling methods. These methods provide crucial biological data on fish size, maturity, and age, with plans to incorporate self-sampling data into stock assessments. The program is supported by the industry and is exploring opportunities for EU funding to expand its scope, including the analysis of historical catch records, monitoring of bycatch, and the collection of environmental data. This initiative underscores the importance of collaboration between the fishing industry and science sector in advancing fisheries management and understanding of marine ecosystems.