Small-scale is beautiful: building relationships for a sustainable inshore fishing fleet

In this episode, we meet social scientist Sarah Coulthard, and fishermen George Lamplough and Bally Philp who discuss issues facing small-scale fishers.Over 30% of global marine catch comes from small-scale fisheries, contributing to global food security, livelihoods, and resilient communities, and yet the UK's highly valued inshore fishing fleet is in decline.Is this "the last chance saloon for the small-scale fishing industry" ?Sarah, Bally, and George explore the reasons for the decline, discuss fishers' lived experiences, fisheries management and public perceptions. They also discuss the priorities for actions to help ensure a viable future for the fleet.The podcast follows on from the special edition of The Marine Biologist magazine which focuses on inshore and small-scale fisheries.Our guests are involved in the Inshore and Small-Scale Fisheries consortium (ISSF), a group which aims to identify the drivers of decline in the UK fleet, identify what can be done to support fishing lives, and support fishers to be active partners in decision-making.Find out about the work of the ISSF Consortium here. See the press release which details the national symposium for inshore and small scale fisheries, held in February 2026 in Newcastle. ISSF_Symposium_Press_Release.pdf - Google DriveText us your comments and feedbackThanks for listening!If you have any questions you can contact us at the Marine Biological Association here.Join the Marine Biological Association and receive four copies a year of The Marine Biologist, our prestigious and beautifully curated magazine. MBA membership comes with a host of other benefits. Follow us on social: www.facebook.com/thembaukwww.instagram.com/[email protected]