Researchers will be visiting ports in Weymouth, Portland and west Dorset next week as part of a probe to better understand the UK’s fishing fleet and its economic performance ahead of Brexit.

Skippers and vessel owners will be spoken to as part of the inquiry by Seafish, the public body that supports the £10bn UK seafood industry.

Researchers aim to collect data on the financial and operational performance of vessels.

The results of the annual survey play a vital role in painting a picture of the UK fishing fleet, its economic performance and the challenges it faces as it prepares for life outside of the EU.

Ports in Dorset that will be visited from September 9-13 include Lulworth Cove, Weymouth, Portland, West Bay, Lyme Regis, Kimmeridge and Swanage.

Barrie Deas, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), said: “I would encourage every skipper and vessel owner to assist Seafish by taking part in the UK fleet survey.

"You will be helping to create the most accurate picture possible of the UK fishing fleet, across boats of all sizes and the entire country.”

The survey interviews should take no longer than 15 minutes for skippers and vessel owners to complete and all responses are treated as confidential, with no figures from any individual vessel revealed in any outputs.

The full report from the 2018 UK fleet survey has now been published. The Economics of the UK Fishing Fleet 2018 report shows that the UK fishing fleet had a turnover of £1 billion for a second year. Annual fishing revenues stood at £978 million, largely unchanged on the previous year, although operating costs increased by 2 per cent compared to 2017. This is largely attributable to a marked increase in fuel costs, with average fuel price increasing by 19 per cent to 50p per litre.

Steve Lawrence, Economics Project Manager at Seafish, said: “Considering the potential changes, challenges and opportunities on the horizon, it has never been more important for us to produce an accurate picture of the UK’s fishing fleet and the pressures it faces.

“The UK fleet survey is the major piece of research into the health of the sector touching on both the economics of those that make a living from it and its social impact on communities built around it. The results are always poured over by industry, as well as those looking to understand how management measures and policies play out practically. "

Vessel owners who take part can request a free financial performance benchmark report, which provides an indication of how well their vessel is performing compared to similar vessels and can help to inform business and financial decisions.

For further information on the survey visit the Seafish website or contact Steve Lawrence on 0131 524 8663 or at steven.lawrence@seafish.co.uk