Enabling cross-sector engagement: fisheries and offshore renewable energy

Supporting Best Practice Guidance to foster mutual coopration between fisheries and offshore renewables

The UK’s seaspace is becoming an increasingly busy environment, with many important sectors operating in similar or adjacent areas. Cross-sector collaboration and cooperation will be vital to make the most of the space for the benefit of industry, communities and nature.

The Fishing Liaison with Offshore Wind and Wet Renewables Group (FLOWW) was set up in 2002 to foster good relations between the fishing and offshore renewable energy sectors and encourage co-existence of the industries across the UK. It is supported by The Crown Estate who provide funding for the Chair and Secretariat roles.

ABPmer, Secretariat to FLOWW, supported the development of updated Best Practice Guidance on behalf of the group, to foster mutual understanding and cooperation between fisheries and the offshore renewables industry while minimising disruption to all parties and promoting safe and sustainable working practices.

The publication of the Guidance reflects the FLOWW members’ commitment to work through challenges which have arisen following the expansion of offshore wind development in recent years and since the last Guidance was published in 2014.

The revised document provides best practice guidance on effective liaison, communication, and exchange of information, between offshore renewable energy (ORE) sectors and the fishing industry, during all phases of an ORE project. It describes when, how and why liaison should take place, to help minimise, and address as part of embedded mitigation, any potential impacts of ORE projects on fishing activities.

The Guidance was endorsed by a wide range of industry stakeholders, including the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, RenewableUK, The Crown Estate, and Fisheries Minister Dame Angela Eagle, who said in a press release,

“We’re putting the conditions in place to make Britain a clean energy superpower and backing our fishing industry to deliver more growth and stability for both the sector and coastal communities.

The FLOWW Guidance reflects best practice for ways of working – devised by and for the offshore renewables and fishing sectors. It shows how the sectors can work together hand-in-hand for their mutual benefit.”

A launch event took place at London’s historic Fishmongers’ Hall. 

The guidance is now available from The Crown Estate’s website. 

ABPmer supports policy-makers, regulators and the fisheries and aquaculture industry on marine environmental policy matters, assessment and management, including interactions between fisheries, marine protected areas (MPAs) and other marine developments.

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Header photo courtesy Jamie Robertson, HFIG