Plymouth is a city built on and sustained by the fishing trade. It has relied on fishing for millennia. Centred in the barbican the fishing fleet is the living, working heart of Britain’s Ocean City - shaping its identity, supporting its community and safeguarding livelihoods.

Historically, this is something we recognised. A valued trade passed down through generations. But today, fewer people are entering the industry. Much of the fish we eat as a city and as a nation comes from murky, complicated supply chains that forget the community behind our catch. Plymouth fish may take pride of place on local restaurants’ specials boards, but familiarity, ease and habit drive purchasing decisions, meaning around 80% of our seafood is imported and much of what we catch is exported to foreign markets that place higher value on our produce.

We manage fish stocks meticulously - with catch limits, seasonal closures, selective gear types and marine protected areas - to protect what's in the water. As ‘consumers’, we admire fresh fish and value local produce, but we've forgotten what it takes to get it from the sea to our plate. Across the UK and globally, fishing communities face growing pressures, shrinking visibility and fragile routes to market.

Here in Plymouth, these wider challenges are sharpened by a uniquely local rupture: the closure of the fish auction in May 2024, which significantly reduced the ability for locally landed fish to be sold and eaten in Plymouth.

Plymouth isn't alone in this. Inshore fisheries - the backbone of coastal communities, providers of half the world's fish catch and the unsung custodians of national food security - are declining across the UK.