Skip to main content

Over £3.9 million has been dedicated to 106 fisheries and projects around the world through the Ocean Stewardship Fund.

This includes 81 projects awarded through our annual grant scheme. 

In 2023, £750,000 was awarded to projects including reducing seabird interactions, identifying octopus species and teaching fishers how to release turtles safely. 

Around 40% of the grants will support fisheries in developing economies, such as Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa, and includes four fisheries that are transitioning to sustainable practices through the In-Transition to MSC program.

2023 projects

Knowledge sharing to reduce dolphin interactions in Australian and UK sardine fisheries

Knowledge sharing to reduce dolphin interactions in Australian and UK sardine fisheries

Tagging silky sharks to identify post-release survival rates

Tagging silky sharks to identify post-release survival rates

Improving data on seabird interactions in the Alaskan salmon fishery

Improving data on seabird interactions in the Alaskan salmon fishery

Reducing turtle bycatch in the Réunion coastal longline swordfish fishery

Reducing turtle bycatch in the Réunion coastal longline swordfish fishery

​​Seabird bycatch reduction in the Greenland lumpfish fishery​

​​Seabird bycatch reduction in the Greenland lumpfish fishery​

Reducing sawfish interactions in Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery

Reducing sawfish interactions in Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery

Statistics to predict silky shark hotspots and mitigate bycatch

Statistics to predict silky shark hotspots and mitigate bycatch

Improving management of squid in North Sumatra

Improving management of squid in North Sumatra

Managing skate bycatch in the Australian Toothfish fishery

Managing skate bycatch in the Australian Toothfish fishery

Genetic testing to identify octopus species in Madagascan fishery

Genetic testing to identify octopus species in Madagascan fishery

Identifying environmental factors impacting Cape hake

Identifying environmental factors impacting Cape hake

Identifying distinct squid populations in Indonesia

Identifying distinct squid populations in Indonesia

Protecting vulnerable species and habitats in the South African longline hake fishery

Protecting vulnerable species and habitats in the South African longline hake fishery

Supporting further improvements in the Mexico red rock lobster fishery

Supporting further improvements in the Mexico red rock lobster fishery

Aiding recovery of Mexican red sea urchins

Aiding recovery of Mexican red sea urchins

Supporting sustainability improvements in the Sonora shrimp fishery

Supporting sustainability improvements in the Sonora shrimp fishery

2022

Mitigating seabird interactions in an Argentine hoki fishery

Mitigating seabird interactions in an Argentine hoki fishery

Analysing trawling impacts on vulnerable deep sea habitats in Greenland

Analysing trawling impacts on vulnerable deep sea habitats in Greenland

Reducing fishing risks to endangered Australian shorebirds

Reducing fishing risks to endangered Australian shorebirds

Improving data on endangered species in Northeast Arctic fisheries

Improving data on endangered species in Northeast Arctic fisheries

Monitoring deep-water habitats in Australian crystal crab fishery

Monitoring deep-water habitats in Australian crystal crab fishery

Technology saving stingrays in the Mediterranean Bluefin tuna artisanal fishery

Technology saving stingrays in the Mediterranean Bluefin tuna artisanal fishery

Rebuilding snapper and grouper stocks in Indonesia

Rebuilding snapper and grouper stocks in Indonesia

Managing mudcrab stocks in a Coastal Conservation area in Indonesia

Managing mudcrab stocks in a Coastal Conservation area in Indonesia

Improving and promoting best practice in the Yucatan Octopus fishery

Improving and promoting best practice in the Yucatan Octopus fishery

Empowering Indonesian shrimp fishers to improve their practices

Empowering Indonesian shrimp fishers to improve their practices

Improving understanding of different stocks in the Mexico Pacific artisanal shrimp fishery

Improving understanding of different stocks in the Mexico Pacific artisanal shrimp fishery

Strengthening traceability in the Kotabaru shrimp fishery

Strengthening traceability in the Kotabaru shrimp fishery

Boosting gonad health in Mexico red sea urchins

Boosting gonad health in Mexico red sea urchins

Mapping risks to endangered species in the North Sea Wash Brown Shrimp Fishery

Mapping risks to endangered species in the North Sea Wash Brown Shrimp Fishery

Safeguarding the future of India’s shrimp and squid fisheries

Safeguarding the future of India’s shrimp and squid fisheries

Growing the supply of sustainable Mexican red octopus to meet demand

Growing the supply of sustainable Mexican red octopus to meet demand

Innovative DNA methods to age blue swimming crabs in Indonesia

Innovative DNA methods to age blue swimming crabs in Indonesia

2021

Making Kerala’s deep-sea shrimp fishing sustainable

Making Kerala’s deep-sea shrimp fishing sustainable

Safeguarding Indonesian blue swimming crab fisheries

Safeguarding Indonesian blue swimming crab fisheries

Minimising fishing impacts on Indonesian squid

Minimising fishing impacts on Indonesian squid

Investigating artificial bait use in Australian tuna fisheries

Investigating artificial bait use in Australian tuna fisheries

Testing novel seabird bycatch mitigation in Iceland lumpfish fisheries

Testing novel seabird bycatch mitigation in Iceland lumpfish fisheries

Reducing bycatch of diving birds in Greenland lumpfish gillnets

Reducing bycatch of diving birds in Greenland lumpfish gillnets

Using genetic markers to identify snapper stocks

Using genetic markers to identify snapper stocks

Using DNA to identify bycatch species

Using DNA to identify bycatch species

Climate models to predict blue swimming crab survival

Climate models to predict blue swimming crab survival

Creating a fisheries communication platform to enhance observer safety

Creating a fisheries communication platform to enhance observer safety

Improving the safety of fishery observer programmes

Improving the safety of fishery observer programmes

Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

2020

New ways to reduce seabird bycatch

New ways to reduce seabird bycatch

Mapping seabed floors to manage climate change

Mapping seabed floors to manage climate change

Smartphone app to identify protected species

Smartphone app to identify protected species

Protecting the Greenland shark

Protecting the Greenland shark

What release practices best promote skate survival?

What release practices best promote skate survival?

Helping fishers identify endangered species

Helping fishers identify endangered species

Growing sustainability in FAD tuna fishing

Growing sustainability in FAD tuna fishing

Helping a small lobster fishery towards sustainability

Helping a small lobster fishery towards sustainability

Mexican red sea urchin: maintaining healthy stocks

Mexican red sea urchin: maintaining healthy stocks

Strengthening sustainability of wild mussel harvesting

Strengthening sustainability of wild mussel harvesting

Securing a future for Indonesian tuna fishing communities

Securing a future for Indonesian tuna fishing communities

Making traditional fishing methods sustainable

Making traditional fishing methods sustainable

Sustaining South African albacore tuna stocks

Sustaining South African albacore tuna stocks

Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

Project stories

South Africa: Hake fishery supports bird conservation

Read the story
Brown and white albatross flying over water, group of birds on surface of the water

Brazil: Traditional knowledge and modern devices reduce bycatch

Read the story
Two men sitting on tiled floor sewing exclusion device into fishing net

Indonesia: Tracking anchored FAD use in tuna fisheries

Read the story
Silhouette of man in hoodie on boat at sunset
Ocean Stewardship Fund

Ocean Stewardship Fund

Each year, over £1 million in grants are available for fisheries at all stages on their path to sustainability.

Find out more