about us
We came together as an Association to meet a need. There was previously no forum in which the fishing industry in Plymouth had a collective voice. There was a strong sense of being done to rather than done with. A lot was said among policy makers, regulators and other interest groups about partnership, co-design and working together but there was no mechanism or means of enabling this to happen in Plymouth.
The PFSA will facilitate open discussion. We recognise that with such a diverse industry there will be divergent views. Differences of view are legitimate and are to be expected. We look to everyone to be given a fair hearing and we respect and value the opinions and thoughts of all contributors.
Meet the Team
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Edward Baker
CEO
Edward was formerly the Principal Fisheries Manager for quota management at the Marine Management Organisation. He joined the MMO 8 years ago as a Marine Officer, working in Plymouth, Brixham and Newlyn and has excellent local knowledge as well as a broad understanding of UK fisheries and environmental conservation. In previous roles Edward has worked on board a trawler in the Channel Islands, as a Fisheries Observer in New Zealand, a Marine Mammal Scientist on board seismic survey vessels, as a yacht skipper teaching cadets to sail, and as an Environmental Protection Officer, Coastguard and Port Control radio operator in Jersey. “Working for PFSA gives me the opportunity to work more closely with the fishermen and organisations whose livelihoods depend on the sea. I am excited and grateful to be able to play a part in the creation of sustainable fisheries that will be there for all generations to come.” -
Darren Andrews
Director
Darren has been an owner/skipper for 30 years. He has a long family heritage of fishing, which spans back many generations. He began his fishing career straight from school and has never looked back. The skills and experience gained enabled him to broaden his career to skippering tugs and being barge master on cable laying vessels. His maritime experience has taken him around the world. These days Darren fishes out of Plymouth. He is owner/skipper of two vessels and is also a fleet manager. Darren will be seeking ways in which the PFSA can help ease the complex bureaucracy faced by fishers and help them overcome the many challenges they experience.
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Adrian Bartlett
Director
Adrian began fishing in 1986, starting as a deckhand then working his way up to skipper on crabbing boats or potters. Adrian has fished for Edible brown crabs, native lobster and other shellfish all around the UK coast but mainly built his crabbing career in the English Channel in the tidal waters North of Alderney (Channel Islands). After working in the industry for 28 years and being passionate about the UK Seafish Industry, he took the opportunity to share his knowledge and passion with the UK public and chefs though Crabstock, demonstrating how good UK Shellfish is to eat and how easy it is to prepare. Adrian is also vice chair of Fishing into the Future, delivers health and safety and safety awareness training, is an associate Marine lecturer South Devon College and a Director of Ecomotus which offers an innovative solution to helping to reduce carbon emissions and deliver fuel efficiencies for fishing vessels. -
Joel Dunn
Director
Im a first generation fisherman originally from Cornwall but now live in Plymouth and have always fished out of Plymouth. Ive been fishing for over 15 years now. I started crewing on a crabber and then moved on to trawling. I then bought my first boat (a trawler) at the age of 28 which I kept for 3 year. I then bought another trawler/scalloper which I kept for 3 years and recently sold. I’m currently working a modern 14m multi task boat for north Devon trawlers
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Rob Goodacre
Director
I have been involved with fishing most of my life with my father and brother both fishing full time for several years. I worked on my brother's trawler for several years , skippering for one of those, before spending time at sea on beam trawlers working from Plymouth. This path led me to fish buying for a Spanish export firm at Looe, Newlyn, Plymouth, and Brixham. In 1993 I created RG Seafoods retailing and wholesaling all seafoods slowly expanding. In 2017 we took residence at Plymouth fish market ,which is our principle source of fresh fish, expanding again in 2021 moving to our current site. We now supply Mid Counties Co-Op, along with local catering establishments and send fish nationally daily.
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Graeme Searle
Director
Graeme has been in the fishing industry for 40 years. He began his career beam trawling and then stern trawling. He bought his first fishing vessel when only 23 years old. For the past 30 years he has owned and skippered fishing vessels focussing on netting. He was one of the founding directors of Sole of Discretion Community Interest Company. Graeme is keen that the Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association CIC should help give the unrepresented – who are the majority - in the fishing industry a voice and enable Plymouth to prosper as a sustainable fishing port.
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Dave Uren
Director
Dave started his career in the worldwide offshore oil and gas industry spanning some 21 years. After coming home, he joined The University of Plymouth as oner of the team of Skippers providing services in teaching, research, and commercial operations.
He has been a skipper/owner of Sports Angling Vessels for the last 35 years, one of the vessels also held a commercial fishing licence (for 15 years). He has also specialised in science, survey, fisheries support and autonomous vessel development. He spent thirteen years working with the Marine Biological Association tracking and tagging Basking Sharks, Blue sharks, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Blonde and Thornback Rays.
He is an active member of the Professional Boatman’s Association. For the last 3 years Dave has been the PBA liaison Officer on the Pollack FISP science program providing the interface between the science team and the 12 strong charter boat fleet that are involved.
He has represented the local area coded vessels (not engaged in commercial fishing) on work group discussions during challenging situations such as the recent lock works in Plymouth.
It is important to him that the commercial and recreational rod and line fisherman work as a team to secure a sustainable future for all concerned and being a director of the PFSA allows him to contribute towards this goal.