Reconnecting local people to Plymouth’s fishing industry is the aim of a new campaign starting next month.

‘A Taste of the Salt’, is the name of the initiative by the Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association (PFSA) which will debut at The Box on Thursday, March 12, with the premiere of a short documentary and portrait photography series celebrating the people behind Plymouth’s boats.

The campaign follows growing concern that Plymouth is becoming increasingly disconnected from its fleet.

Research conducted in summer to autumn 2025 by PFSA and Meor Studio found that: 61 per cent of Plymouth residents do not know where to buy locally caught fish

and 68 per cent mistakenly believe the Fish Quay has closed.

The findings come nearly two years after Plymouth’s fish auction closed in May 2024, a move that reduced the fleet’s public visibility and made it less clear where locally landed seafood can be sourced.

Despite that, Plymouth remains one of England’s leading fishing ports, ranking fourth nationally by landings last year.

One fisherman involved in the project said: “People think that we’re gone. We’re still here, they’ve just forgotten where to find us.”

Edward Baker, CEO of the PFSA, said: “Plymouth wouldn’t be Plymouth without its fishing fleet. ‘A Taste of the Salt’ is about celebrating that heritage while making sure it has a strong future.

“Local people care deeply about this city and its waterfront.

“We want to make it easier for them to support the fishermen who are still working here every day.”

Between 2008 and 2022, the UK’s active fishing fleet declined by 20.4 per cent, and more than 80 per cent of seafood consumed in Britain is imported.

Locally landed fish can be sourced from Fish Quay merchants, including Sole of Discretion, RG Seafoods and Rex Down, as well as the Market Plaice in central Plymouth. PFSA is also developing a Virtual Fishmonger service to further improve access.