Innovation Fund

In 2020, the MSC dedicated £100,000 of the Ocean Stewardship Fund to support global efforts to identify and improve best practice approaches, ensuring fishery observers around the world can carry out their work safely. 

This year's theme contributes to global efforts to identify best practice approaches and improvements, ensuring fishery observers around the world can carry out their work safely.

We are looking for innovative research that has the potential to make a practical difference for the safety of observers at-sea. We expect research to be able to deliver real change and not just report on the problem.

Why has the MSC chosen this theme?

The collection of high-quality data on fishing activities, which has been recorded at-sea, is a key part of effective fishery management.

Data on fishing activity is provided by fishers on vessels as well as independent sources, such as third-party human observers and electronic monitoring systems. Both sources of data are essential in enabling fishery managers to assess factors such as catch, fishing effort or activity, the health of the target species and the fishery's environmental impact.

Fishing vessels can be dangerous workplaces and observers may find themselves in unsafe conditions with limited options for rescue or medical support. They may also come into conflict with the crew and are at risk of bribery, intimidation and harassment.

The MSC wants to see better and safer working practices for at-sea observers, who play a vital role in legal and sustainable fisheries management.

What grants are available?

£100,000 is available from the Innovation Fund this year, with individual grants of up to £50,000 being awarded.

Projects must be no more than two years in length and could involve a wide range of activities including:

• Research into dynamics of observer-crew relationships
• Identification of best practice such as monitoring protocols that reduce conflict between observer and crew
• Increasing affordability of technologies such as cameras and sensors that can reduce reliance on at-sea observers
• IT and digital infrastructure including automation of data review
• Integrating different monitoring systems effectively (interoperability)
• Standards for e-monitoring systems and methods
• Innovative processes to enhance observer voice

Who can apply?

The fund is open to expressions of interest from external organisations, including academic institutions, independent researchers, NGOs or fisheries around the world. Submissions by organisations must be made by a named individual who will be responsible for that project.

Employees, trustees, agents, current contractors and relatives of employees or trustees of the MSC are ineligible.

Applicants must be able to accept our Innovation Fund Grant Agreement and Ocean Stewardship Fund Privacy Policy below.

How to apply

The Innovation Fund opened to expressions of interest on 8 October 2020.

Expressions of interest must be in the form of a letter no more than two pages in length and submitted in English to OSF@msc.org.

There will be a two-step process for applications. Expressions of interest must be submitted by 11:59 GMT on 9 November 2020.

The MSC will notify shortlisted proposers by 23 November 2020 and invite them to submit a full proposal of their project to MSC by 11:59 GMT on 29 January 2021.