A new campaign aims to reconnect Plymouth with its fishing fleet. A Taste of the Salt launched last week with film and photography spotlighting Plymouth’s working fishermen.
A Taste of the Salt, the initiative by the Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association (PFSA) made its debut at The Box Plymouth, 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 – autumn 2025 by PFSA and Meor Studio found that 61% of Plymouth residents do not know where to buy locally caught fish and 68% 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.
‘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,’ said Edward Baker, CEO of the PFSA.
‘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.’
A Taste of the Salt is a short film featuring first-hand accounts from Plymouth fishermen about the realities of working in today’s industry. Alongside it, a portrait series captures members of the local fleet on the waterfront that has shaped Plymouth for more than a thousand years.
The campaign reflects wider pressures facing inshore fleets across the UK. Between 2008 and 2022, the UK’s active fishing fleet declined by 20.4%, and more than 80% of seafood consumed in Britain is imported.
‘Fishing is central to Plymouth’s story and identity. Many residents want to support our fleet but don’t always know how. A Taste of the Salt will help bridge that gap,’ said Councillor Tudor Evans OBE, Leader of Plymouth City Council.
