This winter, active and retired fishermen in Devon are invited to take part in Mapping what Matters, a Defra-led project to capture the cultural and social importance of English fishing grounds.
D&S IFCA is helping to promote a Defra/Cefas supported project – Mapping what Matters.
At drop-in sessions running 5–9th January 2026, fishermen will be able to mark grounds and transit routes important to them and explain why they matter – for example, income, safety, heritage, family traditions, and community identity.
Contributions will be anonymised before being combined into high-level maps, so that individual grounds or vessels will never be shown. By participating, fishermen will help to create maps that capture the social and cultural values of fishing grounds, and informing planning decisions on offshore wind, Marine Protected Areas, Fisheries Management Plans, and other uses of our seas.
The Mapping what Matters team will be on hand to guide you through the process and provide snacks and hot drinks, and can also provide postal packs for those unable to attend in person.
Please note that D&S IFCA will not be collating any personal data as part of this project.
For more details about the project please visit: www.fishingporthole.co.uk/mapping-what-matters/ or on the Cefas post here.