Chapter 3: The Workshop
We decided that the best time to hold a full-day (10 am – 4 pm) workshop for fishermen would be in January. We chose a location that was central to those who had confirmed their attendance. We had three facilitators at this workshop and three flip charts to capture everything that was said. Now, as some of you may know, when you get fifty fishermen in the same room, debates can be varied, vocal, and heartfelt. This raw emotion, the trust that this time, maybe, their hope is not going to be used, and that they will finally be the drivers of their destiny, was my honour and privilege to witness.
Following the workshop, a report was provided to the fishermen by the facilitators, so we could start to create a business plan for the organization. The workshop report currently acts as our “bible,” in a manner of speaking, as we often refer back to it to make sure we are capturing all outputs as put forward by all attendees and actively incorporating those things into workstreams.
They didn’t just want to be heard; they built a structure that ensures they are. And all it took was one day, one workshop, and a clear direction of travel, with three unanimous, non-negotiable principles:
I understand that there are already organizations formed in the traditional top-down approach. But this doesn’t mean you can’t change your Articles. It doesn’t mean you can’t create an affiliate membership, or an umbrella organization, specifically for engagement and collaboration that gives fishermen the vote, the power to nominate and choose their representatives, and the power to be a crucial and vital part of fisheries management moving forward.
It is never too late to ask Fishermen for help. Ask them to give you the opportunity to show them that you are willing to give them the power, the lead, the respect to be at the forefront of the future of their industry. And the best way to do this, is to gather them together for a meeting/workshop, and do exactly that.
Introduction
Holding a workshop for fishermen was vital to gaining their commitment and buy-in for several reasons:
Planning and executing workshops:
Key topics and activities to cover:
Why are we creating this organisation?
The Members:
The Board:
Choosing the right type of organisation
Choosing the right legal structure for your organization is a crucial decision that hinges on your specific goals, operational methods, and the people involved. Each type of structure comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks, and there is no universally perfect option for every group. Understanding these differences will help you make an informed choice that best suits your needs.
For more detailed information on various organizational structures, you can explore:
https://fishmongers.org.uk/new-toolkit-supports-development-of-fishing-associations/
Community Interest Companies benefits of a community interest company leaflet
Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies: information pack
A limited company is a business structure where the liability of the shareholders is limited to their investment.
Pros:
Cons:
An LLP is a partnership where each partner’s liability is limited to their investment.
Pros:
Cons:
A charity is an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.
Pros:
Cons:
A CIC is a type of company designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.
Pros:
Cons:
A partnership is a business owned by two or more people.
Pros:
Cons:
The Fishermen of Lyme Bay carefully considered all the different types of organizations before choosing to form a community interest company (CIC). They had several reasons for this decision. First, they didn’t want to make a profit from their organization. Second, they wanted to create a united voice to engage with regulators and politicians. By forming a CIC, they ensured that the organization would remain focused on the community and fishing. This structure helps safeguard their coastal communities by prioritizing social and environmental goals over profit.
A CIC can support coastal communities in several ways. For example, it can promote sustainable fishing practices that protect marine life and habitats. It can also provide educational programs to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the seas. Additionally, a CIC can collaborate with local businesses to boost the economy, create jobs, and enhance tourism. These inshore fleets are iconic to their towns and villages, forming a vital part of local heritage and attracting tourists. They provide jobs and income not just for the fishermen, but also for the shore businesses they support.
Overview of Lyme Bay Fisherman’s Conception Workshop – January 2022
Morning Session: Defining the CIC
The main aims of the morning session were to establish foundational aspects of the Community Interest Company (CIC). The key topics covered included:
Defining the Name of the CIC: Brainstorming and finalizing a name that reflects the mission and values of the CIC.
A short discussion around the importance of the name of the CIC concluded that, as the area is well promoted and known to the public, policy makers and regulators, the name of the CIC should reflect this.
Defining the Sector the CIC Will Serve: Identifying the specific sector or community that the CIC aims to support.
There was a strong feeling from attendees that the fishing sector is well embedded into the communities in the local port/towns of each of the four areas and this could be of advantage to the CIC. The discussion moved towards which area of the supply chain the CIC should look to engage with initially – Upstream (Policy makers, regulators, academia) or Downstream (processors, consumers, fishmongers etc). A comment suggested that Downstream would be the focus for the CIC as this presented the greatest range of opportunities to promote and grow the CIC moving forward. It was felt that Upstream would naturally want to engage with the CIC as it would give these bodies and organisations access to a collective of commercial fishermen, therefore improving their own outreach capabilities. The importance of the CIC being able to engage with the academic sector was highlighted as the data tends to feed into Policies and Regulations.
The ability to engage the public in the commercial fishing fleet of Lyme Bay was also seen as very important. Several comments suggested that, since Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, the British public are more aware of the sector, but this is not always in a positive way. The CIC could be used to promote the seasonal nature of the sector within Lyme Bay and help raise awareness of the positive stories around the sustainability of the inshore fleet.
Defining Membership Criteria: Establishing the criteria for individuals or organizations to become members of the CIC.
A lengthy discussion around the terms of membership for the CIC highlighted the need for it to focus on the geographic area of Lyme Bay and the commercial fishermen who fish there. There were some questions raised about those vessels that are not operated by the owner but have a skipper and crew to run the vessel. Attendees at the workshop were keen to ensure membership structure was kept as simple as possible, with a single membership available, but were open to future discussion about opening up affiliate memberships to those outside Lyme Bay.
Defining Member Obligations and Membership Categories: Outlining the responsibilities of members and categorizing different types of membership.
Questions were asked about how to ensure that members are actively engaged with the CIC. One of the Fisherman’s Associations in the area have a “probation” period for new members of 12 months. If engagement is lacking during this period, membership is revoked.
There was concern from some attendees that this might not be the way to proceed for the CIC and perhaps the Board of Directors could be used to ensure members engaged with the CIC. A member’s engagement with the CIC could be measured by actively responding to requests to surveys etc from policy makers, academia or regulators forwarded from the Board of Directors. However, it was pointed out that not all members may be able to respond, if the request didn’t apply to them, their vessel or method of fishing. Therefore, it was agreed that “not applicable” response would be classed as engagement, but this would be peer, CEO and Director monitored to ensure that if a response was possible from a member the “not applicable” response was not abused.
It was agreed that “Membership of the CIC will not preclude individual responses to consultation or information requests. Collective responses from the CIC will be complied by the CEO/Board of Directors and sent for review by members to ensure they reflect the overall views of the membership before submission”.
Removal of Members: Discussing the process and conditions under which members can be removed from the CIC.
Over recent years the fishermen of Lyme Bay have gained a reputation for high quality, sustainable seafood and concerns were raised about this being damaged by negligent members of the CIC. Not only could this damage the reputation of the fishermen but it could also harm the CIC. This was seen as a key reason to ensure there was a structured process to remove members who might bring the name of the CIC into disrepute. The Fishermen’s Associations in the area have procedures in place which work well and are rooted in democracy, and this could be the basis for the process for the CIC.
The following process was agreed:
A separate process was agreed for the conduct of the CEO. If members have concerns regarding this, they should report the reasons in writing (or via e-mail) directly to the Board of Directors.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of Directors: Clarifying the roles, duties, and responsibilities of the board members.
A Board of Directors is required by law as part of the set-up process for a Community Interest Company. Discussions around the make up of the Board of Directors centred around the need to have a robust appointment and removal process. The term of service for a director was discussed with some attendees suggesting the Board should be refreshed every 12 months. However, the initial set up period of the CIC is likely to be intensive and it was suggested that three years would be a suitable time for a director to serve.
To ensure the long-term success of the CIC a mechanism for removal of a directors was thought to be important. The following was agreed:
There was feeling in the room that appointed directors should, where possible, be responsible for a specific port although certain specialisms were recognised as being advantageous for Directors. In reality, the Directors should be by majority Fishermen and their specialisms confined to commercial fishing matters. It was agreed that a group of Specialist Advisors would be recruited at a later date to provide advice on certain topics of business e.g. marketing, accounting, legal matters or financial matters. There was concern that an even number of Directors could lead to an impasse if a decision was needed via Board of Directors vote. A decision was made that, in the event of a tied vote at Board level, the question would be posed to the full membership with the majority vote carrying the decision.
Communications
Communications will be key to the success of the CIC. Engagement with the public and UK Government will help to ensure that the profile of Lyme Bay commercial fishing continues to be at the forefront of the sector. The CEO will compile and issue a quarterly newsletter to members, social media channels and the public. The CIC will have dedicated social media channels and a website, which can be used for further promotions. The social media channels will help engage with other Fishermen, and regulators, scientists, NGOs and other across online platforms. The website will add the ability to engage in a collective way with Defra and other fisheries authorities.
As part of the legal requirements for setting up a Community Interest Company, arrangements must be made of what will happen to the assets of the CIC should it cease trading. After some discussion it was agreed that all assets would be gifted to The Fisherman’s Mission.
Defining the Use of the “Man in the Van” Service: Planning the implementation and utilization of this service within the CIC.
There is a current catch collection and delivery service which calls at the four ports across Lyme Bay. The service provides a convenient route to market for the fishermen of the area as catch can be left at the cold storage in each of the ports and collected anytime. There was general agreement that the Service was a benefit to the four ports, but concerns were raised over the capacity of the van and the ongoing costs associated with running it.
Discussion around how to ensure the Service at least covered its costs continued and it was suggested that there must be benefits to members of the CIC and this should include sole access to the Service. There is a need to ensure that the Service is as full as possible for each of the runs to maximise the value of it. Ways to reduce the overall costs of the Service to the CIC were discussed including “back loading” fish from the Market to buyers in the local area. As the CIC grows and becomes more successful it is possible to review the Service as needed.
Afternoon Session: Future Management and Goals of the CIC
After a break for sandwiches, the afternoon session focused on the future management and strategic goals of the CIC. The main aims of this session were:
Defining What the CIC Will Do for the Fishing Community:
Specifying the services and support the CIC will provide to the fishing community.
There was a strong feeling that the CIC will give the collective fishermen of Lyme Bay a strong voice with regulators and policy makers but will also provide these organisations with the opportunity to engage with a large number of fishermen at once, creating a two-way conversation between all stakeholders. There could also be added benefits such as increased profile of the low impact, sustainable fisheries in the area which, ultimately, could lead to an increase in income for members of the CIC. It was also thought that by creating the website and increasing engagement with the local community it would help to break down barriers and promote the sector to a wider audience. If the CIC is successful, the introduction of a schools’ outreach programme could help encourage new entrants to the sector and provide a conduit for the promotion of seafood across the Bay. This could have positive impacts on the local economy, such as tourism, and raise the profile of the area even further. Fish Festivals could be held at each of the ports on a rotational basis, building the brand of Lyme Bay Fisheries CIC, providing positive feedback for the members and their catch.
What will the CIC do for the local community?
Our fishermen were determined that our organisation, instead of being a limited company or charity, would chose the route of a community interest company (CIC) so that we could actively support and enrich the local communities in our area through various initiatives:
Setting Out Short, Medium, and Long-Term Aims and Ambitions:
During our initial workshop, we defined short, medium, and long-term goals for several important reasons:
Shared Vision:
It was essential to clearly set out shared goals, dreams, and visions for the organization. This helps ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards common objectives.
Future Reference:
Documenting these goals provides a reference point for future planning and decision-making. It allows us to track progress and make adjustments as needed.
Strategic Planning:
By categorizing goals into short, medium, and long-term, we can prioritize actions and allocate resources effectively. This structured approach helps in achieving both immediate and long-range ambitions.
Motivation and Focus:
Clearly defined goals serve as motivation for the team, providing clear targets to strive for. They also help maintain focus on what is important at different stages of the organization’s development.
Immediate goals and actions to be achieved within the first year.
Strategic objectives and milestones to be reached within three years.
Long-range vision and ambitions extending beyond three years.
Lesson Learned
Financial obligations of forming a company:
When we started our company, we faced some basic costs that were hard to fund because many funders see them as “operating costs.” To decide our membership fee, we initially set it at £1 per week for 52 weeks, paid annually upfront. Some people thought this was fair until the company could show the value of the fees.
However, we should have discussed and shared these basic costs at our workshop meeting. This way, we could divide the total costs by the number of fishermen joining the organization. This would help cover the basic costs through the annual membership fee.
For example, our core operational costs in year one was:
Accountancy, secretariat services, website domain & hosting, sage accounting software, Microsoft 365 (dedicated email addresses). You should also consider insurance costs such as insurance for company, public & employer liability and directors’ insurance; some also choose data protection insurance.
Workshop Regarding Choosing the Board of Directors:
During the workshop, we learned several important lessons about choosing the board of directors for our new organization. I had prepared a PowerPoint presentation with detailed information on directors, including criteria, duties, and obligations. This presentation is available at the end of this chapter and in the glossary. However, it became clear that it would have been more effective to share this information prior to the workshop.
Providing a broad overview of what it means to be a director of this new organization ahead of time would have allowed the fishermen to consider whether or not they might be willing to join the board before attending the workshop. This way, they would have had the opportunity to think about their potential role and responsibilities in advance. Additionally, if they needed more information to make a decision or wanted to discuss further, sharing this information beforehand would have given us the time to provide them with the necessary details before the workshop.
To improve the process in the future, we should ensure that all potential board members receive the Directors Role Description and Person Specification form ahead of time. This form is also available at the end of this chapter and in the glossary. By doing so, we can ensure that everyone is well-informed and prepared to make decisions about joining the board, leading to a more productive and efficient workshop.
Workshop – Collecting Member Information, the Easy Way:
One important thing we learned is how helpful it is to collect member information during the workshop itself. At first, we thought we could just send out forms later by email, or hand them out one by one. But that ended up taking a lot of time—chasing people up, printing papers, and waiting for forms to come back. It was much easier when we asked everyone who wanted to become a member to fill out the membership form right there at the workshop. That way, no one forgot, and we didn’t have to keep following up. Plus, since everyone had their phones with them, it was the perfect time to take a quick photo of each person and their vessel. Doing it all in person saved us hours of work and helped us get everything done in a friendly and relaxed way.
Creating a “Misson Statement” :
During our workshop, one of the key steps we overlooked was agreeing on the main criteria for a mission statement. Having this in place early on would have been incredibly helpful when it came time to develop our business plan. It was essential that our ethos remained at the heart of everything we did, and that our organisational structure and workstreams clearly reflected those values.
We understood that by forming a Community Interest Company (CIC), we were committing to a model that balanced the interests of the fishing industry with the wellbeing of our coastal communities. However, we didn’t have a formal, legal document that clearly stated this intention. Although we had wide-ranging discussions during the workshop about the organisation’s purpose and direction, we missed the opportunity to summarise these ideas into a set of bullet points. These could have been shared afterwards—perhaps through a SurveyMonkey poll—to allow all members to contribute and agree on a final mission statement. This would have demonstrated a transparent and democratic approach to shaping our shared vision.
For all supporting documents please use the links below:
Workshop Presentation – Directors Information
Directors Role Description and Person Specification
Company Memorandum (for company with share capital)
Community-Interest-companies-benefits-of-a-cic-leaflet
Community-Interest-companies-information-pack – temp
Core Start Up Costs – Template
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