CEFAS26-10 Offshore and Onshore Observer Programme

CEFAS
East of England
Open procedure
5 May 2026 to 31 March 2029

Deployment of trained observers on commercial fishing vessels to collect trip-level data, including catch composition, discards, and biological parameters such as size, sex, maturity, and otoliths/scales. Observers must negotiate voluntary access to vessels, maintain professional industry relationships, and ensure all collected data is accurately entered into the Cefas Observer Database in accordance with established protocols and timelines.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £350k; As published
Published: 26 January 2026; Find a Tender
Awarded: 15 May 2026; SEASCOPE FISHERIES RESEARCH LIMITED
Contract length: 35 months; Ends 31 March 2029

What the buyer is asking for

Provision of scientific offshore observer services for commercial fishing vessel monitoring, catch sampling, and biological data collection programmes.

Lifecycle

Publishedon Find a Tender
26 January 2026
Contract awardedto SEASCOPE FISHERIES RESEARCH LIMITED
15 May 2026
Contract starts
5 May 2026
Contract ends
31 March 2029

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The buyer

Type: School or college
Benthic surveys contracts, 24 months: 22
Open benthic surveys tenders: 0
Typical benthic surveys contract: £64k

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How it compares

5.9× the typical benthic surveys contract (£59k).

Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/345348/cefas26-10-offshore-and-onshore-observer-programme
Buyer reference: C32696
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-060e51
Source: Find a Tender
Last checked: 12 October 2026

CEFAS. CEFAS26-10 Offshore and Onshore Observer Programme. Contract award, 26 January 2026. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/345348/cefas26-10-offshore-and-onshore-observer-programme (accessed 12 October 2026).