---
title: "CEFAS23-156 Contract for Western English Channel Sole & Plaice Time Series Survey"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-042c49"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-042c49"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-042c49.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-042c49.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE"
published: "2024-04-05"
---

# CEFAS23-156 Contract for Western English Channel Sole & Plaice Time Series Survey

Buyer: CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-042c49

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## Summary

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has completed a tender process for the "CEFAS23-156 Contract for Western English Channel Sole & Plaice Time Series Survey" in the services category. The project involves a data collection activity using a 4-metre beam trawl scheduled for late August to mid-October 2024, focusing on sole, plaice, and other commercially important species in the Western English Channel. I.F. Limited has been awarded the contract worth £167,400 signed on 26th March 2024. The tender has been cancelled.

This opportunity presents a chance for businesses in the marine services industry to grow by providing vessels with crew for the specified survey activities. Companies experienced in hire of vessels with crew, fishing, emergency and special vessels, and survey vessels would be well-suited to compete in this tender process. With potential extensions up to two years, this contract offers prospects for long-term engagement with CEFAS in critical marine research activities.

## Notice

This opportunity is for a data collection activity with a 4-metre beam trawl during 2024 (late August - mid October). The target species for age/length sampling are sole, plaice and & other commercially important species.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

From 2003 to 2023, commercial beam trawlers, working under the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) and subsequent fisheries monitoring programme, have surveyed the abundance of sole, plaice, anglerfish, lemon sole, megrim and cod in the Western English Channel.

The locations fished, and gears used were chosen initially by the industry and since then were retained consistently. On-board the vessel, Cefas staff sample the catch and analyse the catch data. This catch rate data indicates the changing abundance of the year classes and the rate of fishing on the stock. This "time-series" catch data is used in the ICES stock assessments for plaice and sole. The results from the previous years are summarised in the annual reports on the Cefas web site.

This tender seeks to secure a suitable vessel and all management, crew, victuals, fuel, and other services necessary to carry out the requirements specified below.

The survey's main aim is to investigate trends in the distribution, abundance, and age composition of sole and plaice, and to provide some information on by-catch species. For sole and plaice, the indices of abundance from the survey are one of the datasets used in the ICES Division 7.e stock assessments, together with other survey and fishery data, which help estimate the stock trends over time.

This opportunity is for a data collection activity with a 4-metre beam trawl during 2024 (late August - mid October). The target species for age/length sampling are sole, plaice and & other commercially important species.

Subject to confirmation of funding, further surveys in subsequent years may be required. The Contract could be extended for up to a further 2 years in annual increments. If confirmed, these will be conducted within the same time period each year and following the same survey procedure.

The project has two components; fishing undertaken by fishermen with knowledge of the area and fishery, and the science undertaken by Cefas. This opportunity is for the fishing component only, although the skipper will be expected to contribute to the overall project report produced by Cefas.

Renewal: The initial contract period is for the 2024 survey. 2 x 12 month extensions are to be awarded on an annual basis subject to confirmation of funding and are NOT guaranteed.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011107-2024 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Apr 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Feb 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 26 Mar 2024 |
| Contract period | 31 Jul 2024 - 31 Dec 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £210,000 |
| Lots value | £210,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £167,400 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE |
| Locality | LOWESTOFT |
| Post town | Norwich |
| Postcode | NR33 0HT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH6 Suffolk |
| ITL 3 | TLH63 East Suffolk |
| Local authority | East Suffolk |
| Electoral ward | Kirkley & Pakefield |
| Westminster constituency | Lowestoft |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | I.F. |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 34513000 - Fishing, emergency and other special vessels
- 60651000 - Hire of vessels with crew

## Release History

- 5 Apr 2024 at 12:04 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011107-2024
- 11 Jan 2024 at 12:01 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000930-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family-force.com/s/Welcome
- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.cefas.co.uk/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-042c49. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-042c49.json.