---
title: "CEFAS26-10 Offshore and Onshore Observer Programme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060e51"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060e51"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060e51.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060e51.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE"
published: "2026-05-15"
---

# CEFAS26-10 Offshore and Onshore Observer Programme

Buyer: CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060e51

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## Summary

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) has completed the "CEFAS26-10 Offshore and Onshore Observer Programme," focusing on sustainable fisheries management. This project falls under the industry category of environmental monitoring services. It is based in the United Kingdom, specifically Lowestoft, and applied an open procurement method. After the tendering phase, the award was finalised on 15th May 2026, with the contract beginning on 5th May 2026 and extending to 31st March 2029, with potential renewals up to 2030. The programme involves collecting data on fish catches and bycatch via observers on commercial vessels, crucial for fulfilling the requirements of the Fisheries Act 2020.

This tender offers substantial business growth opportunities, especially for SMEs involved in scientific data collection or environmental monitoring services, like the awarded Seascope Fisheries Research Limited. Companies well-suited for such tenders include those with expertise in fisheries science, data management, and field research. Participating businesses can engage in a significant and impactful project, enhancing their sector credentials, expanding operational capacities, and potentially securing ongoing collaborations with government bodies such as CEFAS.

## Notice

The Offshore Observer Programme is a cornerstone of the UK's approach to sustainable fisheries management. It provides independent, high-quality data that underpins stock assessments, advice, and compliance with national and international obligations, including the Fisheries Act 2020. By placing trained observers on commercial fishing vessels, the programme ensures accurate information on catch composition, discards, and biological characteristics is collected during normal fishing operations. To meet the requirements of the Fisheries Act 2020, Cefas contributes to the data collection and collation requirements laid out in the UK Data Collection Framework (DCF). The UK DCF ensures consistent and continuous fisheries data collection across each UK administration, enabling them to establish multiannual programmes for the collection and management of these data. In England, Cefas is responsible, for the most part, for the collection of fisheries-dependent data, which includes deploying Offshore Observers on commercial fishing vessels to sample catches of shellfish, demersal and pelagic fish stocks, and associated bycatch. Access to vessels is negotiated on a voluntary basis, as there is no mandatory requirement for vessels to carry observers. Maintaining strong industry relationships and professional conduct is therefore essential to secure ongoing cooperation. Each year, Cefas determines the number of sampling trips required to meet DCF obligations and allocates resources accordingly. These targets are achieved through a combination of Cefas-employed observers and external observers supplied under this Contract. Observers are responsible for arranging sea trips on commercial fishing vessels, collecting trip-level information, catch composition, and biological data (including size, otoliths/scales, sex, and maturity). Upon return, all data must be entered into the Cefas Observer Database. All in accordance with established protocols and timelines. The aim of the Cefas Observer Programme is to: 3.1. Accurately characterise the catches and fishing activities of the English fleet by collecting detailed data on species composition, quantity and biological parameters (size, sex, maturity and otoliths/scales) from catch and bycatch in a fishery (primarily demersal). 3.2. Routinely provide validated datasets that are integral to international stock assessments and national/international fisheries and marine management advice. 3.3. Provide the opportunity to collaborate and co-develop the programme and adopt new technologies that demonstrably improves efficiency and data quality without compromising safety or neutrality. Observers must always maintain professional behaviour. This protects Cefas' reputation and ensures continued access to vessels for sampling. The Supplier must provide observers who are self-motivated, capable of working independently, and highly disciplined, with a proven track record of collecting scientific data aboard commercial fishing vessels.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044991-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Mar 2026 |
| Contract period | 4 May 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | 2031-01-01 |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £750,000 |
| Lots value | £750,000 |
| Awards value | £750,000 |
| Contracts value | £350,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active, Pending |
| 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 | SEASCOPE FISHERIES RESEARCH |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 76 - Services related to the oil and gas industry
- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 76520000 - Offshore services
- 90711500 - Environmental monitoring other than for construction

## Release History

- 15 May 2026 at 14:09 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044991-2026
- 16 Mar 2026 at 12:41 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023473-2026
- 26 Jan 2026 at 11:48 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006572-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044991-2026
  15th May 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023473-2026
  16th March 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006572-2026
  26th January 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.seascopefisheries.co.uk
- https://atamis-9529.my.site.com/s/Welcome
- https://atamis-9529.my.site.com/s/WelcomeAllbidstobesubmittedviatheaboveeProcurementsystem.
- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-060e51. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060e51.json.