Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Officer

Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority; England; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job description

Salary: £27,269 - £30,060 per annum (pay award pending) + 10% (excl. allowances)
Contract type: Fixed-term
Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: Tuesday 22 April 2025
Interview date: TBC

How to apply: For further information please contact the IFCA office on 01273 454407 or email [e-mail] or visit our website at www.sussex-ifca.gov.uk. Completed application forms are to be returned to [e-mail]. For informal advice on the recruitment process please ask for Angharad Purcell, Deputy Chief Fisheries and Conservation Officer.

About Sussex IFCA

The Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) is one of ten regional IFCAs in England, responsible for managing sea fisheries resources and Marine Protected Areas out to six nautical miles. Our district covers the entire Sussex Coast, including the estuaries.

The IFCA vision is to lead, champion, and manage a sustainable marine environment and inshore fisheries, by successfully securing the right balance between social, environmental, and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas, sustainable fisheries, and a viable industry. We do this through evidence gathering, developing, implementing, and monitoring the impact of management measures within our District, and ensuring they are complied with through effective engagement with stakeholders and a proportionate enforcement regime.
The IFCA is a committee of local government, and we are funded by East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council.

About the role

We are looking for a motivated and capable individual to undertake the role of Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Officer. In this full-time (18-month contract) role, you will assist Sussex IFCA with the management of inshore fisheries and Marine Protected Areas along the Sussex coast, working to ensure we meet our statutory obligations.

You will join a small team of motivated professionals based at our Shoreham-by-Sea office. You will undertake a range of day-to-day operational activities associated with inshore fisheries management and marine enforcement on land and at sea, including working as a member of the crew aboard fisheries patrol vessels. The successful candidate will be trained to conduct enforcement of regulations relating to fisheries and Marine Protected Areas, ensuring that anyone fishing in the Sussex IFCA district complies with the Marine & Coastal Access Act and other marine, environmental and sea fisheries legislation. You will conduct inspections, collect and record data, and give advice and guidance using your knowledge and understanding of the different fisheries and fishing methods in our district.

About you

You should be enthusiastic about the marine environment, with knowledge of marine conservation and management issues and the fishing industry, together with a strong drive to enforce rules protecting fish stocks, marine habitats and marine wildlife. You'll combine this with excellent communication skills, an organised approach and an aptitude for teamwork and collaboration.

You must be ready to work some additional and unsocial hours (e.g. weekends and at night), for which the post attracts a 10% uplift on basic salary. You will also be required to tackle physically demanding duties in a challenging marine environment. As such, we expect you to meet the standard required to obtain a Seafarers Medical Certificate (ENG1) to be able to inspect fishing vessels both when in port and when working at sea. Officers involved in both enforcement and conservation and research activities may be required to work a minimum of 20 weekend days per year and a maximum of 28 weekend days. Staff shall work on average a minimum of 37 hours per week.

Interview Process

The first round of interviews, for the two-stage interview process is intended to be held in the week commencing 12th May 2025 in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. If you are selected for an interview, you will be expected to provide a ten-minute presentation to the interview panel.

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.