Collaborative co-design for local blue food system transformation: the practicalities and challenges of the UK’s (FoodSEqual) ‘Plymouth Fish Finger’ pilot study

Abstract UK food system transformation is urgently needed but blue foods (e.g. fish) have been only minimally part of this discourse. Informed by community action research in a UK southwest coastal city, fish was identified as a food commodity for food system innovation, leading to local collaborative ‘co-design’ of an iconic British food. The ‘Plymouth Fish Finger’ pilot assessed the practicalities and challenges of this social innovation and its provision into the school meal system. Exploratory creative mixed methods mapped the journey of the fish finger as a social innovation. Methods drew on ‘co-production’ approaches, involving community food researchers, co-design with secondary school students, expert fish/school stakeholder consultations, educational pop-up taste tests in primary schools, processual observations and fieldnote reflections. Descriptive statistics and participatory analyses provided quantitative and qualitative insights respectively. Taste testing with schools and communities showed positive sensory and educational attributes. Participatory analyses resulted in five core themes: i) ‘Supply’— disrupting traditional supply chains; ii) ‘ Environmental benefits’ —reduced environmental impact of small vessels; iii) ‘Processing’ —making an appealing product; iv) ‘Education’— the value of educational input, and v) ‘Upscaling and legacy’ —routes to possible future expansion. An underpinning category was also constructed— ‘Pride and identity meets reality’ which illuminates pride in the product and the necessity of its economic viability. This small-scale exploratory pilot study forged relationships between academics, communities, fishing industry stakeholders, schools and school meal providers. It successfully built the concept of a community-led fish finger social innovation, advocating for collaborative action towards (blue) food system transformation. This paper offers insights and recommendations for research, policy and practice, which exemplify the complex interplay between factors driving distortions in the access to and availability of fish within local food systems.