Marine / Memorial lecture to honour expert who bridged gap between fishing industry and science
“HE COULD translate science for fishermen, and he could translate fishermen for scientists. He came to be able to do that effortlessly, and that’s a real skill.”
Bridging this gap between industry and science is one key area in which the late Dr Ian Napier excelled, according to Shetland Fishermen Association (SFA) executive officer Daniel Lawson.
“He was a really formidable brain – the brain the size of a planet is how I would describe him,” he continued.
“He wanted to apply that brain not just to Shetland’s fishing industry but to Shetland, and I think we were really lucky to have a guy of his calibre so committed to this place and to our industry in particular.”
Lawson was speaking ahead of the inaugural memorial lecture to be held in Dr Napier’s name, after his tragic death in late 2024.
The 58-year-old was a senior fisheries policy adviser at UHI Shetland, and his work in the field was hugely respected not just locally but nationally and internationally too.
The lecture is taking place tonight (Thursday) at the UHI Shetland Scalloway campus, in conjunction with the SFA, with Dr Demet Şahende Dinler of the University of Sussex set to take to the lectern.
There are hopes that the memorial lecture will be a recurring event to recognise and honour Dr Napier’s work and contribution.
Dr Beth Mouat, UHI Shetland’s director of research, said the event is about “making sure that his legacy is not lost”.
There does not seem to be much risk of that happening, however, given that she said even this week there have been references to Dr Napier’s work in meetings with staff.
“We will keep coming back to the things that he’s done in time, and they will be used to inform future research, so he’s kind of integrated into this organisation in a way,” Dr Mouat said.
She praised the “place-based research” where Dr Napier was in the community working alongside industry – “not just on individual projects, but for decades, building up those relationships and that trust and that understanding of how both sides operate”.
“That adds huge value in making sure that the research, being robust and independent, is still tailored to deliver results for the industry,” Dr Mouat said.
“Because that’s what we’re here for, to provide impactful research that means something to the community.”
Dr Napier provided “significant” support to the SFA, with Lawson praising his expertise on areas like statistics, biology and legislation – with the fisheries expert said to have a “forensic ability” to scrutinise things.
But a key talent was making what can be tricky topics and complex statistics digestible – with Lawson referencing the bridging of the gap between industry and science.
He also highlighted Dr Napier’s work before and after Brexit, where he gave “solid facts and figures” amid the political slogans, which came to be trusted across Europe.
“He was humble and unassuming,” Dr Mouat added, during an interview in the UHI Scalloway campus on Thursday morning ahead of the evening’s lecture.
If his work came with international recognition, “it wisna something that he was seeking”.
Dr Dinler, meanwhile, will give a lecture entitled Between Individual Autonomy and Collective Good: Roots of Social Justice in the Shetland Fishing Community.
She said she will focus on the whitefish industry, and in particular look at how young fishermen in Shetland are able to pursue a career in the sector – something which is not always mirrored elsewhere in the country.
Dr Dinler will look at elements such as the fish markets, quota system and shared ownership, and how they build an “amazing infrastructure”.
She has undertaken research in fishing communities across the UK, including Shetland, where she has visited regularly since 2024.
The expert has tried to immerse herself in the local fishing community, not only undertaking interviews but spending time in the fish auction room, heading to the harbour and observing landings.
But Dr Dinler said she also read up on Shetland and its fisheries – which, of course, meant exploring Dr Napier’s work.
“I was really impressed by the rigour of his analysis, by his commitment to solid facts,” she said, adding extra praise for his book 75 Years of the SFA – a 244-page deep-dive into the local industry.
She said she met with Dr Napier in 2024, in the Scalloway campus, and enjoyed a long conversation.
“Despite the fact that he was a senior, he treated me as an equal researcher,” Dr Dinler said.
“He was very open to future collaborations. I really cherish that memory because it was very encouraging, since I was a bit nervous before coming here.”
Dr Napier joined the then North Atlantic Fisheries College as a young fisheries scientist in 1995, before rising through the ranks.
One example of his work’s impact was former Shetland MSP Tavish Scott saying in tribute in late 2024 that Dr Napier’s annual economic analysis of Shetland fish landings has been a “bible” he quoted from regularly to highlight the importance of seafood to the UK economy.
Reflecting on his contribution to the industry, Lawson said Dr Napier is a “big miss”.
“I think that’s why it’s important we not just remember Ian,” he said, “but the way Ian worked in conjunction with industry, with fairness and balance at the heart of it.”
Free tickets are available for the inaugural Dr Ian Napier Memorial Lecture at the UHI Shetland Scalloway campus tonight at 7pm, and they can be accessed here. There is also the option for remote attendance.
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