Colin Faulkner, new CEO of Seafish, is an expert in international fisheries and seafood trade policy.
Photo: Seafish
UK seafood trade association Seafish has announced the appointment of Colin Faulkner as its next Chief Executive Officer.
Faulkner, who is currently Head of International Fisheries and Seafood Trade Policy at the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will take up the role on 12 January 2026. He will succeed Marcus Coleman, who leaves the organisation on 17 December 2025 after ten years in post.
Seafish Chair Mike Sheldon said the organisation was “very pleased” to have secured a leader with extensive seafood industry experience.
“We have known and worked successfully with Colin for many years and we look forward to continuing that to great effect in his new role,” he said.
“Colin has big shoes to fill as Marcus leaves us, but the Board and I have every confidence in him. We thank Marcus for his 10 years of service at Seafish and wish him every success in his new role,” Sheldon added.
Faulkner described his appointment as the beginning of “an exciting new chapter” for both himself and the seafood trade body.
“I can’t wait to get started on working with all parts of the seafood industry across the UK, and the whole team at Seafish, to take the organisation to new heights,” he said.
Faulkner has led Defra’s international fisheries and seafood trade policy team since 2018. Before that, he was Director of Government Affairs for the UK Green Investment Bank and Macquarie in EMEA between 2015 and 2018, following earlier policy roles within both the UK and Scottish Governments covering constitutional, environmental and fisheries issues.
Meanwhile, former CEO Marcus Coleman is himself set to take on a new leadership role early next year, as Chief Executive of the Water Management Alliance and its Member Boards.
