**Company Registration No: 7294489 Charity Registration No: 1137772**
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023**
|**Contents**|**Page No**|
|---|---|
|**Description**||
||**3**|
|Legal and Administrative Information||
|Trustees’ Report|**4-8**|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|**9**|
|Statement of Financial Activities|**10**|
|Balance Sheet|**11**|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|**12-14**|
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Legal and Administrative Information**
|Patron|Steve Backshall MBE|
|---|---|
|Trustees|Tim Barkey|
||Tim Ecott|
||Neil Stephen|
|Campaign director|Graham Buckingham|
|Registered office|FirstFloor|
||40 Piper Road|
||Kingston upon Thames|
||Surrey|
||KT13EX|
|Bankers|Cooperative Bank|
|Independent Examiner|Catherine Green|
||22 Cintra Park|
||Crystal Palace|
||London|
||SE19 2LH|
**3**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation Trustees’ Annual Report**
## **For the year ended 30 June 2023**
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 24 June 2010 and registered as a charity on 3 September 2010.
The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which establishes the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up, trustees are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
The directors of the company are also the charity trustees for the purpose of charity law. Currently there are three serving trustees (see page 3) and under the requirements of the Articles of Association the number of serving trustees should not be less than three.
The charity is managed on a day-to-day basis by a full-time employee (campaign director) and a board of trustees, supported by advisors. The trustees and campaign director meet approximately four times a year.
## **Objective, Mission and Principal Activity**
The charity’s Objects as set out in the Memorandum of Association are to promote for the benefit of the public the protection and conservation of threatened marine species and of the wider marine environment and to advance the education of the public in the conservation and protection of threatened marine species and of the wider marine environment.
The organisation sets out to accomplish these goals by creating an online resource that clearly identifies marine species at risk through over-fishing and over-consumption and highlights the consequences of over-fishing and over-consumption. Motivate the UK food industry to halt the sale of threatened marine species and products derived from sharks. Empower the general public with a unified and compassionate voice that allows individual and direct communication with key retailers.
## **Public Benefit**
We have referred to the guidance in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on Public Benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
Bite-Back works towards the goal of marine conservation and saving marine species and habitats from extinction. This goal is to the benefit of all people, saving the oceans, which provides 70 per cent of global oxygen, allowing the planet to survive. Protecting the oceans by reducing the overfishing (the No.1 threat to the marine environment), is the primary goal of the organisation.
**4**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Risk Management**
The trustees have identified the major risks applicable to the charity and believe that appropriate action has been taken to mitigate these risks. The trustees will continue to keep the adequacy of the systems under review.
**5**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Strategic Objectives for 2022/23**
The strategic objectives for Bite-Back in 2022/23 were to deliver against programmes and campaigns to end the trade and consumption of shark products, reduce the consumption of threatened fish species and change the narrative around sharks, while growing support and funding for the charity.
## **Risk Management**
The trustees have identified the major risks applicable to the charity and believe that appropriate action has been taken to mitigate these risks. The trustees will continue to keep the adequacy of the systems under review.
## **Activity Report**
Measurable progress against the charity’s mission to save the sharks, protect the oceans and spread the word has been achieved during the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
In this period the charity’s profile as a leading organisation operating in the marine conservation arena was boosted by its campaigns, partnerships and media coverage.
## **No Fin To Declare Campaign**
Drawing on eight years of experience and expertise on this topic, the charity provided close and constant support to a private members bill calling for a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins. Bite-Back created bespoke briefing documents on the topic for MPs and the media, plus direct communication with MPs attending the three readings of the bill.
With unanimous support in the House of Commons, the private members bill then progressed to the House of Lords for three further readings. Again, Bite-Back was clear and deliberate in its support and communication with members of the Lords.
In a matter of months, the first two readings in the House of Lords achieved significant and robust support from the Lords. On 14 June, the bill received its third and final reading, this time achieving unanimous support from both sides of the House resulting in the bill being passed for Royal assent into law later this year.
Understanding that Royal assent was now a formality the charity celebrated the news that the UK was set to become the first country in Europe to impose a ban on the import and export of shark fins. Considering the UK was exporting around 20 tonnes of shark fins every year, the outcome represents a notable blow to the international shark fin trade and a beacon of hope to other countries looking to achieve the same outcome.
TV presenter, wildlife expert and patron of Bite-Back, Steve Backshall MBE, said: “This news is an incredible result for sharks and the oceans. Around the world sharks are being slaughtered in their millions just for their valuable fins and populations can't recover. Without breakthroughs like this we could lose some sharks forever. I can only hope that this outcome prompts more countries to follow the UK’s lead and, together, we can give sharks the break they so desperately need.”
**6**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Mind Your Language Campaign**
Bite-Back is now the go-to charity for commentary on the media’s choice and use of language when describing news involving human-shark-encounters.
The topic is now set to form part of the charity’s education pack for primary school children.
To complement the campaign a set of eye-catching guerilla-style ‘warning’ stickers have been developed. These have now been purchased by supporters around the world.
## **Public Events and Outreach**
For the fourth time, our patron Steve Backshall MBE has invited Bite-Back to be his charity partner for his ‘Oceans’ theatre tour of the UK, starting in the autumn. Bite-Back has committed to visiting 22 towns and cities around the UK to promote the charity and its campaigns.
The charity also attended the Go Diving show in Coventry to engage with scuba divers, sell merchandise and boost membership.
## **Shout Out for Sharks**
In an industry-first, Bite-Back launched a free-to-download teaching resource on the topic of sharks and the oceans for primary schools. It’s the first time that a resource on sharks has been aligned with the national curriculum.
Significantly the 56 page, free-to-download, education pack featured interviews and endorsements from high profile marine conservation advocates, Steve Backshall MBE, Megan McCubbin and Helen Czerski.
The pack, developed with First News Education, a leading education resource provider, achieved significant media coverage at launch, prompting hundreds of downloads from schools, clubs and home educators.
## **Fundraising**
In the current economic climate Bite-Back, like many small charities, has found fundraising to be especially hard. Thankfully, a £20,000 windfall donation from Midlands Diving Chamber, and an auction prize donated by Scott Gleed, helped Bite-Back maintain its financial stability.
**7**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Financial Review**
Bite-Back is committed to optimising administrative costs and increasing revenue to maximise the reach of its conservation programmes.
Income in 2023 was £46,348 (2022: £43,217) and charitable expenditure was £40,017 (2022: £40,569).
Some funds were used to pay the salary of a campaign director along with outreach material and events plus design and print.
## **Reserves Policy**
The trustees have reviewed the reserves of the charity. To safeguard the core activities in periods of fluctuating income, the trustees have determined to establish unrestricted reserves to cover six to twelve months of operational costs. Should funds fall below £25,000 or costs increase, appropriate action will be taken.
Free reserves at 30 June 2023 were £100,535 (2022: £94,204).
The trustees are satisfied with the current level of free reserves.
**8**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2022
## **Plans For The Future**
Bite-Back’s plans for the future include:
End the UK trade in shark products Work with retailers to end the sale of threatened fish species Provide online reference point for marine conservation information Provide school’s outreach support of the education pack Build relationships with current donors and new organisations Develop new fundraising opportunities Host educational and outreach events
**7**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Statement of trustees’ responsibilities**
The charity’s trustees, who are also directors of Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of the financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
## **Small Company Rules**
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small companies and in accordance with the Standard Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015), the “Charities SORP (FRS 102)”.
This report was approved by the Board on 19 March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
## **TIM BARKEY**
Trustee, Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
**8**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Members of Bite Back Shark& Marine Conservation**
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 30 June 2023, which are set out on pages 10 to 14 in this document.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Catherine Green ACA (ICAEW) Independent Examiner
22 Cintra Park, Crystal Palace, SE192LH Date: 21 March 2024
**9**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
(Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 30th June 2023
||**Notes**|**Unrestricted**|**Total**|**Unrestricted**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**funds 2023**|**2023**|**funds 2022**|**2022**|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**INCOME FROM:**||||||
|_Voluntary income_||||||
|Donations, grants and|**1**|46,348|46,348|43,217|43,217|
|charitable sales||||||
|Total income for the charity||46,348|46,348|43,217|43,217|
|**EXPENDITURE ON:**||||||
|_Charitable activities_||||||
|Charitable expenditures|**2**|38,017|38,017|40,569|40,569|
|Fundraising costs||2,000|2,000|-|-|
|Total expenditure of the||40,017|40,017|40,569|40,569|
|charity||||||
|Net income (expenditure)||6,331|6,331|2,648|2,648|
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||||||
|Net movement in funds||6,331|6,331|2,648|2,648|
|Total funds bought forward||94,204|94,204|91,556|91,556|
|Total funds carried forward|**3**|100,535|100,535|94,204|94,204|
All activities derive from continuing operations
The notes on pages 12-14 form a part of these financial statements.
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England & Wales # 7294489
**10**
8,017
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation Balance Sheet as at 30[th ] June 2023**
|**Note**
**2023**
**2023**
**2022**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**CURRENT ASSETS:**amounts
receivable within one year
Cash in bank and in hand
103,626
98,633
103,626
**CURRENT LIABILITIES:**amounts falling
due within one year
Taxation and social security
(671)
(2,349)
Other creditors
(2,420)
(2,080)
(3,091)
Net current assets
100,535
Net assets
100,535
**Charity Funds**
Unrestricted funds
**3**
100,535|**Note**
**2023**
**2023**
**2022**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**CURRENT ASSETS:**amounts
receivable within one year
Cash in bank and in hand
103,626
98,633
103,626
**CURRENT LIABILITIES:**amounts falling
due within one year
Taxation and social security
(671)
(2,349)
Other creditors
(2,420)
(2,080)
(3,091)
Net current assets
100,535
Net assets
100,535
**Charity Funds**
Unrestricted funds
**3**
100,535|**2022**
**£**
98,633
(4,429)
94,204
94,204
94,204|
|---|---|---|
||100,535||
||
100,535||
The trustees state:
(a) For the year ended June 2023 the charitable company was entitled to exemption under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
(b) No notice from members requiring an audit has been deposited under Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
(c) The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:
(i) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records which comply with Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006, and
(ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end _of_ the financial year, and of its income and expenditure for the financial year, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
(d) The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the provisions of the Charities SORP (effective 1 January 2015).
The notes on page 14 form a part of these financial statements. The financial statements were approved by the Board on 19 March 2023, and signed on their behalf by:
**TIM BARKEY**
Trustee, Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
**11**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 30th June 2023**
## **Accounting Policies Basis of Accounting**
These financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis and the historical cost convention and in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practices which have been consistently applied throughout the year. The Trustees’ Report and the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019). The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions of Schedule 4 of the Companies Act and adapted the Companies Act formats to reflect the special nature of the charity's activities.
The following principal accounting policies, which are unchanged from the previous year, have been consistently applied in preparing the financial statements.
## **Income of the Charity**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the charity is legally entitled to receipt, and it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income can be measured reliably. Income is shown by component of income.
## **Expenditure of the Charity**
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the components of expenditure. Wherever possible costs are directly attributed to these headings.
The Statement of Financial Activities has been based on the nature of incomes and expenditures as permitted by the Charity SORP for smaller charities below the audit threshold as it is considered that this approach is more informative to users of the accounts.
## **Fund Accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
**12**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
## **Notes to the Financial Statements – for the year ended 30th June 2023**
|**1 Donations and charitable sales**
_Voluntary income_
Donations and membership
Grant (Midlands Diving Chamber)
Merchandise sales
Total income
**2 Expenditure on charitable activities**
_Charitable expenditures_
Merchandise costs
Employee
Events
Website
Administration and research
_Fundraising costs_
Contribution to fundraising event
Total expenditure
**3 Funds**
Unrestricted funds
Total||**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Funds 2023**
**£**
**2023**
**£**
**Funds 2022**
**£**
**2022**
**£**
13,119
13,119
12,057
12,057
20,000
20,000
-
-
13,229
13,229
31,160
31,160|
|---|---|---|
|||46,348
46,348
43,217
43,217
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Funds 2023**
**£**
**2023**
**£**
**Funds 2022**
**£**
**2022**
**£**
1,423
1,423
6,482
6,482
33,603
33,603
32,039
32,039
1,004
1,004
539
539
270
270
429
429
1,717
1,717
1,080
1,080
2,000
2,000
-
-
40,017
40,017
40,569
40,569
**Balance**
**B/Fwd.**
**£**
**Income**
**£**
**Expend-**
**idture**
**£**
**Balance**
**C/Fwd.**
**£**
94,204
46,348
(40,017)
100,535|
|||94,204
46,348 (40,017) 100,535|
**13**
Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation
For the year ended 30 June 2023
Please refer to the Trustees' Report to find out more about our activities.
## **4 Members' Guarantee**
At 30 June 2023 the charity had 3 members. The liability of each member to contribute to the assets of the charity in the event of a winding up is limited to £1.
## **5 Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions during the period.
## **6. Staff Costs**
The company had one employee during the year.
||**Total 2023**|**Total 2022**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Gross Salary including employer’s national insurance|33,603|32,039|
The average number of staff employed expressed as an equivalent number of full-time was 1 (2022: 1). The average head count was 1 (2022: 1). No employees earned in excess of £60,000 in the year.
## **7. Payments to trustees**
No trustees received remuneration for their services to Bite-Back or were reimbursed expenses during the year.
**14**