NORTH WESTERN AND NORTH WALES SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE
OFFICER’S REPORT
DEFRA AND NAW PROPOSALS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BASS
Report by the Chief Executive
Purpose of Report
To report Government statements on plans for changes to the minimum landing size and other measures to manage Bass fisheries in England and Wales
Recommendation
That Defra should be informed of the Committee’s response to their announcement and pressed to implement a bag limit for non-commercial Bass landings.
That Officers should respond to requests from NAW to develop a Bass byelaw in due course.
1. Defra and NAW press releases
1.1 Defra and NAW have issued press releases stating their intended actions following the consultation on measures to manage Bass fisheries in 2006. The Defra announcement came on August 10. In response to this NAW announced on 14 August that there would be further discussion and consultation before a decision is taken in Wales. Copies of these press releases are at Annex A.
1.2 The Defra announcement states that from April 2007, the MLS for Bass will be 40 cm and the mesh size for nets will be 100mm. Following a review in 2010, if the measures are successful there will be a further increase in the MLS to 45cm.
2 Reactions to the announcements
1.3 The Defra announcement is controversial because it does not satisfy either commercial or recreational fishing interests. Both sectors consider that the decision is discriminatory against British interests and in favour of the Continental industry which will continue to be able to land 36cm Bass anywhere in Europe. This issue may be the subject of legal challenge and Officers strongly believe that any increase in MLS should be imposed at the European level if it is to be credible and gain the support of fishing sectors. The measures are also likely to increase discarding of Bass because larger numbers of undersized Bass will be caught and SFC Officers consider that the increase in mesh size is not sufficient to match the increased MLS.
3. Implications for this Committee
1.4 The decision will create a particular enforcement difficulty for this Committee arising from different MLS in England and Wales. At present 36cm bass will be legal in Wales but not in England so landings in Wales are expected to increase and the MLS increase will be largely unenforceable in North West England.
1.5 A most key issue in relation to management of Bass is the requirement to control illegal sales. The Buyers and Sellers regulations will have some impact on illegal sales but a ‘bag limit’ on non-commercial fishers is also considered essential by this Committee and other consultation respondents. Defra have not announced the introduction of a bag limit although NAW may still support this option. The Committee may wish to introduce a bag limit byelaw if national measures are not forthcoming.
1.6 The NAW decision to undertake further consultation is sensible despite the enforcement difficulty it gives us. Minister Carwyn Jones intends to meet with fishing sectors in Wales and the CEO has written to NAW to emphasize that it is equally important that he meets the SFC to discuss Bass measures since SFC Officers have the best overall, general and detailed understanding of how Bass fishery management could be improved. We also emphasized that SFC are independent and balanced by virtue of their Government appointees and will support measures which are fair to all sectors. Any new regulations must have the endorsement and support of regulators and go with the grain of fishery thinking. Most importantly, new regulations must be enforceable with the resources available.
1.7 NAW have requested that any Welsh decision on changes to Bass regulations should be implemented through SFC Byelaws. The CEO has indicated to NAW that byelaws can be developed if needed subject to the approval of Committee.
STEPHEN ATKINS
Chief Executive
22 August 2006