21 Parc Derwen

Glan Conwy

Colwyn Bay

LL28 5BZ

Telephone: 01492 581710

e-mail: cfcm@ukgateway.net

Dear Minister

I am writing on behalf of your eight appointees to the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee, all of whom have seen this letter in draft and give it their complete support.

You are aware that there was a public inquiry (2001) into the application by the Anglesey Boat Company to construct a marina at Gallows Point, Beaumaris. Hitherto, the land has been occupied by the sea fisheries committee (SFC) through the grant of the Menai Strait (East) Several Order (1962). Under the terms of the several order, the SFC sublets the land to Messrs Deepdock (Holyhead) Ltd for the cultivation of mussels. The SFC supported Messrs Deepdock in their objection to the proposals at the public inquiry. You will appreciate, I am sure, that the SFC, but particularly those members whom you had appointed, were deeply disappointed when the Welsh Assembly Government chose to overturn the planning inspector’s recommendation and granted permission to develop the marina.

Subsequently, during the consultation period for the FEPA licence application, the SFC raised objections on the grounds that not only would the development deny access to grounds currently used for mussel cultivation but would threaten water flow and water quality over adjacent cultivation areas. These threats will put at risk a multi-million pound industry with an established record of providing stable employment and other benefits to the local economy. With these concerns in mind, the SFC drew considerable comfort from the knowledge that CEFAS, the Assembly Government’s scientific advisers on all such matters, recommended that a FEPA licence should not be granted.

We have seen the official correspondence announcing your decision and find the explanation for that decision superficial. Bearing in mind that your appointees to the SFC committee include marine and fishery scientists with a considerable breadth and depth of knowledge in marine environmental matters and their assessment, we shall be grateful if you will provide us with a copy of the detailed scientific argument and rationale that persuaded you to go against the advice of your principal scientific advisers in these matters, ie CEFAS. Indeed, we would appreciate learning whom you felt was able to give more relevant and dependable advice than CEFAS for such a key decision.

For many years ‘Green Wales’ and the quality of its environment has been a central thrust of marketing Wales as a business and leisure destination. To us, and probably many others in North Wales, it seems wilfully counterproductive to overturn well-informed advice that seeks to protect the environment and further underpin that image.

In conclusion, we ask why we should continue to give of our time so regularly to advise you on fishery matters? If you and the Assembly Government choose to ignore not only our advice but that of CEFAS and the Assembly’s planning inspector, it seems we might more usefully be engaged in other activities.

Yours sincerely

Dr S J Lockwood – fishery scientist

Vice chairman (Wales) NWNW SFC

For and on behalf of:

R Gorman commercial fisherman

Dr B Hodgson fishery scientist

A Jones commercial fisherman

T Jones mussel grower

Professor M Kaiser marine scientist

K Mould BSc mussel grower

O Roberts Secretary Llŷn Fishermen’s Association

cc T R Glover OBE – Chairman NWNW SFC

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