Report by the Chief Executive

B.             Recommendation

                1. That the current positions in England and Wales is noted

2. That actions to improve awareness of the SFC among AMs and MPs in Wales; and actions to inform NAW of the SFC role and remit are approved.

1.1 There has been no significant change in the position since the last meeting when the Defra Senior advisor to the Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw reported to the Committee in person and answered questions. We continue to expect that a Marine Bill, in 2008 at the earliest, will be the vehicle to make any changes to the management of fisheries. In accordance with the Minister’s previous announcements, SFC in England will be modernised with a new purpose, new powers and duties and secure funding provision.

1.2 The details of how these changes will be implemented have not yet been decided as far as we know. Defra has committed itself to engaging SFC and the ASFC in discussions of these details. The SFC Chief Officers Group (COG) has started planning for an intensive workshop to prepare a paper on the changes considered to be needed from the SFC perspective. This workshop will be held once the timescale for change, information on further consultations and the direction of Government thinking is known.

1.3 Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) have noted that Defra are considering an expansion of the role of SFC in England to cover Environmental stewardship duties and sustainable development of the Marine Environment. This implies new responsibility for implementing and enforcing EU and UK environmental legislation. WCL have written to Minister Bradshaw to request that he ensures that adequate resources are provided to enable modernised SFC to deliver all the new responsibilities allocated to them. This letter is attached at annex A.

1.4 Members may have noted the publicity generated by NGO around the time of the Queen’s speech when it became clear that the Marine Bill was not in this year’s legislative programme. In fact it has been clear for some time that insufficient progress has been made to bring the Bill forward in 2007. The Government has now indicated that the Bill may be in the 2008 programme, perhaps following a White Paper and further consultation in 2007.

2.1 Before the Minister’s announcement in September of his intention to consult on a proposal to move the management of inshore fisheries to within NAW in Cardiff, the Chairmen of this Committee and the SWSFC jointly requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss the NAW proposals for the future management of Welsh inshore fisheries. This request was refused. The correspondence is attached at annex B.

2.2 The Minister’s announcement has generated a large amount of work for Officers as well as some concern about their future employment prospects. A number of AMs and MPs have contacted Officers to request information about the work of the Committee and the extent to which the Committee has been consulted about the Minister’s announcement or involved in the decision making process. As a result of these contacts AMs and MPs have written to the Minister to ask about consultations with the SFC and Officers have held presentations and provided briefing on the work of the Committee.

2.3 The Minister’s replies to AMs suggested there had been a level of consultation by NAW that SFC Officers did not agree had taken place. Therefore the CEO set out the details of SFC involvement and also invited the Minister to a detailed briefing on the work of the Committee. He has declined this offer and officers are concerned that the Minister is pursuing a policy of abolishing the SFC without having a good understanding of what they do. The correspondence is attached at annex C.

2.4 A meeting with Glyn Perryman, Head of NAW Fisheries Department was held on 9 November 2006 to discuss the implications of the Minister’s announcement. This was attended by Officers of both Welsh SFC and the CEO of the Association of SFC. A detailed briefing paper on the remit and resources of the Welsh SFC was prepared for that meeting. Copies of this background paper are available from the Clerk.

2.5 Mr. Perryman restated the Minister’s assurance in his letter of 8 November to the CEO, that he has not in fact made any decision on the future of SFC despite the wording of the announcement. The 12 consultation should be published in the next few weeks but it is now most unlikely that it will be possible for the Minister to take a decision before the NAW elections in May 2007.

2.6 NAW Officials have repeatedly used a lack of uniformity between the 2 Welsh SFC as an argument for abolition. It was stressed to Mr Perryman that the provision of local measures to address local problems was a great strength of SFC which should be seen as an important asset to be maintained in any new structure.

2.7 SFC officers suggested that before any decision is made about the future of SFC, it would be appropriate for a comprehensive study to be undertaken of the costs and benefits of a range of different options for the Management of Welsh Fisheries. The Minister has now published the advice he received prior to making the original announcement. This is attached at annex D. This advice shows that although some benefits and disbenefits are identified for 3 options, there does not appear to have been any comprehensive quantitative analysis of the costs or wider implications of each option.

2.8 The advice is of concern to SFCs because of certain assertions contained within it such as the following:

2.9 Officers recommended to Mr Perryman that it would be helpful if any proposals for changes to SFC were placed within the wider context of a Welsh Fisheries Strategy before a decision is finalised. Such a strategy has been in preparation for a number of years and it is difficult to see why the SFC proposals should now be considered (apparently in a bit of a rush) ahead of the completion of the overarching fisheries strategy.

2.10 In summary the meeting indicated that there is more time than originally expected to ensure the best information is available and the right decision is made for Welsh inshore fisheries.

STEPHEN ATKINS

Chief Executive

22 November 2006

There are no background papers to this report.

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