Annex C
Mr Carwyn Jones
Minister for the Environment, Planning and Countryside
National Assembly for Wales
Dear Mr Jones
The future of Sea Fisheries Committees in Wales
Following the Net Benefits Report and the Bradley Review, Sea Fishery Committees in Wales are acutely aware of policy discussions taking place regarding the future arrangements for the management of inshore fisheries.
. Although the Chief Executive of the Association of SFCs has kept your officials abreast of the discussions; Mr Bradshaw's announcement in June that SFCs in England will continue with modernised and strengthened powers has focused attention on the need for a decision regarding the Welsh Committees. These Committees would now welcome the opportunity to brief you on their views regarding how fisheries management could be advanced in Wales.I have chaired the NWNWSFC since July 2005 and been a Local Authority member of the Committee since 1986. I am always impressed by the SFCs extensive and unique experience of the management of inshore fisheries extending since they were established as parliamentary bodies nearly 120 years ago. The quality of their regulation and enforcement of the fisheries has been recognised in a number of independent reports. SFCs provide a most cost effective and efficient delivery of fisheries management. A key strength is that they have the support and participation of local stakeholders in the fishing industry and they are locally accountable through elected members such as myself. SFCs continue to deliver a vital role but in recent years, the changing nature of the fisheries has shown areas where their powers are no longer adequate and the decision in England to modernise SFCs is most welcome.
I am aware of changing policy priorities in Wales following devolution and the recent granting of increased legislative powers to NAW. I also recognise that different management solutions for inshore fisheries in Wales may be appropriate. But a common factor between England and Wales is that the detailed local knowledge required to manage, for example, the Three Rivers fishery or fishing within Marine Special Areas of Conservation is to be found in the SFCs and would be very quickly lost if the Committees were to be absorbed into another body or if the management of fisheries were to become more centralised.
We believe that the Committees in Wales should be modernised and strengthened and their Districts extended from 6 to 12 miles. This would give the WAG the skilled base from which to manage the devolved Territorial Sea in a coherent fashion and to ensure that the dynamics of both fisheries and marine nature conservation were given full and fair weight in the management process.
After some years of uncertainty my Members and Officers are increasingly concerned about the future of inshore fisheries management in Wales and the officers’ individual employment prospects. In advance of any decision or announcement about the future of fisheries management in Wales, I and the South Wales SFC Chair, now feel that it would be extremely helpful to brief you in person, about vital issues regarding the Welsh fisheries and the statutory, regulatory and enforcement role carried out by the SFCs. We ask that the Chairs could be accompanied by the Vice Chairs and CEOs, together with the Chief Executive of the ASFC.
I look forward to hearing from you and stand ready to meet at your early convenience.
Yours sincerely
Tom Glover OBE
Chairman
North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee
c.c. SWSFC for a parallel request,
Peter Winterbottom ASFC
Dr Stephen Lockwood, Vice Chairman (Wales) NWNWSFC