1.1 At the Joint Committee meeting in December 2006 it was reported that Vickie Hickin had taken up the post of Marine Biodiversity Officer, on a contract that ran until the end of February 2007, with the aid of a grant from CCW.

1.2 Vickie has made excellent progress with the agreed outputs from this post. Important among these are draft management assessments for the lobster and cockle fisheries in the welsh part of the District. These will be comprehensive assessments of the current status of these fisheries and their management. The effectiveness of the present management regime is considered, both from the point of view of the fishery and the effects upon nature conservation and biodiversity. Options for the improvement of management are discussed.

1.3 Vickie is also working on a Geographic Information system (GIS) tool to improve our assessment of intertidal shellfisheries and their conservation implications. The GIS is a computer-based system which allows maps to be prepared showing features such as the current assessment of cockle and mussel stocks, together with sensitive conservation features, access points etc. When up-to-date survey data is incorporated into the system, it should enable potential fisheries to be identified together with the problems that are likely to arise. The recent cockle fishery at Traeth Lafan has emphasised that intertidal shellfisheries frequently create wider issues than just the harvesting of cockles from the beds. Problems caused by access to the fishery are often more important, and potentially more difficult to resolve since the Committee’s powers do not extend to legislating where and how access to a public fishery is achieved.

2.1 Application has been made to CCW for further grant-aid to extend this post for up to 4 years. Indications are that the application is likely to be successful, and the outcome will be reported to the meeting. If the grant is forthcoming, then next year’s work will include assessments of the scallop and shore-crab fisheries in Wales. Vickie will also input to the Welsh skate and Ray Project, and the development of management plans for the Welsh SACs. The position also improves our ability to fulfil our biodiversity and wider environmental responsibilities through improving communications and attending Biodiversity Action Plan meetings where these include a relevant marine component, together with other environmentally related work.

3.1 A further grant of almost £8,000 has been obtained from CCW for the analysis of lobster CPUE data. This data was collected by Ingrid Iredale whilst she was engaged on the lobster V-notching project. Comprehensive catch data for over 10,000 lobsters was collected at sea. We have reached agreement with CEFAS for this data to be analysed, and where possible compared with historical records. This should provide a detailed review of the current state of the lobster stocks and fishery, and a much improved assessment of how changes in management would affect the stock and catches. It is intended that this will feed into the management assessment that is currently being completed, providing a sound basis for consultation on potential changes to the way the lobster fishery is managed.