NORTH WESTERN AND NORTH WALES SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE
OFFICER’S REPORT
IFCA implementation and the North West SFC
Report by the Chief Executive
A. Purpose of Report
To report developments in the setting up of IFCA in 2011 and an interim North West SFC from April 2010 – April 2011
B. Recommendation
That Members approve progress and proposals
1. IFCA implementation
1.1 Following the consultation on the number and boundaries of IFCA in England to be set up under the Marine and Coastal Access Bill, Defra have announced that as expected there will be 10 IFCA. Boundary changes from those of SFC are minor in most areas but, as expected, Cumbria SFC and the North West SFC will merge when IFCA are set up on 1 April 2011. Thus there will be a single North West IFCA with a District from the border with Wales in the Dee Estuary to the border with Scotland in the Solway Firth.
1.2 Two Defra Committees, the IFCA implementation Committee and the Enforcement Committee are continuing to develop plans for the establishment of IFCA. These Committees meet monthly in London. The most recent meetings of both Committees were on 19 August. The CEO attended together with other SFC Chief Officers and representatives of other stakeholder bodies such as the M&FA, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
1.3 A Project Board coordinates the work of these and other Committees engaged in the implementation of various components of the Marine Bill. SFCs are represented on the Project Board by the CEO of the ASFC, Mr Peter Winterbottom.
1.4 Defra have created a large and complex Excel spreadsheet to compile comprehensive information about each SFC to inform the development of a common approach to the establishment of IFCA. Defra officers are visiting each SFC to work with staff to assist completion of this spreadsheet. The Defra officer allocated to NWNWSFC is Sarah Steeds. She is planning a visit to NW England in early September. Any further information available by the time of Committee meeting will be tabled. A significant amount of staff resource will be required to collate the information required by Defra.
1.5 The Implementation Committee is working on the details of how the IFCA will operate. On 19 August the main topics for discussion were:
I. The latest version of the detailed timescale for the project (available from the Clerk)
II A verbal presentation by Defra of proposals for monitoring and evaluation of IFCA using their fisheries data together with data from Cefas, M&FA, EA and other bodies. Separate detailed presentations were also given by M&FA and Cefas on the fisheries data they collect. The Committee agreed to set up a Monitoring and Evaluation subgroup. SFCs were asked to nominate representatives.
1.6 Defra have planned a national workshop for 15 September at which a broad vision for the aims and objectives of IFCA will be considered. All SFC have been invited to send the Chairman, CEO and another Officer. The Senior Scientist will represent this SFC.
1.7 The Enforcement Committee is considering the new modernised enforcement regime and how the new powers which will be available to IFCA will be used. A table summarising the role of IFCA and the work they will do is attached (Annex A).
1.8 Defra have provided staff resource to ensure a smooth transfer of byelaws from SFC to IFCA. For the NWNWSFC, the CEO has provided Defra with scoping information to show which byelaws will be needed for North West England in the future and other changes required to ensure bylaws operate smoothly.
1.9 Discussion items at the 19 August meeting included:
I. a short update on plans to introduce fixed monetary penalties;
II. the provision of statutory guidance to the MMO by Defra including sentencing guidelines;
III. an update from Defra on the enforcement guidance and training courses now being prepared. Defra reported that accreditation training to cover the new Common Enforcement Powers for Fisheries Officers has been set up for 320 Officers. This training will be given to all SFC warranted officers in 2010.
IV. a detailed report on a project set up to deliver all the marine nature conservation provisions in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
V. IT systems required to record and analyse relevant data relating to fisheries including a new vessel monitoring system which Defra will develop.
1.10 When IFCA are set up, a new Association of IFCA (AIFCA) will also be established which will replace the ASFC. As reported at previous meetings, the ASFC has had early discussions about the structure, remit and funding of the AIFCA. A national workshop on 20 October is planned to deliver further work on the AIFCA.
2. The North West Sea Fisheries Committee
2.1 The withdrawal of Wales from the NWNWSFC in April 2010 creates a need for an interim SFC to be set up for 1 year from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
2.2 The North West SFC as successor body to the NWNWSFC faces various financial and practical risks and potential difficulties which are already creating additional work and concerns for the staff of the NWNWSFC. These risks are set out in a separate report at Agenda item19.
2.3 A new Statutory Instrument (SI) is required to set up the SFC which will replace the 1999 SI under which the present Committee is established. Defra are currently drafting legal instructions for the drafting of the new SI. Progress with this SI is expected by the time of the meeting and will be tabled if available.
2.4 We expect that the NWSFC will be under considerable financial strain resulting from the loss of the Welsh levies. Defra have made a commitment to meet any financial shortfall from the funding set aside to implement the Marine Bill. However, it is clear that the budget for the NWSFC will have to be tightly regulated to justify payments from Defra. A draft budget for the NWSFC is discussed in the report for Agenda item 22.
2.5 Some efficiency savings may be obtained for the NWSFC through joint working with Cumbria SFC. Initial discussions with the Chief Officer at Cumbria have proposed that the NWSFC may be able to undertake some or all of the science and survey work currently contracted out by Cumbria SFC. Also the NWNWSFC Fishery Officer for North Morecambe Bay may be able to undertake some joint patrol work with Cumbria officers in adjacent areas of the Committee’s Districts.
STEPHEN ATKINS
Chief Executive
24th August 2009
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT, 1985
List of Background Papers
There are no background papers to this report.