NORTH WESTERN AND NORTH WALES SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE
OFFICER’S REPORT
The proposed UK Marine Act and setting up IFCA
Report by the Chief Executive
Purpose of Report
To report progress with the Act.
Recommendation
That the report be noted
1. Background
1.1 Defra are continuing a high level of work on the proposed Marine Bill and are consulting in detail with the ASFC on the proposed fisheries measures. The Bill remains on schedule to be introduced to Parliament in autumn 2008 and to come into law in summer 2009. The enactment by parliament of secondary legislation such as Statutory Instruments to set up IFCA will follow in 2009.
2. Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCA)
2.1 As previously reported to members, the Marine Bill proposes that Sea Fisheries Committees should be replaced with IFCA. Assuming the timetable above is met, the vesting of IFCA will take place on 1 April 2010.
2.2 Defra has now completed a study into the options for the future structure and boundaries for IFCA to cover the English coastline. This study will form the basis of a consultation to be issued in late 2008. The boundaries of some SFC are expected to change and some mergers are expected so that the number of IFCA in England will be less than the number of SFC. As previously discussed, the English component of the NWNWSFC District is expected to be merged with the Cumbria District to form a North West England IFCA extending from the border with Wales to the border with Scotland.
2.3 The IFCA implementation Committee set up and chaired by Defra to work on the setting up of IFCA has continued to meet at approximately monthly intervals. The CEO of the ASFC has attended all meetings accompanied by Chief Officers of various SFC in rotation. The NWNWSFC CEO has attended 2 meetings of this group.
2.4 The issues involved with the implementation of IFCA are highly complex. The following list provides an indication of the scope of what is being considered:
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Change of name and identity including all stationary, notices, signs, vessels, vehicles, files, bank accounts, website.Ø
Establishment of Districts by SI, agreement of funding arrangements assets and liabilities. The role and remit of the new ASFC. Cost recovery arrangements. Guidance notes.Ø
Transfer of byelaws including redrafting and remaking. Revocation of 1985 regulation, implementation of a new IFCA byelaws regulation. Implementation of the new level of fines and administrative penalties. Welsh plans to be decided.Ø
Transfer of Fishery Orders to the new Grantee.Ø
Recruitment of staff, Training of enforcement staff to new IFCA standards.Ø
Setting partnership and data sharing agreements with all bodies with which IFCA have a duty to co-operate.Ø
Templates for annual reports, annual plans 4 yearly reviews and monitoring of IFCA.Ø
Amendments to legislation such as replacements of ‘SFC’ with IFCA in all statutes.Ø
Preparation of a communications strategy to support the transition.3. Ministerial Appointments to SFC 1 July 2009-30 June 2013
3.1 The current quadrennial period of this Committee ends on 30 June 2009. Normally, an application and selection procedure run by Defra and WAG would take place to identify Ministerial Appointments for the next quadrennial period.
3.2 As SFC are expected to be replaced by IFCA on 1 April 2010, Defra wish to operate a simplified transitional arrangement for Ministerial appointments as detailed in the attached letter at Annex A.
3.3 This arrangement does not apply to WAG appointees as WAG has yet to decide on the future of SFC in Wales after 30 June 2009.
STEPHEN ATKINS
Chief Executive
26th August 2008
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT, 1985
List of Background Papers
There are no background papers to this report.