To appraise Members of management plans for the 2008/09 scallop fishery that takes place in the southern part of the District.

1.1 Members will be aware that during the 2007/2008 scallop season there was a significant influx of itinerant vessels into the Cardigan Bay fishery. This was largely due to displacement through the closure of Lyme Bay and Fal fisheries. Thus during the period January to March 2008 fishing intensity in the inshore area off Cardigan increased to a level that Officers considered detrimental to the long-standing lobster and crab fisheries. Therefore Area 1A (Annex A) was temporarily closed on the 19^th March 2008.

1.2 As reported at the September meeting of the Joint Committee, discussions with industry, Welsh Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (WFFA) and South Wales SFC have been ongoing throughout the summer months. These discussions are on the basis of determining the minimum level of restrictions for scallop fishing to achieve an equitable balance of interests between the competing sectors.

1.3 Officers have now met with the WFFA and discussed informally their industry led recommendations for restrictions. These recommendations concurred with Officers’ own plans for restrictions, except for one area (area 3 Annex B). Officers reviewed the request for the closure of Area 3 and concluded that at the predicted level of scallop fishing, there was at the time, no need to invoke a temporary closure.

1.4 Additionally since my meeting with the WFFA, and prior to the commencement of the scallop fishing season, representatives of the South West Fisherman’s Association have also met with local potsmen and agreed a voluntary code to work together and reduce gear conflict issues. Thus the restrictive measures proposed by the WFFA (largely to resolve gear conflict) are maybe not necessary, and also have not been formally represented to Committee Officers.

1.5 Having reviewed all recommendations, and in the knowledge that fishing intensity could be similar to that seen last February/March, Officers concluded that to fully discharge our fishery and environmental responsibilities the following temporary management measures are required for the 2008/2009 season (commencing 1^st November).

1.6 In order to protect the close inshore lobster, crab and prawn fisheries off New Quay to Cardigan, Officers recommend a temporary closure for the inshore part of Area 1A – from the beach out to 1½ n.m. offshore (Annex B).

1.7 In recent years the inshore areas of North Tremadog Bay have been subject to temporary closures (Annex A) to protect both shellfish and sensitive sea bed features. Officers recommend extending the area this year to encompass the whole of Area 3A (Annex B) to reduce the risk of damage caused by vessels that may ‘prospect’ for new scallop grounds once the offshore areas become depleted of stock.

1.8 Fishing in Areas 1A and 3A is not permitted until 1^st January (Byelaw 20) therefore any temporary closures (at paras 1.4 and 1.5) would not become active until that date. However in forewarning the industry that Officers are seeking endorsement of proposed closures, indicative maps (Annex B) have been sent out with 2008/09 Byelaw 12 authorisations that commenced on the 1^st November 2008.

1.9 Officers will review the fishing activity throughout the season and if necessary make recommendations to revise or extend the temporary closures. A programme of joint agency enforcement has also been agreed for the forthcoming season.

1.10 The use of monitoring systems as an aid to enforcement in discreet fisheries continues to be investigated. A trial project is currently being undertaken on the East Coast, using a system that may ultimately upgrade the current Royal Navy Surveillance System (RNSS). A presentation on the system was made to the October meeting of the Chief Officers’ Group, and whilst benefits are to be derived from such a system the cost of £1,500 per unit + airtime fees could be prohibitive for small coastal vessels. To achieve parity across the whole fleet, mandatory use of a monitoring system needs to be grant funded for the purchase of units, coupled to national legislation (Statutory Instrument) rather than byelaw restrictions. I am therefore suggesting that a centrally funded trials project be set up in Wales to ascertain the benefits and the level of administrative resource that would be required to manage real time data from a monitoring system.

1. Letter from Mr. R. Gorman dated 11^th November 2008.