Project to Deliver a New Fisheries and Marine Management Regime

Stakeholder Advisory Group
Thursday 19 March 2009
The Conrah Hotel, Chancery, Aberystwyth

Note of Meeting

Attendees

Apologies

Actions

1. Project Team to add Working Group to Organisation Structure diagram.

Nick O’Sullivan and Roger Cook to liaise on issue of charter boat skipper representation and feed back comments and contacts to the Group.

Project Team to circulate table of roles and responsibilities of each of the project groups.

Group to develop ideas for future stakeholder engagement and submit suggestions to the next meeting.

Project Team to submit details of existing models for stakeholder input, for consideration at the next meeting.

Project Team to ensure that Several and Regulating Orders options paper includes background information, details of the relevant clauses in the Marine Bill and makes it clear the different approaches can be taken for each type of Order.

• Introductions and apologies

 Apologies were received from Rob Floyd

 Project Overview & Update

Eirig Parry gave a presentation outlining the current status of the project. The following discussions arose:

Marine and Coastal Access Bill

It was noted that the project was dependent on the Marine and Coastal Access Bill (Marine Bill) being enacted, including relevant Welsh clauses.
• Stuart explained that the timeline for the Marine Bill was on track for the Bill to receive Royal Assent in Autumn 2009 and there was no reason to suspect this would not be the case.
• The process for establishing Welsh Zone was through the Marine Bill and an associated Order in Council and Transfer of Functions Order; the target date was 1 April 2010. WAG was working closely with Defra and the Wales Office to progress.
• There would be additional marine functions for WAG under the Bill, including conservation, licensing and enforcement of the Environmental Liability Directive – Fisheries Unit would be working with Marine Policy Branch to clarify these functions and resource implications

Organisation Structure Chart

The Group asked for the Working Group to be added to the Organisation Structure chart for the project.

Action:

• Project Team to add Working Group to the Organisation Structure chart for the project

Terms of Reference

Membership

• The group agreed that charter boat skippers should be represented on the group.
• There was some concern that wider enforcement areas were not represented.
• Some groups such as processors, wider sea industries and harbour authorities may have an interest but it was important to keep the group small and focussed.
• The Group agreed that other interests could join the as corresponding members.

Action:           

• Nick O’Sullivan and Roger Cook to liaise on issue of charter boat skipper representation and feed back comments and contacts to the Group
• Group to suggest other groups that should be represented

Role of the Group

Stuart would take feedback from the Stakeholder Group to the Working Group and Project Board which would consider and make decisions about the project.
• The Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) [Graham Rees] would have ultimate authority and responsibility for the project.
• The Group was tasked with ensuring stakeholder input into the delivery of the new enforcement structure and reviewing external outputs of the project, such as the Enforcement Strategy, legislation and new Several and Regulating Order arrangements.
• The Group requested additional information about the roles of each group on the project.
• The Group agreed that differing opinions of the group should be taken to the Project Board, that the Group should approve minutes and that it should be involved with the production of an external newsletter.

Action:

• Project Team to circulate table of roles and responsibilities of each of the project groups.
• Project Team to amend Terms of Reference to reflect that differing opinions of the group should be taken to the Project Board and that the Group should approve minutes.

Initial Work plan

Options for stakeholder engagement

Stuart explained that the Minister for Rural Affairs wanted input and advice from stakeholders and therefore this Stakeholder Group had been set up to develop options for stakeholder input after the new enforcement structure was in place.

Some concerns were raised:

• A structured approach would be needed because of the merging of the functions of two Ministers
• It was unclear how this group would link to Marine Spatial Planning

The Group suggested the following options:

A publicly appointed Committee, similar to the existing SFC Committees
• A structure similar to the WCMP
• A Committee similar to Local Government Committees
• WAG could use existing models such as the Agri-Food Partnership
• There could be a number of groups, such as an all-Wales SFC type group, a non-fisheries group (for licensing, etc.) and a marine forum

Action:

Group to develop these ideas and submit suggestions to the next meeting
• Iwan to circulate recently commissioned paper on stakeholder input, when available
• Project Team to submit details of existing models for stakeholder input, for consideration at the next meeting

Several and Regulating Orders

The Group raised the following points:

• There was concern that two Orders had already fallen because of the issue with Crown Estates – WAG were working with Defra and Crown Estates to try to resolve the situation
• There was concern as to whether WAG could be grantor and grantee
• Options could be different for Several Orders and Regulating Orders
• These Orders were complicated and confusing and the Group requested that background information was contained in the options paper, including details of relevant clauses in the Marine Bill
• It was important for the expertise of the SFCs to be used in this process

Action:

• Project Team to reflect points raised by the Group in the Several and Regulating Orders options paper

Transfer of byelaws

The Group raised the following points:

There was some concern that the transition should be seamless
• The Project Team assured the Group that the commencement date for the new regime would coincide with the transfer of byelaws, so there would be no gaps in legislation
• It was noted that byelaws would most likely transfer as they are with an extensive review of legislation after the new regime was in place
• There would need to be some initial review of byelaws before the transfer due to the differences between North and South Wales

Enforcement Strategy

• The Enforcement Strategy for the new regime would be developed by the Working Group, and reviewed by the Stakeholder Group.
• The Strategy would map out priorities and risks for the new enforcement structure, and express new marine enforcement responsibilities
• Other models of enforcement, such as that of the Scottish Government, would be considered.
• The Group were keen to be involved with this.
• Some members expressed that there were concerns from some fishermen about the effectiveness of enforcement activity, and particularly in the new Welsh Zone.
• Stuart confirmed that the Royal Navy would continue its enforcement activity in that area.

Communications

The Project Team were developing a staff newsletter for SFC staff and asked the Group for views on communicating the project more widely, possibly through a stakeholder newsletter.

The following points were raised:

• Minutes of the Stakeholder Advisory Group meetings could be published on a website
• An e-bulletin could be produced with a summary of the project and links to further information
• Fishing News and/or Fishing Focus should be explored
• Possibly local community newspapers
• Links with existing groups should be used, such as the WFFA
• The Group would assess communication options in more detail at the next meeting.

 

Project Team
                                                                                  
Fisheries Unit 8 April 2009