Food, Farming and Rural Affairs: Marine, Coastal and Fisheries

In a democracy such as ours, the sea belongs to everyone. Everyone in Britain lives within a few hours journey from the sea and has a right to expect that it will be managed in the best interests of society. We believe that the sea should be managed on behalf of the whole of society – whether consumers or catchers of fish, citizens who believe in protecting nature for its own sake, tourists, divers, those who work in shipping, recreational or commercial fishermen, fish farmers, oil and gas prospectors, the builders of offshore wind farms, aggregates industries or the Treasury.

Only by being managed on behalf of the whole of society will its long-term ecological and economic health be restored and sustained. Delivering the right marine, coastal and fisheries policies is one of the most challenging tasks of our times and one that we believe should be closer to the top of the political agenda.

Our terms of reference are:
• To identify optimum policy objectives and outcomes in respect to all interests relating to marine, coastal and fisheries matters
• To evaluate whether current political & institutional structures and policies (i.e. the status quo) are capable of delivering the optimum objectives and outcomes identified, or the likelihood of them doing so within an acceptable timeframe
• To evaluate – should their capability or the likelihood of delivery be in doubt – the feasibility and likelihood of changing current structures and/or policies sufficient to enable the delivery of optimum objectives and outcomes that serve all interests
• To consider whether there are alternative structures and policies that would be better able to deliver policy objectives and outcomes that optimise all interests

Working Group Members (Individuals taking part in this consultation and policy development process are doing so on a non-partisan basis)
Convenor: Jamie Lindsay
Secretariat: David Branch, Clare Devereux
Members: Lady Judith Wilcox; Bill Mason; Brendan May; Michael Jack MP; Mike Parker; Tony Baldry MP
Advisors: Charles Clover; Euan Dunn

Submissions to the Working Group

We are inviting experts with in-depth knowledge of particular areas of our investigation, as well as organisations which represent particular stakeholder interests, to come and give ‘evidence’ to the group to help inform its work. We will also be inviting written submissions from a further range of organisations with expertise in the subject matter, and in addition members of the public are encouraged to submit their views via the Quality of Life website.

We have developed a series of questions that we are seeking views on, and we ask submissions to address only those questions which fall within the expertise or interest of the respondent. As we are expecting a large number of submissions we ask for these to be kept to no more than 3 or 4 written pages. In addition we are happy to accept reports or papers on the relevant subject areas. Please use our online policy submission form or email your submissions to: david.branch@novitumconsulting.com

Key Questions

WIDER MARINE, COASTAL & FISHERIES ISSUES

1. How inclusive of all interests are the institutional structures and mechanisms that currently determine marine, coastal and fisheries policy ? How effectively do they represent the wider interests of the general public, off-shore/in-shore/sea-bed commercial activities, community interests, tourism and recreational users (e.g. rod fishermen, yachtsmen, etc.), environmental bodies and other stakeholders ? Should changes or improvements be made?
2. How "joined-up" are the various public sector bodies and other agencies that currently manage, implement and/or enforce marine, coastal and fisheries policies ? How effectively does the sum of their parts achieve a strategically co-ordinated and coherent policy-delivery covering all interests ? Should changes or improvements be made?
3. Are current UK and EU management structures "fit-for-purpose" in respect to emerging requirements such as sustainability, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and marine spatial planning, environmental integration and the adoption of a EU Maritime Policy ? Is there a particular need to address ICZM and marine spatial planning due to the increasingly diverse and congested use of our waters ? If so, how should the UK approach such matters?
4. Are you confident that current policies will achieve sustainable local communities around our coasts ? If not, what changes would you propose?
5. What are your views on current policies in respect to coastal and marine biodiversity, wildlife and landscapes, above and below water ? Do you have views on the role and value of marine and coastal protected areas?
6. Is the UK doing enough, and providing enough resources, to address serious issues of marine conservation in its South Atlantic Overseas Territories, such as IUU fishing around Tristan da Cunha and seabird bycatch in fisheries in the region? How would you improve our performance?
7. Do we have a sufficient understanding of the impact of climate change and/or changes in sea temperature, salinity and other ocean chemistry on the marine environment and its eco-systems ? If not, how best do you think these problems should be addressed in terms of scientific effort and policy-making?

   FISHERIES
   General Policy

8. What should a successful fisheries policy deliver ? What would its key elements be?
9. In your opinion, will the CFP and other current policies & regulatory structures deliver your answer to Question 7 within an acceptable time-scale?
10. If not, what changes to the CFP and/or other current policies & regulatory structures do you think are needed in order to deliver a successful fisheries policy?
11. Should the management of some or all fisheries matters be devolved to a regional or national level, or even further ? If so, what are the implications of such a proposal? Do you see the Regional Advisory Councils as being a transitional phase towards executive powers being devolved ? What should be the time-scale ? Should there be any constraints placed on devolved powers?
12. Should the UK have a stronger voice in regional fisheries management organisations such as ICCAT ? How would you achieve this?
13. Are current UK and EU management structures "fit-for-purpose" in respect to emerging requirements such as sustainability, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and marine spatial planning, environmental integration and the adoption of a EU Maritime Policy ? Is there a particular need to address ICZM and marine spatial planning due to the increasingly diverse and congested use of our waters ? If so, how should the UK approach such matters?

    ACCESS RIGHTS

14. What role do you believe individual tradable quotas or rights should play? If they have a role, how should they be applied?

    TARGETING, EFFORT, DISCARDS

15. Is the relationship between scientific research and fisheries management satisfactory ? If not, what changes would you propose?
16. Does the current approach to protection, which targets each specias individually work? Would it be more effective to adopt a multi-species approach?
17. Following the CFP reform in 2002, the UK and other Member States are required to develop an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. What do you see as the priority actions the UK should take to implement such an approach in its waters, and how would you make the approach proactive, coherent and comprehensive?
18. Do you believe that stock conservation is more effectively achieved through controlling inputs rather than outputs? If so, do you think that effort control should play an increasingly important role in management (as against quota allocation)? Where and how would you apply it? What are your views on effort management systems to regulate mixed fisheries and/or fish stocks under pressure. What do you consider to be the main problems with enforcing an effort management system? How would you solve these?
19. What are your views on the use of seasonal and non-seasonal closures to protect recruitment to stocks under pressure? Would an active and purposeful attempt to protect spawning areas and young fish have sufficient impact?
20. Should the use of more selective fishing gear and/or techniques be encouraged or compelled? If so, what measures would you introduce?
21. What are your views on discards? Should discarding be banned altogether? If so, what are the likely implications?
22. What are your views on industrial fishing ? Should it be judged against different criteria to non-industrial fishing ? If so, what is the basis for the different criteria and what would they be ? What would be the benefits and drawbacks of altering current practices?

    CAPACITY

23. Do you believe that fleet capacity needs to be reduced ? If so, what are your views on mandatory fleet reduction ? What other measures would you recommend ? Which parts of the fleet would they affect ?
24. Now that the new European Fisheries Fund (EFF) has been adopted for 2007-2013, what are the priority areas the UK should address in deploying their allocation of the funds through their Operational Programme, and do you consider the lack of funds for construction and modernisation to be a problem for an ageing UK fleet? If so, (a) how would you remedy this and (b) with what safeguards would prevent ‘technical creep’ whereby increasing catching efficiency outstrips fish stock resources?

    COMPLIANCE, ENFORCEMENT, SAFETY

25. How do you rate the current measures to ensure compliance with the rules governing fishing ? Are there other measures, punitive or non-punitive, that should be considered to encourage compliance? If so, what are they ? Is there an increasing role for observers?
26. Are the changes recommended by "Net Benefits" - firmer enforcement in general, improved traceability, wider application of technology - practicable, effective and desirable?
27. Is sufficient effort being made to improve safety in the fishing industry, given that it is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK?
    

    SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBILTY

28. How would you reconcile the short-term economic pressures on fishermen and fishing communities with the wider needs of long-term sustainability? How would you address the needs of those communities whose future livelihood is jeopardised by reduced fishing capacity and/or effort?
29. To achieve a sustainably managed marine environment in respect to fisheries, do you see regulation as the only solution ? Are there other key initiatives or incentives that could help deliver long-term sustainablity, perhaps through providing greater motivation, recognition and/or reward for sustainable fisheries ? If so, what are they ? Should the marine equivalent of agri-environment schemes for farmers be explored ?
30. Can the market and consumers play a greater role in rewarding sustainability through better informed decisions on fisheries products ? If so, how would you see this being achieved ? Do accreditation/certification/eco-labelling schemes have a part to play in this or any other respect ? How would you encourage greater take-up of such schemes ?
31. Is the EU’s uptake of fishing opportunities in non-EU countries’ waters (e.g. West Africa) having an adverse economic, social or environmental impact on those countries or their fisheries ? If so, what would you change ?

    AQUACULTURE, RENEWABLE ENERGY, AGGREGATES, RECREATION

32. What is the role of aquaculture in the UK in the context of a long-term sustainable seafood sector?
33. How are future opportunities for growth in the shellfish and finfish sectors optimised ? How should sustainability be ensured in the context of the growing market demand for farmed seafood ?
34. How are future opportunities for marine renewable energy optimised ? What role do the government and other bodies have in ensuring that the strategic potential is encouraged and sustainably developed ?
35. Is the current policy in respect to marine aggregate extraction satisfactory and sustainable ? If not, what changes or improvements would you propose ?
36. Are there any issues relating to recreational activities in coastal, inshore and offshore waters that you wish to raise?
37. Do you have any other comments or proposals that you wish to make in respect to Marine, Coastal & Fisheries issues?