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South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee Date: 23 March 2001 Queens Buildings, Cambrian Place, SWANSEA. SA1 1TW Contact: Phil Coates and Mark Stafford The welfare of coastal waters around Wales faces a new threat. Discussions on the future funding of the SWSFC have been taking place for over five years since the reorganisation of local government in 1996. The National Assembly for Wales (NAW) has inherited the problem and will decide next week (27th or 29th). It is seeking to do so on an emergency basis and with curtailed debate. The Assembly looks set to agree the very low budget imposed by local authorities upon the Committee and against its collective will, and at an equivalent of spending money last seen over ten years ago. Moreover, the ongoing ‘foot and mouth crisis’ means that this matter will not receive the debate it deserves in the Agriculture Committee, and there is a danger that the Order will go through ‘on the nod’. Speaking for the Committee, its Director Phil Coates said “When stocks of fish and shellfish in coastal nursery areas have never been under so much pressure before, and the welfare of the marine environment has never before had such a high profile, agreement of the Assembly to this proposal and without proper debate of the consequences would be total folly”. Councillor M I Jones (Neath Port Talbot CBC) said “The implementation of such savage cuts would destroy the most meaningful work that the Committee undertakes. My authority is very concerned that the funding local authorities have not fully understood the impact of these cuts will have on service delivery. It is vitally important that the Assembly take the opportunity to debate the matter, particularly as they would be taking action before having considered various consultants reports on fisheries and the marine environment which endorse the good work of Sea Fisheries Committees and call for their expansion. Furthermore changes to local government funding structures this year, where for the first time Sea Fisheries management is cost neutral to local authorities, would make any capped funding Order such as is being proposed, redundant.” Note
for Editors: 1: Sea Fisheries Committees, which comprise members of Local Authorities and NAW fishery appointees, have been funded entirely by Local Authorities, by a percentage based Order, for over 100 years. The new draft Order replaces the percentage with a financial cap of £354,000. The Committee, having considered reasonable needs, have agreed £396,000. In 1992/93 its levy was £352,000 which, if index linked, would equate to c £480,000. The Committee is in favour of only an unfettered percentage Order. 2: SFCs manage stocks of fish and shellfish in coastal waters to 20 miles offshore. In South Wales, cockles, mussels, oysters, scallops, winkles, whelks and fin fish such as bass, sole, rays, annually contribute £5.5 - £7 million to the local economy at first sale, and £20 million value added. These fisheries also have considerable recreational value. 3: Coastal waters are also valuable nursery areas and over 60% of the coast of Wales has now been recognised by EU Directives as having important marine habitat or supporting bird populations. SFCs have statutory duties to manage fisheries in these areas sympathetic to conservation needs. 4: Cuts to the SWSFC spending will put this management in jeopardy and risks action by the European Commission for breach of Statutory obligation. 5: Recent consultative documents by Nautilus and the Salmon and Freshwater fisheries review commissioned by Government endorse the work of Sea Fisheries Committees. The Association of SFCs has a consultative document on extension in jurisdiction and new statutory funding arrangements which awaits a government response. 6: Many other organisations have expressed grave concerns over any cutbacks, not least of which the Countryside Council for Wales, sea angling and commercial fishing associations. 7: The Committee’s advisors consider the financial capping proposal unlawful, and the matter may yet go to judicial review. For further information contact:- P J COATES (Director) SWSFC 01792 654466 M STAFFORD (Deputy Director) Cllr M I Jones (Chair of Finance Committee, SWSFC
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