, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Thank you. I work very closely, obviously, with the Minister for Climate Change in relation to this. We're obviously very committed to protecting our seas, recognise the importance of protecting, restoring, and of course sustainably managing the blue carbon…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
This is an area I've taken a specific interest in. So, I think we've made great inroads in agriculture around progression, new entrants, women in agriculture and farm safety, and we just didn't see the same level that I would want to see in our fisheries. So…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Yes, I think you're right and I had a question in the Chamber yesterday on this, and I said, from a personal point of view, I came to eating fish very late in life. I was probably in my 40s when I started eating fish, and I think you're right—it is a cultural…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Okay. Is that all right, Chair?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Okay. So, this is very early scoping work that we're doing around this. And we're doing it with agriculture as well, because I think this is a real opportunity to fly the flag for Welsh fish and seafood. This is at very early stages. I'm just going to look…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
I'm sorry, I was having a little bit of difficulty hearing Sarah then—there was a bit of feedback. Did you say 'food labelling'?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Yes. In fact, we've recruited, again—Gareth might be able to tell us the numbers—some new staff to be on our vessels. Was it two teams last year we recruited, Gareth?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
So, Luke, just before the pandemic, we spent significant funding—I think it was up to about £8 million—on some new fishing enforcement vessels, because I think it was safe to say that the ones we had weren't really fit for purpose. So, we've got the Rhodri…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Do you want to take that, Gareth?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Thank you. I'm going to bring Gareth in here, because this is something he's been looking at.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
So, again, the JFS sets out our commitment to reducing marine litter. We need to support the industry to reduce its environmental footprint. So, we support the marine litter action plan, and the work of the clean seas partnership. We work collaboratively with…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Yes, absolutely. So, you heard me mention the December council before. So, at every December council, while some things would remain the same, there was always new things coming in because of the sustainability issues. We need to make sure that we have…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Yes, thank you. As the JFS sets out, there is likely to be a mix of UK-wide and national measures and policies. They will be tailored as appropriate. New policies will be subject to consultation, and that will be in line with normal procedures. I think the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Morning.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
I think I should start by apologising that you haven't got the MOU in front of you. I'm sure you're very frustrated about that. Obviously, it's having to be signed off by all four nations. I am going to reassure you that I've signed my bit off, but…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
I think we've probably had more engagement with them over the course of the COVID pandemic. I met the aquaculture sector specifically just before Christmas to see what more we could do to assist them, because as you know, Luke, there was a real cliff edge…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Certainly that's what we've been promised. I have to say, we work as four nations; probably, fisheries is the area where we had the most collaboration between the four nations, because every December we'd go to Brussels to the fisheries December council. So…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Yes, certainly. I think we need to get the structure right for our stakeholder engagement. Every Minister and official really needs that input from our stakeholders. I think, if I'm honest, we need to improve the structure that we currently have if we're…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
We don't have that data at the moment. I think what it will do is provide us with a significant amount of really rich data. I'm open minded on REM; Hefin mentioned REM. And certainly, I think as we go through the lifetime of the JFS, I'm sure we will have…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Again, the JFS does commit us to a wide-ranging and co-ordinated monitoring programme, and the way in which we improve the collection of data, I think, is going to be really crucial to the future management of our fisheries. We are very committed to making…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
I don't think it's the case that there's an absence of ambitious targets. The JFS is a strategic policy document and it's been jointly developed with the four UK nations, the four fisheries policy authorities. It sets the framework and direction of travel for…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Joint Fisheries Statement
Bore da, bawb. Good morning, everyone. I'm Lesley Griffiths, I'm the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales and Trefnydd. I'm joined by Gareth Bevington, who is the deputy director for marine and fisheries, and Tamsin Brown, who is head of future…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Well, I can assure you that all applications are looked on equally. We had 39 applications, and funding, as I say, will be provided on the criteria I set out in my original answer to you. My understanding is that it's not the case that larger companies would…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
The aim of the decarbonisation and COVID challenge fund is to support the recovery of the Welsh food and drink sector. To qualify, businesses must demonstrate innovative solutions in one or more areas, from energy conservation to carbon capture.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
We are looking at actions that may improve public rights of way. So, it could mean that there are opportunities for farmers to upgrade footpaths to cycle or bridle ways, for instance, or indeed change the supporting infrastructures, like the types of gates…
