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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 23 August 2025
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Displaying 2121 contributions

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Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

We will be discussing these things with other administrations and working jointly with them as we develop FMPs. I would just note that although we have not set out anything beyond that timescale, the timescales for developing the FMPs set out in the JFS will be very challenging to meet. It is important that we focus on the stocks that we have highlighted as a priority, but that is not to say that there will be no other FMPs. The issue will be subject to review, but I think that that is where we need to focus. Instead of setting out some definitive list of every stock that we would look to consider and the timescales in that respect, we need to focus on this initial set of FMPs.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

We will be closely monitoring the work on developing FMPs for non-quota stocks that other administrations are leading on. As I have said and as Paul McCarthy has highlighted, that work will be very complex, and it is important that we continue to monitor it before we set out what FMPs we plan to take forward in that area.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

Yes, there were discussions between the four Administrations in setting out the JFS. I am glad that we have been able to align on the policies and objectives that are set out in it.

Stakeholder engagement has been critical to that. In the development of the JFS, a community of interest sought to gather stakeholder views from throughout the UK and kept stakeholders involved throughout the process.

Perhaps Paul McCarthy or Allan Gibb will want to say more about stakeholder engagement.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

It is not possible for me to say at the moment. That detail will come when I look to make that announcement.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

What we have set out will help to tackle the issues that there have been. We believe that the practical measures can be adhered to and will help us to tackle some of the challenges. We are in the middle of the consultation process, so we await further feedback on the issue.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

We would need to implement the policy that would deliver on the objective.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

Yes, I am happy to do that. It would not be for the JFS to set out the detail of how that will be delivered; as I said, it sets out the high-level policy ambitions. Ultimately, it is the policies and the delivery mechanisms that we introduce that will achieve the objectives that are set out in the act.

You correctly referred to the future catching policy. I mentioned in a previous response how that meets the other objectives. In relation to the bycatch objective, the technical and spatial measures that we have set out as part of the consultation will help us to deliver on the bycatch objective. Those measures are out to consultation. We have developed the proposals in consultation with our stakeholders and with industry. It is crucial that the policy that we introduce will work and will be effective in tackling the issues. The future catching policy is out to consultation, and we will consider any correspondence that comes in as a result of that.

Allan Gibb would like to come in on that point, too.

10:45  

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

We have set out a high level of ambition in the JFS because it shows our ambitions for our fishing industry and marine environment. We want to have a profitable industry and, as part of that, a healthy marine environment. It sets out a world-leading ambition.

There have been concerns expressed by various stakeholders about specific details that are not included in the statement. However, as I said in my opening statement, not only is it important that we have the overall high-level ambitions that we seek to achieve and that we are aligned on them, but it is vital that it is up to each Administration to determine and set out how the policy objectives will be achieved and that, in that sense, the JFS respects devolution.

The committee will be aware of the statement that I made to Parliament last week, which is a good example of that. In that statement, I set out what we intend to do on our future catching policy and remote electronic monitoring. Those two policies are out to consultation at the moment. That shows how we are actively delivering on the ambitions that have been set out in the JFS and how we intend to deliver on them through the strategies and policies that we have set out. We will continue to do that.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

Yes. Transparency and accountability are important.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

It is important to remember that, as part of the process, there will be regular reviews of and reports on the JFS and the fisheries management plans that we will introduce. I think that there will be a review every three years and a report every six years. Therefore, we will have to show how we have achieved the policy ambitions that are in the JFS.

I come back to the point that we have a strong track record of co-management and working with our stakeholders. As I said, the Clyde cod closure is an example of where that did not work, which we have accepted. We want to learn lessons from that. It is important that we do that and that we work with our stakeholders to implement the policies and the objectives that are set out in the JFS.