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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 29 November 2024
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Displaying 1736 contributions

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Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

It is not as if we develop such measures in isolation and without any engagement. We will look to keep our various stakeholders informed throughout the process. That is partly so that they can work with us. There is no point in developing policies or plans that, fundamentally, will not work or cannot be implemented by the people who are responsible for implementing them. Therefore, that engagement is critical.

We are ambitious and we want to deliver on the objectives that have been set out in the 2020 act and the policies that we have set out that will, ultimately, deliver those objectives. However, we also want to get it right. We want to take the right amount of time to have engagement and deliver the right policy.

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Draft Joint Fisheries Statement

Meeting date: 23 March 2022

Mairi Gougeon

We would also have to be clear about the benefits or otherwise of such an approach. Given that we have not considered it, that work has not been done.

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

Of course, that is something that has to be managed. As I said, challenging timescales have been set out for the FMPs in the JFS. Trying to meet those timescales is important, because that is what has been set out in the legislation, but we want to make sure, when we are creating the FMPs, that we are getting that right, that it is not rushed and that we are able to undertake that work in the way that we wish to.

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

Hopefully, they should all work together well in terms of meeting the overall objectives. We have the overall framework which, unlike other frameworks that I know that the committee will be considering, predates those other elements, as I outlined in my opening statement, which is why it is almost split into two parts. We have the joint fisheries statement, which sets out the overall policy ambitions that all the administrations would look to achieve as part of the framework, and we have the memorandum of understanding, which goes through the day-to-day elements of how the administrations would work together and resolve any conflicts that might arise. The memorandum of understanding also contains the operational agreements, which concern some of the more day-to-day technical issues that we would look to align on. Together, that is quite a cohesive package of measures that should enable us to work together in a positive way.

As I said at the start of the session, the fact that the four Administrations have agreed the overarching ambitions that are set out in the JFS and are aligned on them is positive. That shows that we can work together effectively in areas such as these while respecting devolved competences.

11:30