Assembly Members to examine reform of Common Fisheries Policy
29 September 2011
A group of Assembly Members has been set up to examine Wales’s priorities in the reform of the European Commission’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
The National Assembly’s Environment and Sustainability Committee has set up a task and finish group comprising six members and led by Julie James AM.
It will establish areas the Welsh Government needs to negotiate on with regards to CFP and is calling on anyone with an interest in the industry to submit evidence.
“It is widely considered that the last reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2002 failed to deliver a sustainable fisheries sector in Europe,” said Chair of the task and finish group Julie James AM.
“Therefore it is of paramount importance to get it right this time and for Wales to ensure its priorities are catered for.
“I would ask anyone with a vested interest in this issue to contact us with their ideas and opinions.”
As part of its inquiry the group will consider:
What the European Commission’s proposals could mean for Wales and the management of the Welsh Fisheries Zone and in particular whether the Commission’s proposals to decentralise the management of fisheries will be of benefit to Wales?
What the European Commission’s proposals could mean for social and economic viability of coastal communities in Wales.
What impacts changes made in the wider fisheries sector in Europe could have on Wales.
What should the Welsh Government prioritise in its negotiations on CFP Reform to ensure a beneficial outcome for Wales?
How can Wales ensure that its views inform the negotiation process?
A task and finish group is a panel of Assembly Members set up by a committee to examine a particular issue or aspect of that committee’s remit. They can be temporarily or permanently established and report back to the main committee. Task and finish groups can conduct inquiries in the same way as committees, calling for evidence, hearing evidence and producing reports and recommendations.