Clause 229
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
5:00 pm

Andrew George (St Ives, Liberal Democrat)

I hope that I am not wearing your patience thin, Mr. Gale.

Will the Minister explain the interrelationship between the MMO’s operational area and enforcement officers and the IFCAs? To what extent can different enforcement officers co-operate with each other? Currently, sea fisheries committees have their own enforcement arrangements. Presumably, the purpose behind MCZs is to have internal integrity even when their boundaries extend beyond the six-mile limit. A common sense approach would be for enforcement to be seamless across the six-mile zone. I looked for such an approach in the Bill, but did not find it.

The six-mile limit is a contentious issue, especially for those in the inshore industry. In particular, those who lay static gear in, or around, the six-mile zone, often find that their gear has been towed away by foreign vessels fishing up to, and sometimes—illegally—beyond that zone. Without a very good understanding and working relationship between enforcement officers, the six-mile zone will be less well policed than almost anywhere else. That remains a particularly contentious issue. Many engaged properly and responsibly in the industry believe that the law is being regularly flouted. I look forward to the Minister’s response.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Marine and Natural Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I am pleased to be able to provide the hon. Gentleman with some reassurance. We are not reinventing the wheel. Our approach is based on current best practice. The overlapping geographic jurisdiction that he has described will be managed as it is now through close co-operation at an operational level in England and through the Environment Agency’s and the MMO’s seats on each English IFCA. There will also be statutory consultation and a duty on IFCAs to co-operate with the EA. Cross-warranting of enforcement officers will enable the MMO and EA officers to enforce IFCA byelaws, and vice versa, thereby making the best use of expensive enforcement assets.

We want resources to be used well and people and organisations to work together. The clause allows marine enforcement officers to be appointed by the MMO and Welsh Ministers. Such officers could include commissioned officers of the Royal Navy. In fact, anyone in the Royal Navy, RAF or Army in charge of an aircraft or hovercraft will automatically be marine enforcement officers. The clause also allows for the Secretary of State to appoint marine enforcement officers in advance of the establishment of the MMO, so that we can get on with business. It is also worth saying in passing, because it did not have a lot of debate in the other place, that marine enforcement officers will also receive training to ensure that they use their powers properly and safely. We expect that the first MEOs will be existing British sea fisheries officers who have already received MEO training. He is right to make that observation. We want to make best use of collaboration and co-operation and the Bill allows that to happen and to build on existing best practice.