PK welcomed everyone and passed on apologies for AMcC who could not attend.

Transcription

1 Minutes of the tenth meeting of the Northern Ireland Advisory Committee Held at Barholm, Portaferry On Tuesday 10 th January 2012 at 10am. Present: Paul Kerr (PK) Malcolm Large (ML) Sam Mawhinney (SM) Dick James (DJ) John Rooney (JR) Lynn Gilmore (LG) Jack Cowden (JC) Joanne Gaffney (JG) Jon Harman (JH) Chairman, Board Member. Denholm Fish Sales NIFPO Rooney Fish Middleton Seafoods C-Bait Apologies: Alan McCulla (AMcC) ANIFPO 1. Welcome and Introductions PK welcomed everyone and passed on apologies for AMcC who could not attend. 2. Minutes of the last meeting held on the 27 th September 2011 The minutes of the last meeting were tabled and adopted as a true record of discussions. The Chairman signed and dated copies. LG to forward minutes to for filing. 3. Matters Arising Prawn Data: JH to help LG gain access. Meeting with Dr John Speers and DARD- See Agenda item 6. Department for Transport funding: This funding has created issues as course fees are not reimbursed until the course is completed. This has created financial stress for participants. LG to follow up with Sharon from NIFPO about Ben Booth s course funding and ascertain why grants were not awarded.

2 STCW95- The Standard for the Training and Certification of Watch keepers (STCW) is an International Maritime Organisation Convention that has been ratified by the UK and applies to all vessels of 24m and above. JH commented that as previously discussed are hoping for acceptance of full equivalence from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). This has been partially successful although there are still 2 separate sets of certificates due to the way the IMO have set up the certification process. Training- LG to meet JR and JC with Beverley Wilson (BW) to identify onshore training needs. JH prepared to provide funding for BW for per day to produce a report on training needs of NI Onshore industry. LG to arrange meeting with JR, JC and BW. Approved Training Providers- The issue of the cost of training and the fact that the courses had to be paid upfront was discussed. JC suggested a sponsorship scheme for young fishers and JH suggested the possibility of loans to skippers from to get their crews fully trained. If crew did not complete their training, they would have to reimburse for costs and if they did, the funds could be claimed back from EFF. JH to find out if this is possible and whether a / industry sponsorship scheme would be feasible. EFF Axis 4- LG told the committee the Down District Council are the lead partner and Clearwater Consultants are writing the strategy. DJ commented that the time available for spending Axis 4 funding will be limited. LG to apply to become a member of the FLAG. EFF general- JR asked whether the bottom mussel industry had been awarded EFF funding for MSC accreditation. JG outlined the progress on the bottom mussel MSC accreditation process to date. Update on developments/ feedback since meeting with Dr John Speers see agenda item 6 4. LG activities LG tabled a summary of her recent progress. JH informed the committee that he and ML had a meeting with DARD. Ian Humes and Ronnie McBride were happy with LGs progress and have extended DARDs co-funding of LGs role until March LG to submit an interim report to DARD on progress over past 2 years. PK asked SNIAC whether they felt that the current communication strategy in NI was effective in informing the industry of progress. DJ commented that the industry was v aware of LGs work. LG informed the committee that Victoria McCready, a Masters Student from QUB was assisting her for several weeks. VMcC s role would be to develop a database of the NI industry. JH commented that could pay her mileage and expenses. 5. MCZ project and other SNIAC initiatives update and discussion DJ asked that it be recorded that the report on the Value of MCZs (Marine Conservation Zones) to the NI industry, completed by Poseidon was an excellent report and that he wanted to thank

3 for providing funding to ensure its completion. JH suggested that LG send the report to Hazel Curtis, Mark Gray and Phil McMullan to complete an internal peer review. The committee then discussed the best use of the report. LG to arrange a steering group meeting with a presentation of the results from Rod Cappell, Poseidon. The steering group will then decide how best to utilise the report. LG then outlined other SNIAC initiatives- current activities and on-going priorities for NI Industry MCZ project (see above)- completion of current study and potential for extension. Onshore training requirements- meeting and strategy development. Strangford Lough and SAC issues elsewhere Accreditation for the Irish Sea Nephrops fishery/ accreditation for all fishing in the Irish Sea. Fishermen s Mission EFF application for survival suits. Promotion trailer on behalf of ANIFPO. Mourne Seafood Bar cookery courses for young people- IPF project. Velvet crab project- potential IPF project. What to do with waste fish- potential EFF collective project with the POs. Brown crab project- continuation of work with a brown crab quality project. There was a general discussion about RFS and MSC accreditation of the Irish Sea Nephrops fishery. PK reported that issues with RFS had been raised by John Cassidy and that the scheme was discussed at Board level. He said that fishermen have not seen any benefits from RFS accreditation. JH suggested that it may be possible (with buy-in from the industry) to come up with a management code for the Irish Sea Nephrops fishery. This could be put through a Approval process and may go someway towards satisfying the requests processors are receiving from their customers who want the sustainability of products to be proven. He also suggested that this code may help in informing an MSC preassessment and would provide certification for a fishery rather than just vessels (RFS certifies vessels and this is one of its limitations). He suggested that this could be called the Responsible Irish Sea Management Plan and could be framed against FAO guidelines. LG to discuss with AMcC, JH to write a scoping document and then decide where to go from there. 6. SNIAC/ DARD liaison update PK commented that there had been very poor communication from DARD since the meeting between John Speers (and other DARD officials) and SNIAC in August After that meeting, DARD were supposed to report back to SNIAC on a range of issues which they have never done. It was agreed at that meeting that a communication channel was needed between DARD and industry and that SNIAC filled that need. DARD have never followed up on this either. 7. update JH briefed the SNIAC committee on progress since the discussions with industry held in October He told members that workshops will be held to update industry during February In terms of the Board, DEFRA have decided to replace the Board in March 2012 with a reduced size Board. The new Board will be in place by April New Board members will be recruited through a public appointment process and appointments will be based on merit.

4 The gentlemen s agreement which formerly meant that independents were drawn from the 4 regions (England, Scotland, Wales and NI) will not be renewed. Three Operational Panels will be established and these will feed into the Board (see diagram). Board 4 Independents 3-5 Industry Representatives Operational Panels Operational Panels Exporters/Domestic OP Supply chain OP Importers OP Mike Park Mike Kaiser Chris Pomfret The Board will be funded by DEFRA but the Operational Panels (OPs) will be funded by. The Chairperson of each Operational Panel will sit on the main Board as Advisory members. The OP Chairs in the diagram above are interim Chairs. Their appointments will be formalised when the Board is appointed. The aim of each panel is to develop work programmes for the sector they represent. The Chairs will interact and discuss spends and where adjustments are to be made, this will be agreed at Board level. The Domestic OP will include catching, aquaculture and processing of the domestic catch. The large processors will be represented on the Importers OP. The supply chain OP will include consumers, retailers etc. JH explained that the OPs will have to demonstrate proportionality with 2m of levy coming from domestic landings and 6m from imports. He said are hoping to have NI representation on the Board and on the OPs DJ suggested that the NI industry should perhaps put forward a candidate with industry support and asked PK if he was prepared to put his name forward. JH commented that high calibre candidates from NI should apply to increase the chances of NI representation. SM said that NI

5 membership on Board is essential and he went on to ask how these changes in the Board affect SNIAC. JH responded that he wants SNIAC to continue providing advice and guidance to LG. SM also commented that the SNIAC committee needs to be able to lobby as SNIAC has all appropriate industry representatives in its membership. A discussion on the Terms of Reference of SNIAC was then held. JH stated that cannot lobby, only inform and advise. He gave the report produced by LG on Management of Fishing opportunities in Strangford Lough as an example of what is acceptable. He went on to say that a report can be produced by eg Strangford report or MCZ report and then industry can use the report or information to lobby. He suggested that if the industry wanted a Forum by which they could collectively voice concerns or questions to Government or to lobby on specific industry issues, future SNIAC meetings could be closed and a second meeting of a separate organisation, called perhaps the NI Seafood Industry Forum could be opened. This new organisation should have an industry chair and could facilitate this group (but not sit as members of the group). JH suggested that produce a revised ToR for SNIAC and a separate ToR for this second group, the NI Seafood Industry Forum, for approval by SNIAC members. He continued by saying that AMcC should also be consulted about this. There was a discussion whether this group should be open and whether DARD/ NIEA should be invited to attend. There was a range of views and the outcome will be decided after produce the revised ToR for SNIAC and the new suggested ToR for this industry forum group for consideration by members. 8. Any Other Business None 9. Date of the next meeting It was agreed that the next SNIAC meeting will be held when JH comes to NI for the update to industry workshop in February- date tbc. There being no other business, the meeting closed at pm.