Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill has today published DARD’s response to the consultation on a Sustainable Development Strategy for the North’s Inshore Fisheries.
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Northern Ireland DARD Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA.[/caption]
In 2013, the Department commissioned a discussion document to seek stakeholder input on inshore fisheries management in order to inform policy development over a five-year period. After an extensive consultation process, in March 2014, Sea Fisheries published a report on the consultation responses received.
The Minister said: “This document provides a strategic framework for inshore fisheries management for the next five years. The aim of the strategy is to extend stakeholder involvement in developing inshore fisheries policies that will support a sustainable and profitable sector whilst protecting the marine environment. It is encouraging that there is general agreement between industry and administrators on the key challenges facing our inshore fishermen and areas that need to be progressed over the next few years to deliver our shared objective.
“The strategy will see the creation of an Inshore Fisheries Partnership Group, to advise on inshore fisheries management and I look forward to effective engagement and co-operation with the industry and to constructive proposals emerging from the work of the Fisheries Taskforce.”
The Minister also took the opportunity to advise that the Report on the Survey of Recreational Sea Angling had also been published on the Department’s website.
The Minister added: “Previous engagement with inshore stakeholders identified a lack of information on recreational sea angling and the impact it may have on stocks. The results of the survey give an insight into sea-angling activity, habits and locations of sea anglers and the range of species caught. This information will be useful when authorities consider what measures could be introduced to support the sustainable management of sea-angling.”
The Reports – “Northern Ireland Inshore Fisheries: Delivering a Sustainable Future” and “Report on the Survey of Recreational Sea Angling” can be viewed and downloaded on the DARD website at: www.dardni.gov.uk/inshore-fisheries-policy.htm
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