NFFO Executive

The Committee:

1. Reviewed the outcomes of the December Council and drew attention to the absurdity of TACs and effort moving in opposite directions
2. Agreed to exert maximum effort during the course of the coming year to secure changes to the EU Cod Management Plan consistent with rebuilding cod stocks and the wellbeing of the fleets
3. Following a meeting on 6th February with Defra officials, agreed to refine and complete the Federation’s policy paper on the Commission’s “non-papers” on CFP reform and to redouble efforts to ensure that the industry’s voice is heard in the European Parliament during the course of the coming, crucial, year.
4. Agreed to work closely with Defra in the English Days at Sea Group to minimise the impact of effort control during the course of the coming effort year (February to January)
5. Resolved to work in the Irish Sea and North Sea to improve selectivity in the nephrops fisheries, whilst acknowledging that these are mixed fisheries with different characteristics; to challenge assumptions about uniform discard rates; to resist a one-size-fits-all approach in the form of the Swedish grid
6. Decided to join the Joint Selectivity Working Group to prepare the industry for both the possibility of a discard “ban” and a new technical conservation regulation
7. Agreed to continue to work on the under-10metre quota management issue in the Industry Working Group, towards equitable and effective solutions
8. Resolved to support the work of the International Sustainability Unit and the NFFO’s Ambassador to the ISU.
9. Agreed to continue to support the work of the MPA Fishing Coalition financially, by providing a secretariat and through policy development
10. Determined to challenge the assertion that fishing industry participation in the four regional MCZ stakeholder groups could be interpreted as unquestioned support for the groups’ designation recommendations.
11. Supported the NFFO’s heavy involvement in working towards a satisfactory access arrangements for the Dogger Bank SAC
12. Resolved to continue to work with the Crown Estate and offshore developers on minimising the impact of offshore renewables on fishing operations
13. Determined to resist the proposal by the Welsh Assembly to apply discriminatory access restrictions, thereby setting an unwelcome precedent for devolved administrations
14. Agreed to press Defra for a response to the NFFO’s paper on Shellfish Policy
15. Prepared for a meeting with the Marine Management Organisation on 16th February, where, amongst other items, weighing of fish, e-logbooks, boardings policy and net tagging will be discussed.
16. Received reports from NFFO regional committees and prepared for forthcoming meetings
17. Discussed the Federation’s involvement in the Government’s Red Tape Challenge as Sector Champion
18. Noted intentions to reform the governance in Seafish to give greater transparency and industry involvement in decisions on how the Seafish levy is spent
19. Reviewed the Federation’s work on safety and training, including the working time directive, wearing lifejackets on board and certification
20. Welcomed confirmation that following a successful trading year NFFO Services Limited would be making a grant of £100,000 to the NFFO Training Trust for expenditure in line with the Trust’s purposes
21. Prepared for the NFFO AGM, which this year will be held in York on Thursday 10th May, 2012, with the UK Fisheries Minister in attendance.
22. Reviewed the Federation’s efforts to put industry data collection and provision on a sounder footing.
23. Agreed that the next meeting of the Executive Committee should be on Tuesday 13th March 2012.