The MFA is celebrating its first birthday. The executive agency of Defra was launched on 1 October 2005 to deliver effective government services to the fishing industry and marine environmental interests.

Its formation has seen service delivery, inspection, and enforcement activities for the fishing industry and other marine stakeholders in England and Wales brought together into one dedicated delivery body.

The MFA and its partners are responsible for protecting English and Welsh waters, valuable fish stocks and marine environment for the benefit of the fishing industry and the public. This involves guarding and regulating fish stocks and quotas.

“The agency's creation is part of a long term programme of change that will continue the Government's work to improve the way fisheries are administered,” said the MFA chief executive Nigel Gooding when the agency was first established.

Over its first 12 months the agency says it has made good progress in a number of different areas:

· Partnership working – established good communications with delivery agencies, industry, international partners and marine environment stakeholders.

· Grants - a number of successful projects have been approved.

· Licences – the issuing of fishing vessel licenses is now simpler and progress has been achieved, although there remains room for improvement.

· Managing fish quotas – optimum fishing opportunities for the UK fishing industry are being maintained by the issuing, monitoring and reporting on annual fishing quota allocations.

· Enforcement – a sophisticated programme of surface and air surveillance activity to patrol the sea on the look out for illegal activities.

· Prosecutions - a number of successful prosecutions have been brought about through effective surveillance and working in partnership.

The MFA has provided more than £7 million of public and European funding to improve fisheries management and modernise the competitiveness of fish industry throughout England (excluding Cornwall and Merseyside).

Major recipients of funding include a community regeneration programme in Brixham, South Devon , where a new fish-landing quay, market building and associated infrastructure have been built with £2m of funding.

Appledore Fish Dock in Devon has also redeveloped the fisheries facilities in the context of market and coastal towns with a grant of £983,000.

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend