I'd like to just endorse the fact of the anticipation and welcome for this draft plan, which my colleagues have mentioned here today. I do also regret the delay in its publication, given that the Welsh Government has had the ability to develop a plan-led approach to the management of our seas since the introduction of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, and despite calls from previous committees for the development of this plan to be prioritised. To date, we note that the management and regulation of our marine environment has been uncoordinated, and mostly done on an ad hoc, sector by sector basis. So, naturally, we do welcome the potential for a more co-ordinated approach to marine management going forward.

With regard to the environment, the UK marine policy statement dictates that marine planning must adopt an ecosystem-based approach, balancing economic growth and conservation. In particular, we know that the plan must support the UK vision for clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. It's rather interesting that I'm with colleagues here today who were in the Petitions Committee this morning, and we find that all the debate and concerns now about the Hinkley waste in Cardiff here—that there hasn't been any assessment carried out about the impact of that on marine life, and that causes me much concern. Further, under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, there is a requirement for the plan to support the development of sustainable management of natural resources. Yet, as we have noted, this document, after eight years of development, does not offer the insight, the scope and the detail that we would hope.

In my own constituency, I have a number of specific concerns in relation to marine management, and I'm really proud to represent a constituency that is very rich in abundance of marine life. I would advise anyone, if you are interested in exactly what's under our seas, to obtain a copy of the photography that's been undertaken, the numerous books that Paul Kay has written, and/or even watch one of his films. The threat to seals and harbour porpoises around Angel Bay and the Little Orme from sea craft and leisure seekers was highlighted only last week with the sad instance of a mutilated harbour porpoise being washed ashore there. I'm proud to be the harbour porpoise champion for the Assembly. Additionally, fishermen in the area have reported diminishing stocks of Conwy mussels, and they have got a 100-year remarkable status, which needs to be protected and preserved. Yet, there is a worrying decline in levels of seeding year on year. Management of this unique stock has been poor, resulting in the closure of the beds earlier this year as a last-ditch resort. In such situations as this, neither the environment nor the economy benefit, so the balance being aimed for in this draft plan is being missed.

Further along the north Wales coast, and still in my own constituency, concerns over the mass harvesting of razor clams at Llanfairfechan have been raised time and time again, and I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for her actions in actually putting a ban on those. That was action that you have meaningfully taken, and I am really appreciative of that. I have called for the Welsh Government to commission work through the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University to look at the impact of harvesting and salting on the species. How lucky are we to have such a university at Bangor. They are incredibly well renowned and recognised the world over, so use that resource.

It is concerning, though, that we may be heading towards a last-ditch situation here, and so it is disappointing to note that the draft plan states that strategic resource areas cannot fully reflect site-specific detailed considerations. That's what true marine conservation is. I don't consider myself a marine conservationist per se, but I do really care about preserving our marine environment. We will be very foolish if we do not do so.

Given the size of this document that's been mentioned, one would expect far more deliberation as regards our SRAs, yet they appear to have been developed purely based on technical and resource feasibility. Given that the plan notes that more than 50 protected sites important for wildlife could be impacted by its policies, I would like to seek assurances from the Cabinet Secretary that marine protected areas will not be undermined by this plan. So, whilst we do welcome the publication of this draft plan, I’ll be watching to monitor the responses that come back in the consultation and look at identifying and recognising the sustainability needs of specific ecosystems, species and wildlife habitats. I look forward to the responses, and I look forward to working positively with the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that we get a plan that really works for Wales and for our marine environment.