6. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: The Welsh National Marine Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:54 pm on 12 November 2019.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 3:54, 12 November 2019

I very much welcome the statement by the Minister, and the plan. We have to look at it all against a background of global warming and rising sea levels, and, unless we act quickly, further global warming and further rising sea levels. It's important that Welsh seas are clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse. I welcome that the Welsh Government recognises the economic potential associated with our marine resources, as well as the role our seas play in supporting well-being. Through an ecosystem approach, natural resources are sustainably managed, and our seas are healthy and resilient, supporting a sustainable and thriving economy. I note that this plan will be supported by supplementary planning documents and related planning tools. When are they likely to be produced?

I welcome low-carbon objective 1 to contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of our economy and to our prosperity, by increasing the amount of marine renewable energy generated.

I support further commercial deployment of offshore wind technology at scale over the lifetime of the plan. In the NDF, it is suggested that areas are designated as suitable for wind energy generation. Is it intended to designate areas at sea, or have I missed it in my quick glance through the document?

Supporting the development and demonstration of wave energy and tidal stream technologies in the short to medium term is something I very much welcome, and I'm amongst those across parties who represent the Swansea bay region who are absolutely and utterly disappointed that the Swansea bay tidal lagoon has not been given the go-ahead.

Finally, we have the Welsh national marine plan and a national development framework. Whilst I agree with what Llyr Gruffydd said—they should be in one document—if they're not going to be in one document, can they cross-reference each other in such a way that people can move between the two? Because the sea comes into land, and anything that happens on land, such as nitrates going into rivers, ends up in the sea. So, you can't treat one as dealing with one area, and one dealing with the other—they're all about our environment.