Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Llyr, for bringing this topic for short debate today. And I too, again, would like to send my thoughts to the families of the crew of the Nicola Faith at this very difficult time.

In talking about the future of the sea fishing industry, it is impossible to ignore the current issues facing the sector. Our seafood industry has been severely hit on a number of levels as a consequence of us leaving the European Union. Impacts are being felt across the whole supply chain in Wales, and I am pleased the UK Government has now finally listened to my repeated demands to ensure the whole of the sector receives financial support. It is regretful it's taken six weeks since I first wrote and met with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for him to take action. My hope is this support gets through to businesses in need before it's too late.

It is also a matter of regret the UK Government shows no respect for the devolution settlement in choosing to directly administer the scheme rather than funding in the usual way, with relevant consequentials for devolved administrations. As demonstrated by our Welsh fisheries grant, we know we are able to administer funds to fishers quickly, efficiently and effectively. The UK Government must now do the same or Welsh fishers could face further hardships, driven by delay and ineptitude.

I reiterated on Monday evening, in a meeting with George Eustice, that he appears to now be determined to erode years of good collaborative ways of working between all fisheries administrations in the way it's reacted to the fallout of the trade and co-operation agreement since the beginning of this year. The Welsh Government is supporting the industry and working with the other administrations to find solutions, where possible, to the current issues. However, the TCA falls far short of what the UK Government promised, but we are seeking to make the best of it and maximise opportunities for our fishers. I've been very clear with the Secretary of State that it's essential Welsh fishers receive their fair share of the modest additional quota delivered by the TCA. 

We continue to respond to the immediate needs of the industry, and whilst it is clear the UK Government has failed on every level to deliver on its many promises to our fishers of a sea of opportunities for the industry, we can in Wales develop a bright future for the industry—one that is ecosystems based, has sustainability at its core, and is based on an adaptive management approach, co-designed with the industry.

We are committed to delivering a post-EU fisheries policy for Wales, designed with stakeholders to reflect the needs of the modern Welsh fisheries sector, and to manage the impact on the environment. At the centre of this will be a fisheries policy recognising the need to extract more benefit for our coastal communities, whilst ensuring our stocks can continue to provide benefits for future generations, building resilience now and for the future. We must look to the future, not only to maximise opportunities and manage our stocks sustainably, but also to build strength and resilience in our industry and the markets available to them. This is more important as ever, as we help the industry to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as exiting the EU. 

I issued a written statement in September last year, and the outcomes and views raised from the 'Brexit and our Seas' consultation still remain as valid and important as ever. These include managing our fisheries in a sustainable way, providing for a thriving fishing industry, as well as maintaining the biodiversity of our seas and taking into account the impacts of climate change. Also clear is the need to make decisions based on sound evidence. In addition to well-managed fisheries, we also need to look at what infrastructure is needed to support our industry and help improve access to markets for our wonderful Welsh seafood, both here in the UK and internationally. Given the issues the industry's experiencing right now, this is more important than ever to protect and build resilience for our industry in the long term.

As we move forward with the next steps of our future fisheries policy, as I've already said, co-production with stakeholders will be a core principle. I am keen we ensure all interested parties have the opportunity to help shape the future we want for our Welsh fishing industry and, importantly, how we achieve it. At the UK level, a joint fisheries statement will set out policies for achieving or contributing to the achievement of the fisheries objectives as outlined in the Fisheries Act 2020. We are committed to delivering the objectives—they are cornerstones of modern fisheries management. They place sustainability front and centre, and, coupled with our Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, give us a clear direction of travel for the sustainable management of our fisheries. The JFS will also set out our intended use of fisheries management plans, an important tool in delivering the objectives. It is by balancing all objectives that we will achieve long-term sustainability. Reflecting our commitment to work closely with stakeholders on the JFS, a UK-wide community of interest has been established, and I welcome the positive take-up of Welsh stakeholders to date to help inform the development of the statement. 

We've taken the first steps towards a future fisheries policy for Wales, but I want to be clear: this is not a quick fix; it is not a policy that can be developed overnight. It will take time and effort to get to where we want our sector to become, and we need to be clear that our focus now has to be now on the twin crisis of COVID-19 and EU exit. But the future, obviously, of fishing in Wales is positive, and we have the opportunity to develop our sector into one that is thriving, sustainable and supports our costal communities. Diolch.