The Protection of Marine Life

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:20 pm on 13 October 2021.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:20, 13 October 2021

Thank you, and I can reassure Joyce Watson that dredge fishing for scallops is highly regulated in Welsh waters, and that includes through spatial restrictions as well. We closely monitor the activity. We take enforcement action wherever necessary, and this is principally done by tracking vessels using the vessel monitoring systems that we have on our fisheries patrol vessels, which include the Rhodri Morgan, for instance, and also through port and harbour-based inspections by our marine enforcement officers. And each year before the scallop fishery reopens, the Welsh Government conducts a comprehensive habitats regulatory assessment, and that is only done with further agreement from Natural Resources Wales.