Rural Affair Minister Elin Jones informed that the government is ready with all new strategy to protect the fishing industry of Wales. He was speaking at the launch of the strategy in Aberystwyth. He told that the Wales Fisheries Strategy, which went out to consultation in December 2007, looks at the future of the industry until 2020 across all sectors of aquaculture, commercial fisheries and recreational fisheries. It is said that the strategy is supported by an annually reviewed implementation plan.
According to the minister the main aim of the strategy is to support the development of viable and sustainable fisheries in Wales while safeguarding the environment. He also said that a sustainable and viable fishing industry needs to be effectively managed and regulated. Until recently the Welsh fishing industry lacked any co-ordinated representational structure and this is an area in which we have already progressed.
The strategy aims to aid continuing diversity and modernisation of the industry, whilst ensuring the sustainability and viability of the industry against the background of the need to ensure that the aquatic environment is protected. The strategy also recognises the importance of the rapidly developing Welsh aquaculture (fish farming) sector. It is fact that the sector has attained a skill and knowledge base which is wildly recognised as being at the cutting edge, which has resulted in inward investment, particularly to Anglesey, and there is a real prospect that such further investment could follow.
