Wales’s seas support rich marine life, and our coastline is world-renowned for its beauty and biodiversity. If managed well, our marine environment can continue to support sustainable fishing, aquaculture, tourism and coastal communities, while playing a vital role in tackling climate change.
We will:
- Champion Welsh fisheries, supporting the fishing industry as a vital part of Wales’s food system and coastal economy, and work to improve access to European and wider global markets for Welsh fish and seafood.
- Provide tailored, long-term funding through the Welsh Marine and Fisheries Scheme to support sustainable fishing businesses, improve resilience, and help the Welsh fishing fleet adapt to future challenges.
- Develop a new Marine Planning Framework to replace fragmented and overlapping approaches to marine management. This framework will be built on genuine co-management, with commercial and small-scale fishers fully involved in shaping decisions, alongside environmental, community and industry stakeholders.
- Promote sustainable fishing practices and aquaculture, and strengthen protection within the Marine Protected Area (MPA) network by phasing out damaging activities such as bottom trawling and dredging where the evidence shows that these threaten sensitive habitats, alongside fair transition support, robust science, and effective monitoring and enforcement, working with the UK Government and other partners to ensure Welsh conservation measures are applied consistently and fairly.
- Support a National Seagrass Plan, and the growth of Wales’s seaweed industry – streamlining marine licensing, encouraging responsible cultivation, and helping to build a strong, resilient Welsh seaweed supply chain.
- Implement a seabird conservation strategy and maintain strong biosecurity measures to protect important breeding and feeding areas.