Priorities for marine environment and fisheries policy in Wales following the withdrawal from the European Union – A briefing for policy makers

Summary:

In this briefing, we present key priorities for inclusion within the Welsh marine and fisheries White Paper and future Welsh policy. Governance of environmental matters is a devolved competence in Wales. However, our seas, their processes and wildlife do not respect borders and the direct and indirect pressures that Wales’ marine environment faces today are derived from many sources, including the land and seas of neighbouring countries. Conversely, the management of activities in Wales’ waters has implications for other countries. EU environmental law has provided a common framework to address the way we manage our seas, requiring similar approaches to be adopted by member states and across the UK’s jurisdictions.

For the effective protection of the environment, the importance of this common framework will not diminish post-Brexit. Indeed, the principles justifying EU-level co-operation and regulatory alignment on environmental matters apply equally, if not more strongly, to intra-UK co-operation and regulatory alignment, as well as to co-operation and regulatory alignment on the island of Ireland.

Therefore, in Wales Environment Link’s view, the Welsh Government should work with the other devolved governments and the UK Government to ensure retention of the common set of environmental standards which are in place as a result of the UK’s membership of the European Union.

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