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Marine Scotland has published the terms of reference for the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC)
Marine Scotland has published the terms of reference for the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC) which will deliver the Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Policy.
The FMAC will provide strategic support for the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy, helping to shape the development and implementation of key policies contained within the Strategy, and working as part of a co-management approach to develop solutions to fisheries management and conservation challenges in our shared marine space.
The Group will engage at a strategic level with the wider Scottish Government and international strategic agenda, particularly around key developments such as the Strategy for Seafood, National Marine Plan, the Blue Economy vision and relevant wider cross-cutting policy such as the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. It will also respond accordingly to pressures of national significance such as impacts on fishing sector of the cost-of-living crisis. It will consider and make links across the wider supply chain, particularly in relation to areas of a cross-cutting nature.
FMAC members will work together to develop recommendations for Ministers, using their collective knowledge and expertise, seeking input from their members, tasking sub-groups, and delivering consensus wherever possible. FMAC will strive to reach consensus on agreed approaches wherever possible and this will likely require understanding and compromise to deliver. The Scottish Government will provide timely feedback to FMAC on the outcome of Ministerial decisions.
The ultimate responsibility for delivering fisheries management in Scotland lies with Scottish Ministers and any recommendations made by FMAC should be viewed as advisory.
The work of the FMAC should be transparent, mutually respective of all partners and with a presumption of “no surprises”.
It is not intended that FMAC be formally constituted, and FMAC will not have policy-making or legislative powers. Rather, FMAC will be the key fisheries management advisory body to Scottish Ministers. The views of FMAC will be conveyed to Scottish Ministers, including where there are differing views amongst FMAC members and where a consensus has not been reached.
More general debate and opinion on fisheries management issues will be sought by the Scottish Government through the public consultation process.
The full Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC): terms of reference is available by clicking below.