Written Ministerial Statement by Jonathan Shaw: Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) Performance Targets for 2008/09 — 3 July 2008
The Minister for Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs and Minister for the South East (Jonathan Shaw)
I have set the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) the following Performance Targets for 2008/09.
Quality service delivery
Licensing and monitoring of coastal and marine developments and activities to protect the marine environment and secure benefits from its use
Marine works
- Deploy inspection resources in line with risk weightings
- Provide an initial response to 75% of application with 12 weeks of the receipt of complete applications summarising the responses to the consultation process and listing any replies still outstanding for which an extended response date has been agreed.
Marine minerals
- Issue a screening determination on 80% of marine minerals applications within 6 weeks of receipt of the application.
Renewables
- Confirm with applicants, in writing, when the negotiation stage of the renewables FEPA licensing progress has concluded and inform them of the licence decision within 6 weeks of the correspondence date.
Marine Pollution Incident
- Decision to use oil spill treatment product made within 1 hour of request.
- Effective management and regulation of sea fisheries to secure a sustainable future
Fishing vessel licensing
- Issue 100% of over 10 metre licences biennially by 23 March and 100% of under 10 metre licences biennially by 30 June.
Quota management
- No overfishing of quota stocks by vessels or groups for which the Agency has management responsibilities and which results in EU deduction or infraction proceedings against the UK.
Sea fisheries enforcement
- Deploy enforcement and inspection resources in line with risk weightings and undertake monitoring, control and surveillance activities leading to inspection based on risk and intelligence.
Fisheries data
- Enter 90% of information on catches and fishing activity onto the fisheries database within 5 working days of receipt of all necessary information.
Value for public money
- Implement new requirements for administrative penalties system and electronic reporting system from within existing resources.
Capacity and capability
- Improve the Agency’s capacity to deliver its services and develop its people through a comprehensive training and development programme.
Further details are given in the MFA Business Plan for 2008/09, copies of which will be deposited in the Libraries of the House.
Page published: 3 July 2008