Leadership and Governance

At the heart of an effective management system is its governance structure (the central coordinating mechanism). This needs to be able to provide strategic leadership, direction and monitor progress in a manner that links clearly to the outcomes sought.

Question 1 – Please give us your thoughts on the kind of governance structure that you believe might best achieve this, including how best to ensure a direct line of sight back to Scottish Ministers and the national public interest. Thoughts on whether there may be an existing public body or similar organisation that might be adapted to assist with this task would be helpful.

• The Scottish Fisheries Coordination Centre (SFCC) fully supports a governance system that fulfils the evidence based management philosophy.
• We advocate a central coordinating body that operates with a localised structure that enables effective local management to be carried out while fulfilling national requirements.  We propose that the functions of the SFCC are retained as a distinct section of the new central body to maintain the strong support and engagement it receives from its member network and associated organisations including Marine Scotland Science and SEPA.  As part of the evidence based philosophy, high quality, reliable data collection would then continue to be carried out through the development and updating of protocols and databases, GIS data provision and a demand led training programme that will ensure competency throughout the sector.
• Within the central structure we believe there should be other distinct components including :-
  • A facility to implement a national data collection strategy utilising the expertise of Marine Scotland Science.
  • A body of expertise that can be utilised by the local network of members.
• The SFCC supports data transparency and availability for analysis that will facilitate fisheries research and management and continues to work with partners such as Marine Scotland Science to ensure that this happens.
• As a line of sight back to Scottish Ministers, the SFCC can facilitate the collection of monitoring data by local organisations for national purposes.
• The SFCC advocates Marine Scotland Science to be adapted as this would fit into the evidence based philosophy and would help to ensure that quality data collection and analysis is carried out.

Management and Delivery

There is no reason to assume that delivery of wild fisheries management on the ground needs to be through the same organisation as higher level leadership and governance. Indeed the current DSFB system benefits from significant delivery through trusts and other mechanisms, often harnessing considerable voluntary effort.

Question 2 – Please give us your thoughts on the sort of delivery mechanism/s (public, private and/or third sector) that might be appropriate here, with particular emphasis on the characteristics highlighted in the April progress bulletin. Thoughts on how this might link back to the governance structure would also be appreciated.

• We advocate the SFCC membership continue collecting local data with further development of protocols and databases for the collection of data that will be suitable for national assessment purposes.
• The current member network provides the geographical coverage for localised catchment management with the potential for delivery of national management initiatives such improvement of riparian areas, flood management and invasive species control.

Resourcing

Integral to effective governance and delivery is the matter of resourcing. Several options are possible for income generation, including modifying existing mechanisms and/or creating new ones. On the expenditure side a number of issues need to be considered, including those defined in the April progress bulletin and the wider issue of how best to ensure effective coordination of resource deployment.

Question 3 – Please give us your thoughts on both income generation and resource deployment, bearing in mind the characteristics implied in the April progress bulletin. Ideas about potential new income sources, and suggestions about how best to ensure that resource deployment aligns fully with national and regional strategic priorities, would be much appreciated.

• Members of the SFCC currently contribute £27,600 each year (£1,200 per member) which covers the hosting and maintenance costs of databases, GIS data provision and the development of new initiatives and training courses.  To guarantee the long term viability of the SFCC, we advocate core funding from Scottish Government (SG) for a full time SFCC manager position (currently funded as a half post position for two years by SG, ending April 2015).  Previous to this the manager was employed as a full time member of staff for Marine Scotland Science at Pitlochry. The provision of training courses are operated with full cost recovery.
• To inform national and local priorities we advocate funding to catchment units for collection of monitoring data for national purposes and local catchment management. For example, monitoring of juvenile Salmonids by electro-fishing or adult Salmonid numbers using fishing counters.

Crosscutting Issues

A number of issues that we will need to consider do not fall neatly under any of the above headings. The system adopted must have international support and confidence. Working relationships across the system must be constructive and collaborative. The system must encourage greater public awareness and participation. 

Question 4 – Please give us your thoughts on these and any other issues that you think are of relevance.

• SFCC currently acts as a central point for SFCC members, Marine Scotland, SEPA and Scottish Government to discuss the development of protocols, databases and training for effective data collection. There is certainly large potential for more collaborative projects in the future such as harmonising habitat survey methods with SEPA and utilising the scientific knowledge and expertise at Marine Scotland.
• We believe we have strong support from our membership and partners and therefore believe the function of the SFCC should be retained and developed in the future management structure.
• To assist the member network there needs to be greater availability of free GIS datasets such as rainfall, lidar, Ordnance Survey and aerial imagery through partnership agreements with SEPA, SNH and Marine Scotland.
• The SFCC has recently developed the website www.sfcc.co.uk to promote the work that we carry out and to act as a resource for our members, particularly in relation to training through e-delivery (videos and interactive software). We would like to promote the use of this site by partner organisations to develop a more collaborative approach, particularly in relation to training provision.
• SFCC advocates a future system where there is input from local organisations on the research priorities of Marine Scotland Science to inform and compliment local research and management carried out by our members.
• SFCC has a flexible, demand led training programme in place that ensures competency and reliability in the data collection process for evidence based management.  These courses are available to partner organisations involved in the collection of data for fisheries management purposes.