Mrs. Sharon McMahon:

On behalf of the Loughs Agency, I thank the committee for giving us the opportunity to present to it. I am accompanied by Mr. Barry Fox, director of aquaculture and shellfisheries, who is based in Carlingford, and Dr. Patrick Boylan, senior biologist, based in our headquarters in Prehen. I realise the committee has a long day planned and therefore I will keep my comments brief. If it requires any further information regarding the work of the agency or if it wishes to visit us as part of its work, we would be delighted to welcome members to our headquarters on the banks of the Foyle or our offices on the shores of Carlingford Lough. The committee may be interested to know our unique legislation, which led to the creation of the Loughs Agency, predates the accession of either the UK or Ireland to the European Union. The Foyle Fisheries Acts of 1952 were strengthened by the Good Friday Agreement, whereby further functions were given to the agency.

Unfortunately time does not permit me today to describe the work of the Loughs Agency in detail. The committee might be glad to hear that. However, I would like to highlight the remit of the agency, which is to conserve, protect, manage, promote and develop the inland fisheries, aquaculture matters and marine resources, including marine tourism, of the Foyle and Carlingford areas for commercial and recreational purposes. We manage over 3,600 km of rivers and are responsible for both sea loughs, including an area extending 12 miles out to sea from Lough Foyle, stretching from Malin Head in Donegal to Downhill in Northern Ireland. We are funded 50:50 North and South and we operate under agreed governance and statutory obligations through the North-South Ministerial Council. We employ staff both in the North and the South. We work to two sets of employment laws and tax regimes. Our board has 12 members, comprising six southern appointees and six northern appointees, all working together for the success of the organisation. We are truly are a cross-Border body in everything we do.

In addition we are involved in many partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally, and we work on an all-island approach within our field of expertise. The agency has relationships across many sectoral pillars with councils, community groups, the private sector and other statutory agencies on both sides of the Border. This is how we operate on a daily basis and it is our core business to work across the two jurisdictions day in and day out. For example the agency’s fishery protection staff have the power to act in both jurisdictions, allowing them to pursue prosecutions on the basis of domicile of the offender, irrespective of the jurisdiction in which the offence occurred, within our catchment areas.

This experiment in cross-Border co-operation and goodwill, which commenced in 1952, has stood the test of time and is still in use today and will be post-Brexit. Our uniqueness, as indicated, exists primarily because fish, poachers and pollution do not recognise borders. As a consequence, we must highlight that it is imperative that we continue to protect our natural resources in the Border counties. At this point we are confident nothing will change in terms of our legislative framework post-Brexit, although that said, the UK's withdrawal from the EU is potentially one of the biggest threats to the environment in the medium to long term. Before Brexit the UK transposed EU directives into national legislation but we are unsure how this will work in the future. We are concerned that as time passes and amendments are made to EU and UK legislation, both will fall out of sync. Environmentally speaking, this is quite troubling. Depending on the eventual deal agreed, the UK may have to abide by at least some EU legislation, including environmental directives.

Over the years the Agency has delivered a number of INTERREG-funded projects. IBIS was a hugely successful project between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland and this project has made a significant contribution to the region's responsibilities under the water framework directive and the habitats directive. EU funding has contributed to cross-Border infrastructure projects at Malin Head, Benone beach, and the Foyle marina in Derry-Londonderry. We are conscious of the fact that if funded programmes are no longer available, the tourism sector in the Border areas may be negatively affected. Northern Ireland and Ireland's Border region will require a focused solution. Ms Gina McIntyre, the chief executive officer of the Special EU Programmes Body, SEUPB, in her statement to the committee referred to the fact that this is not something new in Europe, as precedents exist where non-EU countries partner EU countries. We are heartened by this and will be in contact with SEUPB to explore these issues further.

As members might imagine marine tourism-based activities are a key aspect of our work now and will continue post-Brexit. The committee may not be aware, unless there are some active anglers in the room, that we have a great opportunity in the Border corridors to develop some of the least known, undiscovered and yet best sea, coarse, match and salmon fishing in Europe. This could bring much-needed tourism and economic development to local businesses and communities while addressing unemployment and social deprivation in the Border counties. We are exploring the need to have a dedicated cross-Border intervention programme that will tackle some of the existing issues and might help to mitigate against future issues, as they arise. We are already working on many projects, Dr. Boylan can provide further information on if the committee so requires.It is essential we continue to promote the "island of Ireland" as a destination for world class marine and freshwater tourism, including angling. We have a joint initiative with Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs inland fisheries division to promote angling on an all-island basis aboard. We go to events abroad under the banner of angling Ireland rather than the Loughs Agency; essentially, the three bodies go as one. This work will continue to be developed post-Brexit.

Our plan is to continue to build on our past successes. We have been working cross-Border since 1952 and post-Brexit this will not change. The agency will proactively continue to forge strong relationships at international, regional and local levels, reminding Government agencies that we are the delivery mechanism for many diverse issues from marine tourism, angling development, environmental conservation and protection and many more matters that require transboundary co-operation on the island of Ireland.At this time there are many unknowns and uncertainty appears to be the biggest threat to the Border regions. The all-island dialogue on Brexit and other such events are bringing together local and central government agencies, the private sector and community groups. They are providing a great forum for debate. These must continue and the Loughs Agency has welcomed the chance to take part in these dialogues including the invitation to attend this meeting with the select committee.

We trust members have found this presentation informative and helpful in setting out our concerns and solutions to the implications of Brexit. As a closing point may I reiterate the fact that fish, poachers and pollution do not recognise borders; poachers and pollution will thrive on ineffective legislation, chaos and inertia. The Loughs Agency is committed to its core work, as it has been since 1952, and this will continue post-Brexit. I thank the Acting Chairman and members for listening and we welcome questions they may have.