Mr. Richard Cronin:

We did, yes. I was clear that the Marine Institute had no enforcement power but it does have other data gathering and information collation powers. We already have an arrangement with the Marine Institute where we work quite closely with it on the delivery of our services, and other services across government. Perhaps the Deputy can check the transcript.

The next issues were data, databases and resources. We have identified a need for resources. Once a site is established, there must be periodic monitoring that has money and people involved. We have identified, on our side, a need for more resources in our team to deliver this. We are developing a workforce plan to expand the size of this team to do that. We are reviewing our service level agreement with the Marine Institute. We are going to apply for EU L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement, LIFE, funding to support that expansion of delivery. We are doing as much as we can about resources.

On the data issue, in head 25 we have the idea of findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable or FAIR data. We have recognised this need to get the information out there so there is transparency around the reuse of the information that we gather for this process. There are other data initiatives ongoing and I made reference to the use of non-scientific information in the development of decisions around designation, which are: traditional knowledge and the experiences of local communities. This will be very important, particularly in terms of the legitimacy of the choices that are made.

The Deputy made a point about the engagement of fishers and mentioned inland fishers. Before he returned I described the consultation process up until the publication of the public consultation report so the design of the expert report. We have spoken directly with all fisheries groups. We have identified them based on their representative bodies. We have engaged with them and sought nominations for them to engage through a representative from their body. We have a very neutral approach and do not have a view on any of the sectors. We just shepherd the whole process forward and we must design the participation so that it works for them. I do not have a direct answer for the Deputy now about how this will work for them, particularly around their resource issue. We, however, need to think about how we design engagement with them so that they can participate in a way, time and style that suits them. We have identified, in the design of this EU funding bid that we have sought to submit later this year, that engagement piece so that is who do we get to go and deal with them.