Dr. Rick Officer:

I will contain my comments to the first couple of parts of the question. With regard to the design of the aquaculture licensing system, I agree that it is very complex. We are bouncing things in and out of the foreshore management division in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There are elements of the process that involve statutory consultation, and we must await this being done before we can proceed with the five stage elements and reporting that we are required to contribute. The design of the system is a matter for the Department. Our role is to implement it. Of course, we will be supportive of efficiency in the design and operation of the system.

With regard to ICES, we are very strong contributors to the system. The institute enjoys enormous soft influence in ICES. The chair of the advisory committee in ICES is a Marine Institute staff member on secondment. The chair of the ICES scientific committee is a Marine Institute staff member who has left to chair the group. We have very strong engagement with ICES and the formulation of European Union advice on fish stocks.