Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority - 13 June 2025

The meeting opened with the election of the Committee’s leadership. Councillor Kenny moved, and Andrew Pascoe seconded, that Tony Tomlinson be elected Chairman; the motion was carried on a show of hands and Mr Tomlinson took the Chair. He then moved, and Councillor P Mitchell seconded, that Councillor Kenny be elected Vice‑Chairman, which was also approved. No declarations of interest were made.

The Committee approved the minutes of the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) meeting held on 21 March 2025, resolving that they be signed by the Chairman. The Chief Officer presented the Budget Outturn Report for April 2024 – March 2025. The Committee noted and agreed with the outturn and reserves position for the 2024‑25 financial year (Appendices 1 & 2) and recorded the audit report for the year ended 31 March 2025 (Appendix 3). A future decision on whether to increase IFCA’s reserves was identified as pending.

During the Officers’ Report, several operational and financial matters were discussed. The existing RIB, Lyonesse, was built to fit the patrol vessel Saint Piran, which will be sold abroad and replaced by a new vessel compliant with Workboat Code 3. The replacement RIB must be a 6.5‑metre craft with a 2 hp engine to fit the ramp system, and it is advantageous to procure this RIB before ordering the bespoke patrol vessel. The cost of a new patrol vessel is estimated at around £2 million; DEFRA’s provisional funding of roughly half that amount has been withdrawn, and IFCA reserves are insufficient to cover the expense. The replacement vessel is expected to be smaller, about 19 metres in length.

The discussion also addressed compliance and fisheries issues. Members were informed of ongoing problems with crustacean fisheries, particularly berried lobsters, and of the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision not to pursue civil recovery in a case involving electric‑current fishing. Octopus, identified as an invasive species affecting shellfish, are being caught in large numbers around Mevagissey and Looe using any pot type and any inshore licence. Additionally, some Marine Management Organisation‑approved Inshore Vessel Monitoring System (IVMS) devices are malfunctioning and can only be repaired by the supplier; vessels without a functioning IVMS are prohibited from going to sea. The meeting concluded with acknowledgements of staff departures and commendations for IFCA’s work on crab fishing.