Marine and Fisheries Division

The Marine and Fisheries Division (Welsh: Is-adran Môr a Physgodfeydd)[1] is a department of the Welsh Government whose purpose is to protect and regulate the fishing industry in the seas around Wales.

Marine and Fisheries Division
Welsh: Is-adran Môr a Physgodfeydd
Agency overview
Preceding agencies
  • South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee
  • North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee
JurisdictionWales
Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Graham Rees, Head
  • Andy Fraser, Deputy Head
Parent agencyWelsh Government

Its equivalent organisations elsewhere in the United Kingdom are the Marine Management Organisation in England, and Marine Scotland.

Fleet
Milford Haven: Wales' largest fishing port is base of FPV Rhodri Morgan, the largest of the government's ships.

The division maintains a multi-million pound fleet consisting of five Fisheries Patrol Vessels (FPVs)—high speed boats used for law enforcement and protecting the fishing industry from illegal activity. They were built in Pembrokeshire by Mainstay Marine Solutions,[2] and named after prominent Welsh people.

Vessel Length (m) Breadth (m) Weight (ton) Namesake
FPV Rhodri Morgan[3] 26 5 75 Rhodri Morgan
FPV Lady Megan[4] 19 8 56 Megan Lloyd George
FPV Catrin 13 4 Catrin Glyndŵr
FPV Gwenllian Gwenllian of Wales
FPV Siwan Joan of Wales

Pride of Wales

Upon being retired by the Welsh Government in 2019, FPV Aegis was renamed to Pride of Wales and donated to the Liberia as part of the Wales for Africa programme. The vessel was hoped to help protect more than 40,000 Liberian fishermen from foreign trawlers operating illegally in Liberian waters.[5]

Flag
The maritime flag of the Welsh Government.

The Marine and Fisheries Division has its own ensign to represent the Welsh Government's authority at sea.

Design

The flag is a British blue ensign defaced with a yellow dragon with red claws and tongue. Such blue ensigns are conventionally used to indicate government-controlled ships, and the dragon is a traditional symbol of Wales.

History

It was designed in 2017 at the request of the Welsh Government by Red Dragon Flagmakers in conjunction with Thomas Woodcock, the Garter Principal King of Arms.

On 19 December 2017, the flag's use by the Welsh Government was authorised by the UK Defence Secretary, and was registered with the College of Arms in January 2018.

References
  1. "The Record of Proceedings, The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee". Welsh Parliament (in Welsh and English). 14 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020. Welsh: Pennaeth yr Is-adran Môr a Physgodfeydd, Llywodraeth Cymru / Head of Marine and Fisheries Division, Welsh Government
  2. "New fisheries protection vessels named". Welsh Government. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. "Wales' Largest Fishing Port welcomes FPV Rhodri Morgan". Port of Milford Haven. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  4. Forgrave, Andrew (22 February 2019). "Welsh patrol boat to protect canoe fishermen in Africa". North Wales Live.
  5. "Lesley Griffiths officially names new fisheries patrol vessel and hands over 'Pride of Wales' vessel to Liberia Government". Welsh Government. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
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