During her visit to Milford Haven last Thursday, Jane Davidson, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, met with members of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. Ms. Davidson has taken a keen interest in the activities of the forum as it is the only one of its kind that is completely within Wales and, indeed, is seen to be critical to the development of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) both in Wales and the UK.
ICZM is the management relationship of all parties that impact on the well-being of our coastal zone and encourages dialogue and sharing of information between all these diverse operators. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum facilitates and acts as a catalyst to this integration through its neutral and independent position. It also manages several projects that supplement such development. These include The Marine Code (a code of conduct for operators of wildlife and dive boats); The Outdoor Charter (a code of conduct for operators of coastal outdoor activities); The Recreational Audit (a detailed identification and location of all activities around the coast of south-west Wales); and other projects that engage the general public, such as public debates and coastal surgeries. Jane Davidson's visit to the area also included a cruise along the Milford Haven waterway to view the work of the Milford Haven Port Authority, including the South Hook and Dragon LNG developments, which in turn highlighted just some of the potential conflicting issues that affect this region and the need for partnership working to address them. The cruise was followed by a briefing of the Minister by Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum members who were able to discuss and elaborate on these and other issues. To find out more about the work of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, please visit http://www.pembrokeshirecoastalforum.org.uk">www.pembrokeshirecoastalforum.org.uk or telephone 01646 696171.