4116 - Marine Enforcement Officer

Job summary

Join a dynamic national team working at the heart of Wales’ marine environment. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a real impact by protecting our seas and supporting sustainable fisheries. You’ll deliver statutory services on behalf of the Welsh Government, supporting the Welsh fishing community, carrying out inspections and, where necessary, enforcement activities across the fishing industry and marine construction within Wales.

Job description

What You’ll Do

• Protect Wales’ marine resources by enforcing fisheries legislation.
• Monitor fish landings at local ports for compliance and verify logbooks and landing declarations.
• Investigate and gather evidence for potential prosecutions, including preparing case files and, where required, giving evidence in court.
• Plan and enforce intertidal fisheries (e.g., hand gathering of cockles, shore netting).
• Spend time at sea on one of the Welsh Government’s Fisheries Patrol Vessels, conducting enforcement activities and safeguarding marine habitats.

Why This Role is Exciting

• Variety and challenge – no two days are the same, from port inspections to patrols at sea.
• Impactful work – play a key role in protecting Wales’ marine environment and supporting sustainable fishing practices.
• Professional development – gain specialist enforcement experience and work alongside experts in marine and fisheries management.
• Team culture – be part of a supportive, national team committed to high standards and collaboration.

Person specification

What You’ll Be Doing

This is a hands-on, varied role where you’ll play a key part in protecting Wales’ marine environment and supporting sustainable fisheries. Your work will combine technical expertise, enforcement duties, and collaboration with a wide range of partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape and enforce fisheries plans – Implement strategies for commercial fisheries and ensure compliance both at sea and ashore.
• Protect marine environments – Enforce regulations to safeguard habitats and biodiversity.
• Gather intelligence and evidence – Monitor fishing activities, collect data, and, where required, conduct investigations under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Prepare case files and, when required, give evidence in court.
• Provide expert advice – Offer technical guidance to policy teams on fishing operations, fish distribution, processing, and marine issues.
• Engage and collaborate – Work closely with the fishing industry, Welsh Government teams, Law Enforcement, Natural Resources Wales, and other statutory bodies.
• Patrol and enforce at sea – Undertake seagoing patrols on Welsh Government Fisheries Patrol Vessels and operate shore-launched craft for coastal enforcement.

Licences

Hold a full UK Driving licence?

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,754, Welsh Government contributes

£8,909 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

The selection process and stages are:

• Number of Stages: 2 stage process
• Stage 1 Application Form
• Stage 2 Interview

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Question 3. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

In the event of two or more candidates having the same total score the determining merit order will be as followed:

• Criteria 1: Experience 1.
• Criteria 2: Experience 4.
• Criteria 3: Experience 3.
• Criteria 4: Experience 2.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the

Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window)

and the

Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available.

You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Control and Enforcement
• Email : milfordhavenfisheriesoffice@gov.wales

Recruitment team

• Email : SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales

Further information

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales. Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.

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