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Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Marine Mammals

Status: Closed Opened: 21 Apr 2022 Closed: 8 Nov 2023 10 recommendations 1 conclusion 1 report

This inquiry will investigate the issues affecting marine mammals, in the UK and around the world, to better understand the role that Britain can play in protecting them. You can read the call for evidence for this inquiry here . Our call for evidence ended on 27 May 2022.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Protecting Marine Mammals in the UK and Abro… HC 697 28 Jun 2023 11 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
4 Recommendation Sixth Report - Protecting Marine Mammal… Not Addressed

Add seals to Wildlife and Countryside Act Schedule 5; close cetacean product transit loophole

The current UK legal framework around the protection of marine mammals is incoherent and not sufficient to effectively preserve these precious species. UK measures are in stark contrast to best practice exemplified internationally by the 1972 Protecting Marine Mammals in the UK and Abroad 29 US Marine Mammal Protection Act, …

Government response. The government defers the decision on adding seals to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, stating it is still considering the submission. It highlights existing awareness campaigns and the publication of a marine wildlife code but does not …

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
10 Jan 2023 James Smith · Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Lowri Griffiths · FCDO, The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon GCVO · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The Rt Hon. the Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
11 Oct 2022 Chris Butler Stroud · Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Dr Carol Sparling · Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), Lucy Babey · ORCA, cetacean conservation charity, Mark Simmonds OBE · Ocean Care, Professor David Lusseau · Technical University of Denmark, Rob Deaville · UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) View ↗
13 Sep 2022 Chris Butler Stroud · Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Dr Carol Sparling · Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), Dr Mark Simmonds OBE · Ocean Care, Lucy Babey · ORCA, cetacean conservation charity, Professor David Lusseau · Technical University of Denmark, Rob Deaville · UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
7 Dec 2022 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs regarding Ma…
16 Nov 2022 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Defra Minister, Lord Benyon, regarding Marine Mammals…