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Select committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Sixth Special Report - Marine Mammals: Government Response to the Committee’s Sixth Report

Published 31 October 2023

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Marine Mammals Report on parliament.uk ↗

At a glance

The government's response

This document responds to Sixth Report - Protecting Marine Mammals in the UK and Abroad.

This is the government's response, published 31 October 2023.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government agrees with the Committee on the importance of the precautionary principle and the role of marine mammals, but disagrees with some recommendations, including a UK-wide bycatch action plan with targets and a free trade agreement commitment on marine mammal conservation.

  • On bycatch, it disagrees with producing an action plan with UK-wide targets, as each fisheries policy authority will set time-bound targets "where appropriate". It will develop an England-specific work plan in 2024.
  • On monitoring, it points to existing investment, including Defra's £40m mNCEA programme, and does not consider it "necessary to establish a further fund". It is considering responses to its remote electronic monitoring consultation and will respond "in due course".
  • On the Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy, it acknowledges the recommendation but says "sufficient time is required", and it "hope[s] to publish in 2024". It does not expect to introduce bespoke primary legislation on marine mammals.
  • On protected areas, it welcomes the suggestion but does not agree to the proposed timeline, aiming to implement management measures, "where necessary", by the end of 2024. It disagrees with a specific marine mammal conservation commitment in free trade agreements.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Sources