§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken to tighten up monitoring of killing of seals by fishermen in British waters in defiance of international protection agreements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierThe United Kingdom fulfills its obligations under international conventions in respect of seals by means of the current measures under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.
Additional measures were taken in December 1988 to extend the close season for common and grey seals in England and Wales and common seals in Scotland. These measures remain in force.
In addition, we are currently considering possible ways of securing voluntary reporting about seals shot under the defensive provisions or outside the close season of the 1970 Act.