A report from a British parliamentary environment committee on protecting marine mammals published this week calls for new comprehensive and precautionary actions to protect species.

The document urges the legal framework in the UK to be improved by new primary legislation focused on marine mammal protection.

In particular, it considers that seal species in UK waters need to be more fully protected under law.

Urgent steps must also be taken to close the loophole that allows the transit of whale products through UK ports.

Another recommendation includes the need to monitor more fully bycatch, which comprises the incidental capture of marine mammals in fishing equipment.

Mark Simmonds of OceanCare, an organisation founded to protect marine wildlife, was one of six independent witnesses called to give evidence to the committee.

“This is an important document. The committee considered a large amount of information, including many written submissions and documents, and has come to conclusions that are both wise and far-reaching,” he said.

“The need to better protect marine mammals in an age when pressures are mounting is clear but how to best tackle this is not straightforward. The UK’s current legal protection is piecemeal.”

Overall, actions intended to help protect marine mammals need to have clearer targets and associated timelines, the report concluded, which can be read here.

The committee is formed of over 10 lawmakers in the British parliament and is formed to hold government policy to scrutiny.

By Roy Manuell – roy@carbon-pulse.com