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MPs probe protection of marine mammals

6 October 2022

The health of marine mammal populations, including dolphins and whales, is to be the subject of a hearing by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The evidence session will be held at 2.30pm on Tuesday 11 October.

The aim of the inquiry is better to understand the role the UK can play in protecting these creatures. The committee will look at various issues including:  

  • the latest data on marine mammal populations;
  • threats to marine mammals including bycatch (the unintended capture by fishers of non-targeted species), pollution, climate change and hunting; and
  • the role of the UK government in protecting these species in UK waters and internationally.

Witnesses 

Tuesday 11 October in Committee Room 6, Palace of Westminster  

Panel 1  - at 2.30pm

  • Rob Deaville, Project Manager, UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme
  • Prof David Lusseau, Professor of Marine Sustainability, Technical University of Denmark, and member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (via Zoom)
  • Dr Carol Sparling, Director, Sea Mammal Research Unit

Panel 2  - At 3.30pm

  • Lucy Babey, Deputy Director and Head of Science & Conservation, ORCA, a conservation charity
  • Chris Butler Stroud, Chief Executive, Whale & Dolphin Conservation in the UK
  • Mark Simmonds OBE, Director of Science, Ocean Care, a research and campaign organisation

Further information

Image: Unsplash