DESIGNATION OF GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AS A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE SEA AREA (PSSA)

Early day motion 297, tabled 6 February 2001 by Helen Clark (Labour). Signed by 42 members.

That this House is extremely concerned at the recent oil spill in the Galapagos Islands which has shone a spotlight on the impacts shipping, especially of hazardous substances such as oil, can have on a fragile ecosystem; calls attention to incidents involving the Erika, Sea Empress and Braer as vivid examples of the devastation than can be wreaked on our own coastline, marine wildlife and coastal communities, unless appropriate measures are introduced to improve shipping safety and minimise the risks of accidents; notes that the mechanism for safeguarding the most environmentally sensitive and vulnerable sea areas already exists, for example Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas as areas of the seas and oceans that need special protection through action by the International Maritime Organisation and shipping nations because of the ecological cultural or scientific significance and their vulnerability to harmful impacts from shipping activities; and requests Her Majesty's Government to offer immediate assistance to the Government of Ecuador in declaring the waters around the Galapagos a PSSA and to consider bringing in PSSA designation to the most vulnerable waters of the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 29, Liberal Democrat 10, Labour/Co-operative 2, UUP 1.