CETACEAN BYCATCH AND THE WESTERN MORNING NEWS

Early day motion 831, tabled 7 February 2002 by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 31 members.

That this House congratulates the Western Morning News for highlighting the increasing numbers of dead dolphins and porpoises being washed up on the west country shoreline; notes that marine wildlife and fishing experts believe this to be a consequence of the activities of giant factory ships and pair trawlers that hoover up the seas bounty, capturing dolphins and other sea cetaceans that are unable to escape; further notes that the Cornish drift net fleet has honourably swallowed the bitter pill of a ban on its activities following claims of a much smaller share of cetacean by catch; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to seek an EU wide solution resulting in a ban on all pelagic fisheries which threaten the dolphin and other cetaceans with possible extinction from around our shores.

Signatures by party: Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 13, Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.