GREENPEACE AND CETACEAN BY-CATCH

Early day motion 463, tabled 21 January 2004 by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 44 members.

That this House commends the recent launch of the Greenpeace ship Esperanza and the organisation's investigation into cetacean by-catch as a consequence of pelagic pair trawling in the Western Approaches and the Irish Sea; notes however that hundreds of dead dolphins, porpoises and small whales continue to be washed ashore onto West Country beaches every day when pair trawlers are active; and urges Her Majesty's Government and the EU to ban pair trawling for bass immediately, to prevent any further unnecessary slaughter.

Signatures by party: Labour 18, Liberal Democrat 17, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Conservative 2, UUP 1.