Protection of seals

That this House calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to amend the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 to make it an offence committed if a person (or a third party controlled by the person, including but not limited to; dogs, drones or vessels) intentionally or recklessly kills, injures, takes, disturbs or harasses a seal; recognises the importance of making legislation on disturbance of seals consistent with that for whales and dolphins; notes that seals, like nesting seabirds, are even more vulnerable to disturbance because of their need to rest, digest, moult, socialise and pup on land; further notes that disturbance includes all actions that change a seal’s behaviour or its environment, affecting its wellbeing or survival prospects; understands that seals are highly mobile marine species that swim from site to site and need protection to follow them anywhere around the UK; recognises that such an amendment to existing legislation would have protected Freddie the seal in the River Thames, who regrettably died following a dog attack in 2021; further recognises that seals make a positive contribution to local economies, providing ecosystem and health and wellbeing benefits; and further calls on the Government to amend existing legislation and continue to work with local authorities and seal conservation and welfare organisations to help educate the public on the importance of protecting the UK's globally rare and native species.