Written question asked by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Thursday, 19 April 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 April 2018 (named day). It was answered by Alan Duncan (Conservative) on Tuesday, 24 April 2018 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

British Overseas Territories: Marine Protected Areas

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many (a) turtles, (b) sharks and (c) seabirds were killed as a result of activities funded by the UK Overseas Territories Blue Belt programme in (i) 2016-17 and (ii) 2017-18.

Answer: All scientific surveys undertaken through the Blue Belt programme are designed in line with international best practice. There were no incidental mortalities of turtle or seabird species as a result of the scientific surveys undertaken through the Blue Belt programme in either 2016-17 or 2017-18. Where possible all sharks are released alive during surveys, but in 2017-18 seven sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) were killed through depredation by other species during surveys in Tristan da Cunha.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 136782
Session: 2017-19
Subjects: Birds British overseas territories Finance Sharks Turtles Marine protected areas
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk