Further to the closure of the public consultation, will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government’s involvement in the UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy with direct regards to the identification of environmental pressures on harbour porpoise populations in Wales?
The consultation, led by Scottish Government, on the proposed UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy focuses on nine commonly found species of dolphin, whale and porpoise in the UK, collectively known as cetaceans.
The overarching aim of the strategy is to achieve favourable conservation status in UK waters for these nine cetaceans. An action plan will set out a number of measures to achieve this aim including the identification of vulnerabilities and relevant pressures upon the different species. Welsh Government, with Natural Resources Wales, continue to assist Scottish Government with the analysis of responses following the consultation.
When designated, assessments showed that harbour porpoises within our Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) to be maintaining a favourable condition and it is hoped the UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation strategy will further improve their resilience.