Commentary on provisions of Act Schedule 9: Conservation of seals
This Schedule amends legislation in England and Wales and Northern Ireland to greatly restrict the circumstances in which any intentional killing of a wild seal is lawfully permitted (e.g. animal welfare exemptions to euthanise a wild seal if found to suffer from unrecoverable injury, pain or disease).
	These amendments make the UK compliant with the US Marine Mammal Protection Act which only allows imports of fisheries products from countries which do not allow the deliberate killing, injuring or taking or marine mammals as part of commercial fisheries.
	Part 1 amends the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, which extends and applies to England and Wales, to prohibit the killing, injuring and taking of seals for the purpose of the protection, promotion or development of commercial fish or aquaculture activities.
	Part 2 amends the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 to ensure that licences cannot be granted to permit the killing, injuring or taking of seals for the purpose of preventing damage to fisheries.