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UK legislation review on captive cetaceans
In 2007 the Marine Connection joined with Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) calling on the UK government to introduce legislation prohibiting the keeping of dolphins, whales and porpoises in captivity in the UK. While the last dolphinarium in the UK closed down in 1993, under current legislation, there is little to prevent a new facility being built if a company were able to meet existing guidelines.
 For example, in 2007 Spanish-based company, Parques Reunidos - the third largest operator of leisure parks in Europe with 22 parks including in Spain, Italy, Belgium, Norway and also Argentina purchased Blackpool Zoo in the UK. Many of their facilities already hold captive dolphins and whales and therefore the Marine Connection believe that that legislation clearly prohibiting the keeping of cetaceans in captivity within the UK needs to be introduced as a matter of urgency in order to prevent UK facilities being established by any company.
Currently standards for keeping cetaceans in England and Wales are set out in the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice and are under review by the Zoos Forum - the Government's independent advisory body on zoo licensing matters. Earlier this year, the Marine Connection met with Jonathan Shaw, Minister for the Marine Environment, Landscape & Rural Affairs and his colleagues from DEFRA regarding legislation in the UK. We also discussed the amendments to the UK standards.
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Marine Connection director & co-founder Margaux Dodds comments; “Being personally involved in campaigning to close the last UK dolphinariums in the early 1990’s it is devastating to think that the UK may once again be considering allowing these animals to be held in a captive environment within the UK. Captivity is about profit, not education or conservation. We therefore urge the government to follow the example set by many countries worldwide and ban the importation, keeping and display of cetaceans in the UK."
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