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<p>There is a range of legislation already in place to protect aquatic animals including
the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, Eels Regulations 2009, Conservation
of Seals Act 1970, the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.</p><p> </p><p>The Joint Nature Conservation Committee
has recently commenced the seventh Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Later this year, JNCC will make evidence-based
recommendations to the Secretary of State as to which species warrant additional legal
protections to secure their future conservation. The Government will consider any
recommendations to add species to Schedule 5 or 8, at this point, once these recommendations
have been submitted.</p><p> </p><p>Further, the Fisheries Act's ecosystems objective
contains a requirement to "minimise, and where possible eliminate bycatch of
sensitive marine species". We will set out policies that will help to achieve
this objective in the Joint Fisheries Statement, which is a UK-wide document.</p>
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