116Consultation and consent
(1)The Scottish Ministers must consult the Natural Environment Research Council before granting or varying a seal licence.
(2)The Scottish Ministers must obtain the consent of Scottish Natural Heritage before granting or varying a seal licence authorising the killing or taking of seals in a protected area for a purpose mentioned in any of paragraphs (b) to (e) of section 110(1).
“protected area” means—
(a)a Nature Conservation MPA,
(b)a Demonstration and Research MPA,
(c)a Historic MPA,
(d)a site of special scientific interest,
(e)an area in respect of which a nature conservation order or land management order made under Part 2 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6) has effect,
(f)a nature reserve (within the meaning of Part 3 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (c.97)), or
(g)a European site (within the meaning of regulation 10 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations).