Conservation of Seals Act 1970

10 Power to grant licences. E+W+S

(1) A licence may be granted to any person by [F1 the appropriate licensing authority] authorising that person, notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Act, but subject to compliance with any conditions specified in the licence,—

(a) for scientific or educational purposes to kill or take within an area specified in the licence by any means so specified other than by the use of strychnine any number of seals so specified;

(b) for the purposes of any zoological gardens or collection specified in the licence to take within an area specified in the licence by any means so specified any number of seals so specified;

(c) for—

F2 (i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ii) the reduction of a population surplus of seals for management purposes; . . . F3

[F4 (iia) the protection of animal or human health or public safety,]

F5 (iii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [F6 or]

[F7 (iv) the protection of flora or fauna in an area to which subsection (4) of this section applies,]

to kill or take within any area specified in the licence by any means so specified other than by the use of strychnine any number of seals so specified.

[F8 (1A) Nothing in subsection (1) is to be read as authorising the grant of a licence for the purpose of the protection, promotion or development of commercial fish or aquaculture activities within the meaning of the Fisheries Act 2020 (see section 52 of that Act).]

(2) A licence granted under this section may be revoked at any time by [F1 the appropriate licensing authority] and, without prejudice to any other liability to a penalty which he may have incurred under this or any other Act, any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any condition imposed on the grant of a licence under this section shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) [F1 the appropriate licensing authority]—

(a) shall consult [F9 UKRI] before granting a licence under this Act; and

(b) except in relation to the prevention of damage to fisheries shall not without the consent of [F10 Natural England] grant a licence to kill or take seals in [F11 an area [F12 in, or in waters adjacent to, England] to which subsection (4) of this section applies]

[F13 (4) This subsection applies to any area which—

(a) is a nature reserve within the meaning of section 15 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949;

[F14 (b) [F15 is a site of special scientific interest (within the meaning of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981); or]]

[F15 is a site of special scientific interest;]

F16 [( c ) [F15 is an area to which section 29(3) of that Act (special protection for certain areas of special scientific interest) applies; or]]

[F15 is 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; or]

(d) has been designated as [F17 a marine nature reserve under section 36 of [F18 that Act]][F17 a marine conservation zone under section 116 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 ][F18 the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 ].]

[F19 (4A) A licence under this section does not authorise the use of any method of killing or taking seals which is inconsistent with [F20 regulation 41 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994] [F20 [F21 regulation 43 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010]] [F21 regulation 45 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017] or any other enactment for the time being in force for the purpose of giving effect to Article 15 of the Habitats Directive (as read subject to any derogation permitted by Article 16 of that Directive).]

F22 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F23 (6) In subsection (4A), the “Habitats Directive” means the Directive of the Council of the European Communities dated 21st May 1992 ( No. 92/43/ EEC ) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna , as amended from time to time. ]

[F24 (6) In subsection (4A), the Habitats Directive means the Directive of the Council of the European Communities dated 21st May 1992 ( No. 92/43/ EEC ) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna. ]

[F25 (7) In this section “the appropriate licensing authority” means—

(a) the Natural Resources Body for Wales where the area in question is in Wales;

(b) in any other case, the Marine Management Organisation.

(8) In subsection (7)(a), “Wales” has the meaning given by section 158 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 10 substituted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 107(2) (with Sch. 7)

F2 S. 10(1)(c)(i) omitted (1.3.2021) by virtue of Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(5), Sch. 9 para. 9(a)(i) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F3 Word repealed by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 73, Sch. 17 Pt. II

F4 S. 10(1)(c)(iia) inserted (1.3.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(5), Sch. 9 para. 9(a)(ii) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F5 S. 10(1)(c)(iii) omitted (1.3.2021) by virtue of Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(5), Sch. 9 para. 9(a)(i) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F6 Word inserted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 12, Sch. 7 para. 7(1)

F7 S. 10(1)(c)(iv) inserted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 12, Sch. 7 para. 7(1)

F8 S. 10(1A) inserted (1.3.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(5), Sch. 9 para. 9(b) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)

F9 Word in s. 10(3)(a) substituted (1.4.2018) by Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (c. 29), s. 124(5), Sch. 12 para. 7(2)(b); S.I. 2018/241, reg. 2(t) (with transitional and savings provisions in S.I. 2018/245, regs. 2, 3, 26)

F10 Words in s. 10(3)(b) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 107(3)(a) (with Sch. 7)

F11 Words substituted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 12, Sch. 7 para. 7(2)

F12 Words in s. 10(3)(b) inserted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 107(3)(b) (with Sch. 7)

F13 S. 10(4) inserted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c.69, SIF 4:5), s. 12, Sch. 7 para. 7(3)

F14 S. 10(4)(b) substituted (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 76(1), 103(2), Sch. 10 Pt. II para. 4

F15 S. 10(4)(b)(c) substituted (S.) (29.11.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), s. 59(2), Sch. 7 para. 3(a) (with s. 55(2)); S.S.I. 2004/495, art. 2

F16 S. 10(4)(c) and the following word repealed (E.W.) (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 102, 103(2), Sch. 16 Pt. III (but by S.I. 2001/114, art. 2, and S.I. 2001/1410, art. 2, the commencement of the said Sch. 16 Pt. III is purported to be 30.1.2001 for E. and 1.5.2001 for W. respectively)

F17 Words in s. 10(4)(d) substituted (E.W.) (12.1.2010 for specified purposes and 12.12.2014 for remaining purposes) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), s. 324(2)(b)(i), Sch. 11 para. 1; The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Commencement and Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Order 2014 (No. 3088), art. 2(b)

F18 Words in s. 10(4)(d) substituted (S.) (29.11.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), s. 59(2), Sch. 7 para. 3(b) (with s. 55(2)); S.S.I. 2004/495, art. 2

F19 S. 10(4A) inserted (S.) (15.2.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/80), regs. 2, 26(a) and s. 10(4A) inserted (E.W.) (21.8.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1843), regs. 2(1), 6(a)

F20 Words in s. 10(4A) substituted (E.W.) (1.4.2010) by The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/490), reg. 1(2), Sch. 6 para. 2 (with reg. 125)

F21 Words in s. 10(4A) substituted (E.W.) (30.11.2017) by The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1012), reg. 1(2), Sch. 6 para. 3

F22 S. 10(5) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 107(4) (with Sch. 7)

F23 S. 10(6) inserted (S.) (15.2.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/80), regs. 2, 26(b)

F24 S. 10(6) added (E.W.) (21.8.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1843), regs. 2(1), 6(b)

F25 S. 10(7)(8) inserted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 107(5) (with Sch. 7)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 10 transfer of functions (1.4.2010) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), ss. 9, 324(3); S.I. 2010/298, art. 2, Sch. para. 1