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The Chamber of Deputies approved a reform to the General Wildlife Law and the vote on the bill in the Senate is pending.
Mexico seeks to ban the use of marine mammals in shows: what is the strategy?
The Chamber of Deputies of Mexico approved the modification of the article 53 Bis of the General Wildlife Law to prohibit marine mammals from being exploited for entertainment purposes.
The reform was approved on Tuesday with 331 votes in favour, against and 125 urgently abstained, for which it was submitted to discussion and voting immediately, avoiding all the processes that a project usually requires.
🐬 The Chamber of Deputies reformed the General Wildlife Law to prohibit the use of marine mammals in fixed shows or itinerant and in activities that are not scientific research or teaching, for its conservation and preservation. https://t.co/UgwotX3AEJ
— Chamber of Deputies (@Mx_Diputados) October 17, 2022
The initiative was introduced by deputies Karen Castrejón Trujillo, of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), and Melissa Vargas Camacho, of the Institutional Revolution Party (PRI), in order to protect aquatic species and stop animal abuse.
“It should be considered an act of cruelty and mistreatment towards them (marine mammals). Mexico is the fourth country in the world with the most captive dolphins,” Castrejón Trujillo said during parliamentary debate.
Article 60 Bis, already prohibited the use of aquatic mammals in itinerant shows, such as circuses or social events, but allowed specimens continue to be used in fixed places such as aquariums, dolphinariums or recreational parks.
The proposed amendment restricts the exploitation of marine mammals in all types of places, with special emphasis on entertainment spaces
, although it also prohibits its use in “any activity whose purpose is not scientific research, or for teaching purposes, for its conservation and preservation,” the text indicates.
According to the initiative, the owners and possessors of marine mammals in captivity will have a term of 90 days, from the entry into force of the decree, to make available to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) the copies in their possession.
In addition to the exploitation of animals, the reform also prohibits the intensive reproduction of marine mammals, if the purpose is not “the reintroduction, repopulation or translocation” of the species.
The project was sent to the Senate, where it must be voted for approval.
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