Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the health of the sea horse population in Poole harbour.

Protected sites do afford some protection to habitats associated with seahorses. Seahorses are also a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; but the legislation makes no provision for monitoring or reporting on the condition of the population.

Seahorses are known to be present in Poole Harbour and seahorse surveys have been carried out by the Seahorse Trust; evidence of their presence has also been identified from surveys not focused on the species. Collectively the evidence indicates a resident population of seahorses found year-round in the harbour.