Policy paper

Trade of seal products in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)

Updated 21 May 2024

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/seal-product-trade-in-great-britain/trade-of-seal-products-in-great-britain-england-scotland-and-wales

The UK government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and will retain the legislation banning the importation of seal products.

The inhumane nature of seal hunting practices in certain parts of the world caused considerable concern to members of the public, animal welfare organisations, non-government organisations, and governments.

Controls on seal (pinnipeds) products are enforced in Great Britain by the Seal Products Regulations 2010 and retained Council Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 (as amended). Retained Commission Implementing Regulation 2015/1850 (as amended) lays down detailed rules for implementing retained Regulation 1007/2009.

Under the regulations, seal products can only be imported and placed on the UK market for sale in limited cases, where strict conditions are met. Imports of seal products for trade must  be from traditional hunts carried out by Inuit or other indigenous communities that contribute to their subsistence and consider the welfare of the animal.

Also, non-commercial imports are also permitted where  they are exclusively for the personal use of travellers or their families and only occasionally imported.

The ban applies to any products, both processed or unprocessed, deriving from or obtained from any species of pinniped.

Under the exemption for traditional hunts by Inuit and other indigenous communities, the seal product must be supported by a seal catch attestation (certificate). This must be issued by the relevant recognised body for the export of seal products to Great Britain, where the pinniped was killed.

Customs authorities in Great Britain will check and certify these documents. Territories or countries that are qualified to provide these attestation documents are called recognised authorities.

1. Countries and territories authorised to export seal products to Great Britain

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has recognised the following 3 bodies for the export of seal products to Great Britain under Article 3a of Retained Commission Implementing Regulation 2015/1850 (as amended):

  • Greenland Department of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture
  • Government of Northwest Territories of Canada
  • Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut

2. Additional bans on seal products

The seal product ban is in addition to the Import of Seal Skins Regulations 1996. The 1996 regulations prohibit the commercial importation of whitecoat pups of species:

  • Phoca (Pagophilus)
  • groenlandica (harp seal)
  • Cystophora cristata (hooded seal)

This includes raw, tanned or dressed fur skins and any products made from, or including the fur skin of these seals.

This prohibition does not apply to products resulting from traditional hunting by the Inuit people and other indigenous communities.

Northern Ireland follows the comparable EU regime for seal products under the Windsor Framework.

Back to top