'Zoos and acquariums need mroe support and less red tape'

Torbay's MP has called for urgent action for zoos and aquariums to help address what he's calling 'the growing crisis caused by post-Brexit restrictions on animal movements'.

Steve Darling has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds MP, urging the Government to 'convene an urgent Zoos and Aquariums Summit'.

He said: “This is no longer just a conservation issue, it's a crisis for our local tourism economy here in Devon, post-Brexit red tape is strangling these attractions’ ability to thrive. We urgently need the Government to bring everyone together and find solutions.

"At the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit in May 2025, both sides agreed to work towards a common Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) Area that could ease such barriers. However, progress has been slow, and many programmes are now at risk of collapse.

"Within easy reach of Torbay we have the National Marine Aquarium, Paignton Zoo and Dartmoor Zoo, three cornerstones of Devon's tourism economy. These much loved attractions are feeling the pressure due to the UK’s stagnant economy: higher business costs, a national insurance hike, the ongoing cost of living crisis, and a lack of reform in business rates. With families having less to spend, these attractions, often reliant on discretionary spend, face an uncertain winter."

Greatest Hits Radio has contaced DEFRA to ask for a response.