State secretary Silvio Erkens does not rule out cabinet aid for Wadden Sea seal centre
State secretary Silvio Erkens told parliament the cabinet may yet step in to help the struggling seal centre in Lauwersoog, which has raised €1.1m but needs at least €2.8m.
State secretary Silvio Erkens (animal welfare, VVD) has not ruled out the cabinet stepping in to help the struggling Werelderfgoedcentrum Waddenzee (WEC), the Wadden Sea World Heritage Centre, which runs the seal rescue centre in Lauwersoog. He said so on Thursday 15 October in a debate in the Tweede Kamer on animal welfare.
Erkens said he understands the concerns. He distinguished between saving the centre itself and keeping its seal research and rescue function. He made no commitments and first wants to hold talks with the parties involved about what central government can still do.
Ines Kostic of the Party for the Animals urged the cabinet in the debate to help keep the seal care going, pointing to the government's responsibility for animals in distress. D66 has also put written questions to the cabinet about the consequences of losing the seal rescue centre in Lauwersoog.
The rescue appeal in numbers
- €1.1m
- donated to avert a threatened bankruptcy
- €2.8m
- needed at least to avert bankruptcy in the short term
- 73,000
- signatures on the petition against closure
In a response, the WEC said the support it has received from around the world is enormous. "We hope that with this support we can create the time and space to arrive at a lasting solution together," it said.
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Werelderfgoedcentrum Waddenzee (WEC)
The World Heritage Centre Wadden Sea is a Dutch organisation that supports the protection and promotion of the Wadden Sea, which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It works on the care and management of this coastal area and its wildlife, including the seals that live there. Because the Wadden Sea is a protected natural area, the centre's funding and role are regularly discussed by the government and parliament.
Tweede Kamer
The House of Representatives, the lower and more powerful house of the Dutch parliament. Its 150 members are elected directly; it can amend bills and holds the cabinet to account.