Protection for wildlife

Wildlife Act 1990  
The 1990 Act is the primary and most significant wildlife protection legislation in day to day application. It establishes the legal protection of Areas of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves and Marine Nature Reserves, alongside payments for land management. It sets out various Schedules of Manx species of animal and plant species that are protected by law from destruction, injury or disturbance. These Schedules of species was revised in 2004, and Schedule 8 listing invasive non-native species was revised in 2011. The actual wording of the Act itself was last amended in a minor fashion in 1994 and again under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act in 2008. It is now well recognised that both the wording of the Act and the Schedules are very much out of date and no longer fit for purpose.

Customary Laws Act 1422
Gives an early and extant minor form of protection for Sturgeon, Porpoise and Whales. N.B. the latter two are now much more fully protected by the Wildlife Act 1990.

Game Acts 1882, 1927, 1957 and Game (Hares) Act 1971
This suite of Acts set out those species of game that may not be lawfully taken during their respective closed seasons and the manner in which game may be taken.

Wild Birds Act 1936 (now repealed)  
Allowed the designation of Wild Bird Sanctuaries (which remain in force, even though their designating Act has been repealed). New Bird Sanctuaries cannot now be designated, being replaced by Areas of Special Protection and/or Areas of Special Scientific Interest and/or Marine Nature Reserves by the Wildlife Act 1990.

Manx Museum & National Trust Acts 1959-1986
Creates the Manx National Trust (trading as "Manx National Heritage" and allow for the acquisition of land for its preservation and protection of wildlife thereupon via byelaws.

Curraghs Acquisition Act 1963 
Protects all species of bird and animal from being killed or taken by various means within a large area surrounding and including the Ballaugh Curragh, unless authorised to do so.

Douglas Head Act 2000
Protects ecologically significant areas on Douglas Head from all forms of development and enclosure, while also providing the guarantee of public access.

Litter Act 1972 
Makes the dropping of litter an offence. Provides for fixed penalty notices and court orders for removal of litter, including fly-tipping.

Sky Lanterns and Balloons (Prohibition) Act 2021 
Prohibits the sale of sky lanterns and makes the release of sky lanterns and helium balloons into the atmosphere an offence.

Inland Fisheries Act 1976 and Fisheries Acts 1983 and 2012
Section 34 of the 1976 Act makes it an offence to obstruct any watercourse. The 2012 Act provides the legal powers for DEFA to make regulations, bye-laws and orders (‘Statutory Documents’), which come into effect once signed by the Department’s Minister. 

Flood Risk Management Act 2013
Prohibits the interference with any watercourse. See also Coastline Management Act 2005.

Sea Fisheries Regulations 2000-date
A complex suite of Secondary Legislation which governs marine fisheries and marine conservation in relation to fishing.

Oil Pollution Act 1986
Prohibits the discharge of oil into Manx waters, including from a source on land or on the water or sea. Creates a duty to report discharge of oil into waters of harbours.

Water Act 1991 and Water Pollution Act 1993
Protect watercourses and drinking water and create byelaws for the prevention of water pollution and water quality objectives. Prohibits deposits of any item at sea.

Sewerage Acts 1999, 2011 and 2015
Regulates the disposal of sewage and importantly, prohibits discharge of any trade effluent into a public sewer. 

Tree Preservation Act 1993
Makes very stringent provision for the preservation of trees and the registration of notable trees. Almost all trees on the Isle of Man are protected, providing a far greater level of protection than in the UK or Republic of Ireland. 

Heath Burning Act 2003 
This Act protects all Registered Heathland from burning or destruction without a licence.

Endangered Species Act 2010 
This Act gives effect to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in the Isle of Man and its territorial waters, and therefore regulates the import and export of globally endangered species, via a statutory Wildlife Committee. Please note that at the local level, our Manx endangered species are included within Schedule 1, 5 and 7 of the Wildlife Act 1990.

Marine Infrastructure Management Act 2016
Introduces the requirement for Environmental Impact Assessment at sea in relation to marine infrastructure development. 

Climate Change Act 2021
Creates a statutory duty of Government to protect and enhance biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services. Introduces a planning requirement for the maximisation of carbon sequestration; the minimising of greenhouse gas emissions; the maintenance and restoration of ecosystems; Biodiversity Net Gain; the need for sustainable drainage systems; and the provision of active travel infrastructure. Amends the Forestry Act 1984 to prohibit the cutting of peat and allows for the protection and restorations of peatlands.

Public Health Act 1990, Collection & Disposal of Waste Regulations 2000, Import & Export of Waste Regulations 2001 and Animal By-products Regulations 2019
Our key pieces of waste management legislation. The Public Health Act 1990 imposes a duty on authorities to inspect for health risks and manage notifiable diseases. It governs sanitation, food safety and environmental health. The latter prohibits animal by-products, including catering waste (and whole scallop shells) from being brought on to any premises if farmed animals would have access to such animal by-products.

Forestry Act 1984
This Act provides a level of protection for all of our expansive upland and lowland common land which is vested (put not owned) in DEFA. 

Animal Welfare Act 2023
Protects the welfare of all non-human vertebrates after they are born (exclusions are made for fishing). 

Weeds Act 1957, Agriculture (Poisonous Substances) Act 1961, Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act 1975 and Poisons Act 1979
Directs the proper use of and prohibits the misuse of chemicals, including agricultural chemicals. The 1957 Act requires anyone spraying herbicides to give prior warning to their neighbour.

Plant Health Act 1983
This Act allows for the control of pests and diseases injurious to agricultural or horticultural crops, or to trees, bushes or shrubs. Allows control of insects, bacteria, fungi, vegetable or animal organisms and viruses causative of any transmissible disease of agricultural or horticultural crops or of trees, bushes or shrubs. Allows the removal, treatment or destruction of any crop, or any seed, plant, or any container wrapping or other article, or any substance, which has on it, or is infected with, a pest, or to or by means of which a pest is in the opinion of the Department likely to spread.

Road Traffic Act 1985
Section 28 creates an offence if any person drives or parks a motor vehicle on any area of common land, any moorland or other land of whatsoever description where no designated road exists, including all beaches and the foreshore. This is an important piece of legislation for protecting our ground and beach-nesting birds and for protecting seabird roosting sites and the communal winter roosts of Hen Harrier in the uplands.

Town and Country Planning Act 1999 
Protects, through a statutory Development Plan (currently called the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016) important habitats and species in the planning permission process (under Environment Policy 4). Mandates Environmental Impact Assessments in some planning applications and requires for Biodiversity Net Gain in the planning process. 

Manx Wildlife Trust, as an independent charity, has no statutory or investigative powers. To report Wildlife Crime on the Isle of Man please contact the most appropriate agency listed below (please feel free to copy us in using enquiries@mwt.im) :

1. (All instances) - DEFA Ecosystem Policy: +44 1624 651577 ecopolicy@gov.im

2. (All instances) - Isle of Man Constabulary Wildlife Crime Officers (as of January 2026): PC James Sanderson James.Sanderson@iom.police.uk +44 1624 631212

3. (International wildlife crime, proceeds of wildlife crime or those crimes with a financial or economic element) - the Isle of Man Financial Intelligence Unit: +44 1624 686000 fiu@gov.im 

4. (Fisheries - freshwater and marine, including poaching, illegal landings and fishing in closed areas or Marine Nature Reserves) - DEFA Fisheries: +44 1624 685857 fisheries@gov.im

5. (Freshwater and marine pollution) - DEFA Environmental Protection Unit: +44 1624 685885 (For out of hours oil pollution response please contact +44 1624 697327) environmentalprotection@gov.im

6. (Illegal landfill/dumping of waste) - DEFA Environmental Protection Unit: +44 1624 685535 or email environmentalprotection@gov.im

7. (Animal welfare concerns - covering all non-human vertebrates, including pets and livestock) - DEFA Chief Vet: +44 1624 695742 agriculture@gov.im

8. (Agricultural Non-compliance - covering the protection of wildlife, habitats, soil, watercourses, litter/scrap, field boundaries, invasive species, public rights of way, archaeology and use of fertilisers & herbicides on farms) - DEFA Agriculture: +44 1624 695742 agriculture@gov.im 

9. (Illegal import/export of endangered or protected species) - DEFA Ecosystem Policy: +44 1624 651577 ecopolicy@gov.im

10. (Illegal tree felling/destruction) - DEFA Forestry: +44 1624 695701 forestry@gov.im 

Bern Convention 

On the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats – focusing on scarce and vulnerable species 

Bonn Convention 

On the conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – covers bats, birds and cetaceans 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 

An international convention to protect against international trade in species threatened with extinction

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of Importance 

Covers the Ballaugh Curragh Ramsar site 

Rio Convention on Biological Diversity 

Seeks to halt the loss of species and ensure all signatories maintain the diversity of organisms within their territory 

Oslo-Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic (OSPAR) 

Sets out to protect the sea against pollution and the adverse effects of human activities and to restore marine ecosystems and habitats 

Additional information on all these International Conventions are available online or from DEFA.

Birds 

All species of bird are protected from killing or disturbance while nesting and over 70 species of bird receive additional protection against disturbance or injury under the Wildlife Act. In addition, many of the international conventions cover bird species. 

Seals 

All species are protected under the Wildlife Act 

Whales and dolphins (cetaceans) 

All species are protected under the Wildlife Act, the Bonn Convention and to a degree by OSPAR

Bats 

All species are protected from injury or disturbance by the Wildlife Act as well as migratory species covered by the Bonn Convention 

Basking Shark 

Protected under the Wildlife Act and the Bonn Convention 

Frogs 

Our only native species of amphibian, they receive protection under the Wildlife Act 

Lizard, common 

Our only native species of reptile, they receive protection under the Wildlife Act 

Invertebrates 

Two species of moths, three species of crickets and grasshoppers and the lesser beefly are protected under the Wildlife Act 

Plants 

All wild plants are protected against unauthorised persons uprooting them. In addition, all Orchids and 75 other rare species of plant receive additional protection by the Wildlife Act against being picked or destroyed