UK MP Calls for Fossil Export Regulation Following Abu Dhabi Sale

Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello has called for reform of UK fossil export regulations after a private collection of fossils from the Jurassic Coast was sold to the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi in 2025. The sale, revealed by The Guardian on August 8, involved hundreds of specimens collected by Chris Moore from the Dorset coastline. The Lyme Regis Museum, which specializes in the area's paleontological heritage, was not informed of the sale, despite considering the collection one of the best private collections in Dorset. Moore had previously approached the Natural History Museum in London and Amgueddfa Cymru in Wales, but neither had the funds to acquire it. Under current UK law, export controls apply only to objects 'made or produced', so fossils are exempt and cannot be assessed against the Waverley criteria, which consider historical connection, aesthetic importance, and scientific interest. Morello's proposal aims to allow paleontological specimens of exceptional scientific or national importance to be temporarily protected from export, similar to other cultural goods. The issue is not unique to the UK; in France, the Court of Cassation ruled in 2018 that fossils seized in Le Havre could not be classified as national treasures under the Heritage Code, though it did not establish a general principle against such classification. The call for reform follows a written request from Bridget Houseago, director of the Lyme Regis Museum, to Morello.