Wildlife

Marine Mammal Bycatch and Welfare

Hundreds of thousands of dolphins, porpoises, and whales die as bycatch in fishing gear each year, representing a massive welfare problem.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 cetaceans die annually as fishing bycatch worldwide
Gillnets are responsible for the majority of small cetacean bycatch
Porpoises and dolphins caught in nets may take several minutes to drown
The vaquita porpoise has fewer than 10 individuals remaining, primarily due to bycatch
Acoustic pingers on nets have proven effective in reducing porpoise bycatch

Welfare Considerations

Marine mammals caught in fishing gear experience acute distress including struggling, entanglement injury, and ultimately asphyxiation. Drowning in air-breathing mammals is a prolonged and frightening death. Individuals that escape entanglement may carry serious injuries affecting long-term survival and welfare. The scale of cetacean bycatch mortality represents one of the largest human-caused animal welfare crises in the marine environment.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood with Marine Stewardship Council certification requiring bycatch reduction plans
Support campaigns for mandatory acoustic pinger use in gillnet fisheries
Advocate for bycatch monitoring and reporting requirements on all fishing vessels
Donate to organisations working to protect critically endangered cetaceans