Wildlife

Dolphin Bycatch Mitigation Welfare

Acoustic deterrent devices and modified fishing gear reduce dolphin bycatch in small pelagic fisheries, improving dolphin welfare.

Key Facts

Pingers reduce dolphin bycatch in gillnet fisheries by over 90% in studies
Pingers are cost-effective and widely available
Compliance with pinger requirements varies significantly without enforcement
EU regulations require pingers in many drift net fisheries

Welfare Considerations

Dolphins entangled in gillnets experience drowning stress and traumatic injury. Pingers that alert dolphins to net presence prevent the majority of entanglements at low cost. Compliance enforcement is the primary barrier to welfare benefit at scale. Circle hooks also reduce dolphin bycatch in longline fisheries. Each avoided entanglement represents prevented welfare harm and death.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory pinger requirements in fisheries affecting dolphins
Advocate for pinger compliance enforcement
Choose seafood from certified fisheries with low dolphin bycatch
Support organizations monitoring cetacean bycatch