Harbour Porpoise Welfare and Bycatch Crisis

The harbour porpoise is the most abundant small cetacean in British waters, yet hundreds die annually in fishing gear, and noise pollution from offshore construction causes injury in a species with extreme acoustic sensitivity.

Key Facts

Harbour porpoises are the most frequently stranded cetacean in Britain, with hundreds washing ashore annually
Around 300 to 600 harbour porpoises are estimated to die in UK fishing gear each year
They have the highest reproductive rate of any cetacean, which partly buffers mortality impacts
Porpoises echolocate at extremely high frequencies for prey detection and navigation
Acoustic harassment devices at fish farms have caused porpoise mortality through acoustic trauma

Welfare Considerations

Harbour porpoise welfare is significantly threatened by bycatch mortality in bottom-set gillnets and pot lines. Underwater noise from pile-driving during offshore wind construction causes temporary hearing threshold shift and displacement from feeding areas. Individual porpoises drowning in nets experience acute suffocation that demands urgent attention to bycatch mitigation technology adoption. The annual toll of hundreds of individuals is significant for a species with limited habitat range in UK inshore waters.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory acoustic deterrent pingers on gillnets in porpoise habitat
Advocate for mitigation standards on offshore construction that protect porpoise hearing
Contribute to wildlife trust marine mammal recording programs
Back scientific research into porpoise bycatch mitigation technologies
Report stranded porpoises to British Divers Marine Life Rescue for post-mortem data collection