Harbor porpoises are small cetaceans whose welfare is threatened by gillnet bycatch, acoustic disturbance, and chemical pollution.
Gillnet drowning is a rapid but distressing death for air-breathing porpoises. Acoustic pollution from boat traffic and industrial noise impairs echolocation that porpoises depend on for hunting and navigation, causing chronic foraging stress. PCB and persistent organic pollutant accumulation causes immunosuppression and reproductive failure with welfare consequences persisting across generations. Pinger technology provides an effective bycatch reduction tool but widespread adoption requires regulatory mandates.