Wild Animals

Marine Mammal Bycatch and Welfare

Bycatch of dolphins, seals, and other marine mammals in commercial fishing gear causes significant welfare harms through entanglement, drowning, and injury, with management solutions available but incompletely adopted.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 cetaceans die as bycatch annually worldwide
Entanglement in gillnets is the leading cause of small cetacean bycatch mortality
Acoustic deterrents (pingers) on gillnets significantly reduce porpoise and small dolphin bycatch
Fishery observer programs are essential for bycatch monitoring but coverage remains low
Some species including the vaquita porpoise face extinction primarily due to bycatch

Welfare Considerations

Marine mammal bycatch causes suffering through drowning, entanglement injuries, and the physiological stress of capture. Animals that escape entanglement may carry injuries affecting long-term welfare. Solutions are available - pinger deployment, modified gear, and observer-enforced protected areas - but require regulatory will and enforcement investment. Consumer choices for certified sustainable seafood can drive market pressure for bycatch reduction.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by programs auditing marine mammal bycatch rates
Support organizations advocating for mandatory pinger use in gillnet fisheries
Advocate for expanded fishery observer programs and bycatch monitoring
Learn about critically endangered marine mammals threatened by bycatch