Harbor porpoises are among the most frequently caught cetaceans in fishing nets. Acoustic deterrents called pingers offer a practical welfare and conservation solution with growing adoption.
Harbor porpoise bycatch represents one of the most tractable cetacean welfare problems. Unlike deep-sea fisheries impacts that are difficult to monitor and mitigate, coastal gill net bycatch has a well-established solution: acoustic pingers that alert porpoises to net presence reduce entanglement by up to 90%. The welfare case for pinger mandates is strong - drowning in nets is a prolonged death. The conservation case is equally strong. The barrier is cost and compliance monitoring. Consumer pressure on seafood companies to require pinger use across their supply chains, combined with policy advocacy for enforcement of existing regulations, can drive meaningful change.