Small Cetacean Bycatch in UK Fisheries: Scale and Solutions

Common dolphins, harbour porpoises, and other small cetaceans are caught in fishing gear across UK waters. Understanding the scale and available solutions informs targeted advocacy.

Key Facts

An estimated 1,000+ harbour porpoises die in UK fishing gear annually
Common dolphin bycatch in the Bay of Biscay has caused seasonal fishery closures
Pingers (acoustic deterrents) on static nets reduce porpoise bycatch by up to 90%
Gillnet fisheries cause the highest cetacean bycatch rates per unit effort
Observer coverage on UK fishing vessels is too low to accurately quantify bycatch
ASCOBANS coordinates European small cetacean conservation including bycatch reduction

Welfare Considerations

Small cetacean bycatch welfare involves drowning death after entanglement in gear. Porpoises and dolphins entangled in nets experience hypoxic drowning stress. Those that escape may do so injured. The welfare harm per individual caught is severe and the aggregate scale in UK waters is significant. Pingers on static nets are the most evidence-supported intervention and should be mandatorily deployed. Observer coverage improvements are needed to properly quantify the problem and drive policy.

What You Can Do

Support ORCA and Wildlife Conservation Society cetacean bycatch monitoring campaigns
Advocate for mandatory pinger deployment on all UK static net fisheries
Choose seafood from fisheries with documented low cetacean bycatch rates