Marine Animal Welfare

Marine Welfare: Porpoise Bycatch in UK Fisheries

Harbour porpoise bycatch in static net fisheries around UK coasts causes thousands of drownings annually, representing a major welfare and conservation concern.

Key Facts

Harbour porpoises are the UK's most common cetacean, with a North Sea population of around 260,000
Static gill nets and set nets in coastal fisheries are the primary cause of porpoise bycatch
Acoustic pingers (deterrent devices) reduce porpoise bycatch by up to 70% in some fisheries
EU Regulation 812/2004 requires pingers on certain vessels but coverage and enforcement are incomplete
The Static Gear Inquiry has highlighted persistent bycatch problems in UK inshore fisheries

Welfare Considerations

Bycatch drowning is one of the most acute welfare events in marine conservation - air-breathing mammals struggling and drowning in nets experience intense fear and hypoxic distress before dying. At current bycatch rates, UK porpoise populations face unsustainable pressure. Mandatory pinger requirements across all static net fisheries above a minimum vessel size represent the highest-impact single regulatory intervention for porpoise welfare.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory pinger requirements across UK static net fisheries
Choose seafood certified by schemes with bycatch monitoring standards
Donate to cetacean bycatch research and monitoring organisations
Advocate for stronger enforcement of existing bycatch mitigation regulations