Harbour porpoise reproductive success is affected by prey availability, contaminant load, and vessel disturbance, all of which influence population welfare.
Female porpoises raising calves in contaminated, prey-depleted, or vessel-disturbed areas face reduced calf survival and individual physiological stress from toxin accumulation. Population welfare reflects these compounding pressures. PCB remediation, sustainable fisheries management, and vessel disturbance reduction all address different components of porpoise reproductive welfare.