Fisheries and bycatch

The biggest killer of whales and dolphins across the world is the fishing net. There is no ocean where this is not a serious issue.

We campaign to reduce and where possible eliminate the impact of destructive fishing practices. Our studies find out more about vulnerable whale, dolphin and porpoise populations and illustrate the impact that such fishing practices have on them. This is vital if we are to expose and eliminate these threats.

In the North East Atlantic, particularly off the west coasts of France and the UK, thousands of dolphins die in fishing nets every year. We're campaigning to raise awareness of this crisis, pushing for compliance with the EU regulation already won to address the problem and pressing for stronger measures to protect dolphins and porpoises.

In the USA we are working with fishermen to reduce the impact of accidental entanglement of large whales, whilst in the depths of the Amazon and Indian subcontinent we have been working to educate fishermen to use non-lethal fishing techniques.

We want to take our work to all regions to address the biggest killer to whales, dolphins and porpoises around the world.

To find out more please read our reports on fisheries issues (available in PDF format).

The Net Effect? - A review of cetacean bycatch in pelagic trawls and other fisheries in the north-east Atlantic (2004)

Cetaceans And Pelagic Trawl Fisheries The Western Approaches of the English Channel are intensively trawled by pelagic fisheries during the winter and early spring from October to May. These fishing activities coincide with relatively high levels of cetacean strandings. 2008-March-26

USA Fixed Gear Fisheries Depleted by whaling last century, it is entanglement in fishing lines which, alongside vessel strikes, is primarily responsible for the decline of the north atlantic right whale today. 2008-February-20

Baltic And North Seas The serious threats facing whales, dolphins and porpoises of the North East Atlantic, including the Baltic and North Seas, are many. 2008-February-20

North Atlantic Right Whales Vessel strikes are one of the most common causes of death for critically endangered North Atlantic right whales off the east coast of the USA. 2008-February-20