Estonia

Off the coast of Estonia is the Baltic Sea, where free-living, wild populations of harbour porpoise can be seen migrating and feeding. Sadly, the Baltic Sea harbour porpoise population is critically endangered as a result of, among other threats, bycatch – there are only about 600 left. ASCOBANS (Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas) mission is to protect small cetaceans, including the harbour porpoise, in the Baltic and has a recovery plan in place for harbour porpoises. Estonia has yet to join ASCOBANS as a Party.

Estonia is a Party to the IWC (international Whaling Commission) and has been since joining in 2009. Estonia as a country supports the ban on commercial whaling.

Although there are no existing dolphinaria in Estonia, they are included in the national zoo law, which relates to the keeping of wild animals in zoos.