Appeal court rules not to interfere with government's hollow dolphin protection measures

The Court of Appeal today (Monday 31st October) ruled that it was legal for the government to make an order to limit pair trawling despite the fact that scientific evidence suggested the order would kill more dolphins than it would save.

Greenpeace was appealing an earlier decision in the High Court on the 10th October by Mr Justice Burnton. Justice Burnton had dismissed the environmental group's challenge to the lawfulness of a decision by Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw to ban pair trawling for sea bass by British boats within British coastal waters. However the Judge had given Greenpeace leave to appeal stating that the matter involved a question of public interest and had real chance of success.

During this earlier hearing Government measures to conserve dolphin populations in the English Channel had been exposed as merely a hollow political gesture. Despite refusing to quash Ben Bradshaw's decision, the Judge had concluded that the Fisheries Minister had made decisions based on 'no substantial scientific basis'. He cited Bradshaw's own admission that the ban is 'more of a gesture really than anything that would actually help the dolphin and porpoise population'.

Greenpeace Ocean's campaigner Willie Mackenzie said,

"We are disappointed that the Appeal Judges didn't find in our favour despite the fact there was no scientific evidence for the 12-mile ban and it was purely a hollow political gesture. Greenpeace's campaign to get the UK Government to take real action to protect dolphins will continue. Every fishing season that pair trawling is allowed means the needless deaths of hundreds of dolphins, pushing us closer to a time when you may no longer be able to see common dolphins in the English Channel."

Pair trawling, a fishing method normally used to catch sea bass, involves two boats dragging a huge net between them. Dolphins are trapped in the nets and drown. Last year, government observers witnessed just one pair of UK trawlers killing more than 150 dolphins. The UK and French fleets combined are estimated to drown more than 2000 common dolphins a year.

Greenpeace is calling on Ben Bradshaw to ban pair trawling up to the mid-point of the English Channel (the limit of British sovereignty) and work with the European Commission to achieve a total ban on this fishery.

ENDS

For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.