Bycatch victim: a dead dolphin washed up on a South Devon beach
MPs today called for an end to sea bass fishing in British waters to help reduce the rate of dolphins and porpoises killed as 'bycatch' in fishing nets every year.
The report into the growing number of dolphin and porpoise deaths in fishing nets was published by the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee. It concludes that unless the EU can drastically reduce the level of dolphin deaths as a result of pelagic sea bass trawling, then our government should suspend these fishing rights.
It also says that bycatch targets need to be set at a European level, and that once quotas are exceeded, fishing grounds should be closed for the remainder of the year.
EU Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw commented: "The UK is one of the few member states in Europe that has taken this issue seriously and has carried out extensive research into the problem of dolphins and porpoises getting trapped in nets.
"I am concerned that action should be taken to reduce the general level of small cetacean bycatch and I do not rule out other options such as closures if we cannot quickly reduce dolphin casualties by other means.
"However, meaningful action to address the problem of bycatch will require action on the part of all EU Member States involved in the fisheries concerned, not just the UK."
Despite these positive noises, Mr Bradshaw has been slow to convert his good intentions into practical action before it's too late.
As Oceans campaigner Sarah Duthie points out: "The hundreds of dead dolphins and porpoises that wash up on UK beaches are clear and gruesome evidence that the Government is failing to stop thousands of these animals from dying each year in huge fishing nets.
"If the Government acts on these recommendations it would be good news for dolphins. It's now vital that there are observers on all fishing vessels identifying the fisheries responsible for killing dolphins so that action can be taken to prevent these unnecessary deaths.
"Our ship Esperanza is currently in the English Channel we're doing all we can do to investigate as many fishing boats in the area as possible where dolphins are dying.
"I am concerned that action should be taken to reduce the general level of small cetacean bycatch and I do not rule out other options such as closures if we cannot quickly reduce dolphin casualties by other means.
