How we’re protecting whales and dolphins across borders
It’s all very well individual nations putting their own conservation plans into action, but what about species, like whales, dolphins and porpoises, that don’t just stay in one country – how do we protect them? Last week I told you that I was at a meeting of the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (or…
Read MoreConservation in action – working on an international stage to protect whales and dolphins
Unlike us humans, whales, dolphins and porpoises don’t entertain the concept of borders. For them it’s not the artificial construct of imaginary barriers that prevents them from living their life as they please, for them it’s all just one big connected ocean (or river). For those species that migrate, whether it’s a journey from one…
Read MoreBuying fish – can you ever be sure that dolphins haven’t suffered?
In the future, dolphins, porpoises and whales won’t get caught in fishing gear – that’s our goal. Entanglement in fishing nets and gear is known as ‘bycatch’ and it’s the biggest threat to dolphins, porpoises and whales on the planet today. Nobody, including fishers, wants them to suffer this way. But until this future, is…
Read MoreExtinction emergency – we need action right now to save New Zealand dolphins
Every year on 8 June we celebrate World Oceans Day – a day when we’re encouraged to think about the oceans and the impact that we humans are having on the marine environment and the creatures who live there. I don’t think the health of the oceans has ever been higher in the public consciousness.…
Read MoreHow many New Zealand dolphins should there be and how high should we be setting our conservation goals?
Māui and Hector’s dolphins (collectively known as New Zealand dolphins) are hurtling towards extinction because fishing nets are killing them at an unsustainable rate. WDC is campaigning to save them and I’ve been wondering – if we are successful, how many dolphins should there be? How high should we be setting our sights for their recovery?…
Read MoreWhat we must do to protect UK dolphins, porpoises and whales from fishing gear after Brexit
How the UK manages fishing in its waters after we leave the EU is outlined in the new Fisheries Bill. This legislation is working its way through the House of Commons and had its second reading last week. You may have been one of the 75,535 people who joined our campaign asking for a new…
Read MoreUrgent step change needed to stop dolphins suffering in fishing nets
Does sustainably caught fish mean no harm has come to dolphins? The quick answer to that question is ‘no’. If you buy fish with a ‘sustainably caught’ or ‘dolphin safe’ eco-label, unless caught with a pole and line, you have no way of knowing whether dolphins, porpoises or whales suffered and died in the process…
Read MorePhilip Hoare reflects on New Zealand dolphins
Acclaimed writer, broadcaster and WDC ambassador, Philip Hoare has recently returned from a trip to New Zealand where he was fortunate enough to come across both sperm whales and endangered Hector’s dolphins. Collectively known as New Zealand dolphins, Hector’s and Māui dolphins are dying in fishing nets at a catastrophic rate. Unless we take action,…
Read MoreTeaming up with Fishtek to reduce dolphin deaths in fishing gear
Entanglement in fishing gear (bycatch) is the biggest global threat to dolphins, porpoises and whales. Not only is it the cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths every year, it is an awful way to die. The frustrating thing is, with a joined-up, concerted effort, we could so easily save lives. Our colleagues at Fishtek…
Read MoreWDC helping to shape the future for UK dolphins and porpoises
Last week, WDC took part in a two day workshop to help shape a “UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy”. We hope the strategy, once finalised will help to protect these species from bycatch, disturbance, pollution, noise and other pressures, individually as well as collectively. We warmly welcome this initiative, which has developed from an…
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