Posts Tagged ‘Fishing’
WDC in talks with New Zealand‘s Minister for Conservation over dolphin protection
WDC team meets NZ Minister for Conservation Representatives from Whale and Dolphin Conservation have met with New Zealand’s Minister for Conservation, Eugenie Sage to discuss much-needed protection for Māui and Hector’s dolphins. The meeting was secured as part of WDC’s campaign to save these dolphins (collectively known as New Zealand dolphins) and took place as the…
Read MoreCalifornia passes legislation to end use of harmful driftnets in fishery
A bill to phase out the use of drift gillnets (driftnets) off the California coast passed the California state legislature and was signed into law on September 27! The new law implements a buyback program for driftnet permits and helps the fishery transition to more sustainable methods, including deep-set buoy gear, a system specifically designed…
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…
Read MoreEuropean Parliament passes up opportunity to improve dolphin and porpoise protection
The whole of the European Parliament (751 MEPs) voted yesterday on new conservation measures for fisheries in EU waters. This included rules covering the accidental entanglement (or ‘bycatch’) of dolphins and porpoises. I’d like to say a massive ‘thank you’ if you took part in our action last week and emailed your MEPs to ask…
Read MoreDolphins and fishermen working together in Brazil
The BBC reports on how dolphins and fishermen work together to catch fish in Brazil. This kind of collaborative fishing also happens in other parts of the world. However, the use of illegal fishing nets in the area is resulting in some dolphins dying entangled in these nets.
Read MoreBycatch responsible for two more species being placed on the Endangered List!
Unfortunately, 2017 is not turning out to be a great year for whales, dolphins and porpoises with the numbers of some species dropping to worrying levels. Added to the list of “endangered” species by the IUCN are the Irrawaddy dolphin and the finless porpoise both having had their numbers more than halved over the last…
Read MoreOpportunity lost in EU Ministers bycatch vote
On Tuesday there was an important vote in the European Parliament Fisheries Committee about fisheries conservation measures including future bycatch measures for dolphins, porpoises and whales. Here is a summary of what happened in the vote on bycatch. The existing (inadequate) rules for monitoring and mitigating dolphin and porpoise bycatch remain intact for now and…
Read MoreFuture of European dolphins lies in EU Fisheries Committee hands TODAY!
Today (on Tuesday afternoon), MEPs from across Europe will vote on a range of fisheries measures aimed to conserve fish stocks, habitats and protected species. The vote will include measures to protect dolphins, porpoises and whales, as well as seabirds, seals and turtles, from incidental entanglement in fishing gear. Many thousands of dolphins, porpoises and…
Read MoreWDC report reveals many EU countries ignore Regulation to prevent whale and dolphin deaths in nets
On the eve of a European Parliamentary vote (worryingly led by Spain), on the incidental capture and deaths of whales, dolphins and porpoises in fishing nets, a study released today by WDC has found that the Spanish fleet and government has flouted European law to report, monitor and prevent these deaths. Incidental entanglement in fishing…
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