Posts Tagged ‘Harbour porpoise’
WDC 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…
Read MoreThe windy watch – Bardsey Island Survey 2017
Another Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) field season is over, this time a little earlier than planned as the strong winds, some of which were over 50 mph, made it impossible for us to survey. However in the short time we were there we were treated to some dolphin delights. The waters around Bardsey Island are…
Read MoreCountries agree better protection for whales and dolphins
A UN-meeting, which concluded in the Finnish capital of Helsinki today, has adopted a plan to aid the urgent recovery of the Baltic harbour porpoise, which is one of the most endangered marine mammals on the planet. Fewer than 500 Baltic harbour porpoises remain. The agreement by governments to step up efforts to protect the…
Read MoreA Holistic Approach to Conservation and Protection
It was with huge pleasure that I was able to take up the invitation of ASCOBANS (Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas) to deliver the Keynote Speech to the 2016 Meeting of the Parties in Helsinki, Finland (29th August – 1st September). The following…
Read MoreNorth Sea piling development worrying for porpoises
The UK government has given consent for the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2, to be built off the Yorkshire coast. This decision could lead to significant negative impacts to the harbour porpoise, the smallest porpoise found in our waters. We raised our concerns during public consultations. Harbour porpoises are ‘strictly’ protected under the…
Read MoreNew research reveals harbour porpoise hunting skills
The harbour porpoise might be one of the smallest cetaceans (the collective name for whales, dolphins and porpoises) but findings in a new report from Danish scientists reveal that it when it comes to success in hunting its prey, it has few rivals. Being small (less than two metres long) with a high metabolic rate…
Read MoreSpate of porpoise deaths in Germany
While it was the strandings of their much larger relative, the sperm whale, that gained media attention in Germany recently, there have also been several harbour porpoises suffering a similar fate in recent months. In February, an 18 month old male was found on the Baltic coast at Eckernförder. Porpoises in the Baltic are critically endangered…
Read MorePCB pollution is still killing European porpoises despite ban
Reproductive dysfunction (including a longer calving interval, lower pregnancy rate and later maturation and higher rates of reproductive abnormalities) in UK harbour porpoises may be related to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) exposure, according to a new report. So man-made chemicals that have been heavily restricted in Europe for 30 years are still having terrible impacts on harbour…
Read MoreUK reports latest porpoise bycatch figures to Europe
The latest report calculated that the best estimate is that between 1400 and 1700 porpoises were bycaught in UK fishing nets in 2014 [Northridge et al. 2015]. Previous analyses have suggested that porpoise bycatch rates may have increased slightly since 2010. There is not enough data to break this UK wider figure down into more…
Read MoreWhite harbour porpoise sighting in Baltic Sea
WDC has received footage of a white harbour porpoise, sighting in the Baltic Sea, close to the Great Belt in Denmark. White individuals are very rare among whales and dolphins, only 15 white harbour porpoise sightings have been reported in the past 100 years. Usually the harbour porpoise has a robust dark body, with a…
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