Increase in Number of Dead Dolphins Washed Up

An increasing number of mutilated dolphin carcasses are washing up on British coasts, conservationists have warned.

Since the beginning of the year, 29 dead dolphins and porpoises have been found on the beaches of South West England, compared with 80 for the whole of 2007.

Ten recent “strandings” happened in a ten-day period, including three on Cornwall’s south coast.

Experts suspect most have drowned after being caught up in fishing nets. Some of the dolphins’ bellies were sliced open after death to try and make them sink. Others had their tails amputated to free them from the nets, or suffered deep cuts on their beaks and bodies from the fine threads of the nets.

Conservationists have criticised the Government for delays in the introduction of a sonar device to deter the creatures from swimming in fishing areas.

Marine mammal specialists believe “bycatch” incidents, when fishermen catch them in their nets while fishing for other species, could be responsible for killing far more dolphins than those washed ashore.

Under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, porpoises, dolphins and whales are protected species. Anyone convicted of ill-treating them faces a six-month prison sentence or a pounds5,000 fine. The Act does not apply to bycatch.

In April 2004, the EU passed legislation requiring pounds60 “pingers” (sonic devices) to be fitted to nets, but the Government has yet to force fishermen to use them.

Andy Wheeler, of the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation, said: “Every reasonable effort is made by fishermen to avoid bycatch of dolphins. The jury is still out on whether the level of bycatch is a threat to the population.”

(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.