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Rare porpoise net entanglement recorded
10 Sep
Summary
- Underwater sensors captured a rare harbor porpoise entanglement event.
- Acoustic data revealed porpoises exchanged calls during the incident.
- Findings may lead to safer fishing gear for marine mammals.
Off the coast of Cornwall, a set of underwater sensors unexpectedly recorded a harbor porpoise becoming entangled in a fishing net. This rare event provided scientists with detailed acoustic and movement data, offering unprecedented insight into how these marine mammals react to bycatch.
The acoustic monitoring systems, deployed to detect marine mammal activity, captured the two harbor porpoises foraging around the net. Researchers speculate one porpoise became entangled, possibly while pursuing prey. The recordings revealed distinct calls exchanged between the animals, which may have included distress signals, though further study is needed.
Bycatch, the accidental capture in fishing gear, is a significant threat to porpoises, with an estimated 1,000 deaths annually in UK static nets. The chances of recording such an event are slim, making this discovery valuable for understanding entanglement causes.
These findings could drive the development of safer fishing equipment, such as acoustically reflective nets or escape-enabling gear. The goal is to improve static-net fishing's safety without halting the practice, fostering partnerships with fishing communities to implement solutions.
