Home / Environment / Ocean's Silent Killers: Nets Claim Thousands of Marine Lives
Ocean's Silent Killers: Nets Claim Thousands of Marine Lives
10 Jun
Summary
- Thousands of seabirds, porpoises, dolphins, whales, and seals die annually in fishing nets.
- Environmental groups urge faster government action and better monitoring to curb bycatch.
- Fishermen desire acoustic deterrents but await scientific evidence and policy changes.
Environmental groups are demanding more robust government intervention to halt the significant annual loss of marine life in UK waters, attributed to accidental entanglement in fishing nets, a phenomenon termed bycatch. Reports estimate that tens of thousands of protected seabirds, over a thousand porpoises and dolphins, and dozens of whales perish each year through this cause.
The government asserts its commitment to ocean health and has been trialing deterrent devices since 2019. However, critics argue that progress in developing bycatch reduction plans has been slow, with current regulations not fully facilitating the use of acoustic deterrents near UK shores.
Seal rescue centers report that net entanglement is a common cause of injury, affecting up to 10% of seals requiring rehabilitation. While acknowledging the importance of the fishing industry, particularly in Cornwall, there is a strong desire to eliminate these harmful entanglements through collaboration and enhanced government oversight.
Recent research quantified the bycatch crisis, estimating over 10,000 seabirds, more than 1,000 porpoises and dolphins, around 500 seals, over 120 tonnes of sharks, skates, and rays, and more than 1,000 Atlantic salmon caught annually. The report advocates for immediate bycatch action plans and mandatory remote electronic monitoring on all fishing vessels in English waters.
Fishermen express distress over bycatch, noting it damages nets and causes emotional pain, and are eager to adopt solutions like acoustic deterrent devices, or 'pingers.' However, policy obstacles and the need for conclusive scientific evidence on the long-term effectiveness of these deterrents, especially for common dolphins, remain significant concerns.
Trials are ongoing to assess the efficacy of pingers, with scientists and fishermen seeking definitive data before widespread implementation. Alternative methods, such as heavier nets and weighted ropes, have shown promise in reducing seabird and whale deaths in other regions, suggesting a multifaceted approach may be necessary.
