The accidental death of marine wildlife in fishing gear is a major issue. Now, a new report from Wildlife and Countryside Link reveals the shocking scale of this hidden problem on some of our most endangered and supposedly protected species. More than 10,000 seabirds, 1,000 whales and dolphins, and hundreds of seals are dying each year, alongside sharks, rays and Atlantic salmon.
The true scale of this silent crisis is likely to be even greater
Bycatch - the accidental capture of non-target species - is a silent crisis that has been going on beneath the waves for decades. It causes suffering, drives population decline and threatens the health of our seas.
The true scale is likely even greater due to limited monitoring and underreporting.
There is no denying how serious this is.
Dolphins, sharks, seals and seabirds are vital to healthy marine ecosystems. Continuing to lose them in such numbers will have lasting consequences for marine ecosystems.
Together with many individual Wildlife Trusts, I have worked on this issue for more than two decades, collating data from stranded animals on beaches, trialling solutions with fishers, and lobbying for action to prevent these unnecessary deaths. Yet despite the evidence of the scale of this, bycatch remains an ongoing issue that successive Governments have failed to address.
For many in the fishing industry it is a distressing and unwanted outcome, and fishers need support to put solutions in place.
To reverse the worrying declines of much-loved marine wildlife and prevent these avoidable deaths, Government action and investment is urgently needed. Marine life can be protected, through innovation and monitoring.
The good news is that solutions exist
In Filey Bay, simple changes to fishing gear have reduced seabird deaths from around 700 a year to just a handful. Trials in Scotland are also showing how small adaptations, like sinking ropes, can prevent whales becoming entangled.
Meanwhile, in Cornwall fishers have trialled acoustic deterrent devices, known as pingers, which reduce the risk of bycatch of porpoise in nets by more than 80%, yet they can’t get licenses to put them on their nets. As a result, more animals die each year whilst we wait for Government to act.
Now UK Government must put these solutions into place
These solutions must be scaled up and more widely implemented, now. Legally binding Bycatch Mitigation Action Plans and better monitoring across the fishing fleet are essential to stop these avoidable deaths.
An important parliamentary event today (10th June) with Wildlife & Countryside Link will help MPs to learn more about bycatch and call on them to take action. Thank you to thousands of you who have raised this event with your MPs – over 85% of Westminster MPs have received your personal invites. We hope to see many of them at the event, to discuss this crisis, and the solutions, with them.
The seas are already under pressure from climate change, pollution and habitat loss, and many of our much-loved marine species continue to decline. Bycatch must not continue adding to this cocktail of threats.
The right action now can turn the tide.
Further reading
Read Wildlife and Countryside Link's report on bycatch
The Wildlife Trusts' work protecting seas