The Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings
Network has launched
a new report documenting evidence of fisheries-related bycatch in dolphins
that washed up on Cornwall's shores in January this year. 49 dolphins
were reported to the Network during January. Since then the stranding
figure has risen to over 120.
The evidence gathered by dedicated, trained volunteers indicates
that gill and entangling net fisheries are responsible for the bycatch
of not only harbour porpoises, but also common dolphins and potentially
pose a serious threat to bottlenose dolphins.
Cetacean Bycatch Analysis - January 2006 - a report on the mortality
of cetaceans stranded on the coast of Cornwall in January 2006
- Compiled by the Marine Strandings Network, Cornwall Wildlife
Trust
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust is extremely disappointed at the Government’s
decision to reduce funding for investigations into the cause of
death of dolphins which wash up on the coastline. The Government
plans to cut the number of post-mortem examinations which can be carried
out each year by half.
Choose to eat fish caught using sustainable
methods – opt
for line caught fish where possible. If you don't know how
it was caught don't eat it. For more information visit www.fishonline.org.
Put
pressure on your local supermarket or fish shop to supply fish
that has been caught by sustainable methods.
Become involved as
a Strandings Network Volunteer. For more information contact Joana.
Download this petition, get as many signatures as you can and
send it back to Cornwall Wildlife Trust - Word format 1,264kb
