{"id":2841,"title":"EU takes action on dolphin bycatch","description":"After a lengthy Blue Planet Society campaign, including a petition signed by over 250,000 people, Virginijus Sinkevi\u010dius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has issued a statement regarding dolphin bycatch in EU waters.","content":"

After a lengthy Blue Planet Society campaign, including a petition signed by over 250,000 people, Virginijus Sinkevi\u010dius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has issued a statement (below) regarding dolphin bycatch in EU waters.\"\"
\u2018Today I have written to Fisheries and Environment Ministers of 22 European Union Member States about the issue of incidental catches of dolphins and other marine animals in EU waters, especially in the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea,to urge them to collaborate in finding a solution for this situation. As the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, I am fully committed to resolve this problem.<\/em><\/p>

We have already asked the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for an urgent update to scientific advice. I will also raise this issue in the coming Environmental and Fisheries Councils. On the basis of these discussions, I will work on next steps to take, considering all possible options.<\/em><\/p>

The levels of by-catch we are facing are not acceptable. It can result in the extinction of local populations of protected species.<\/em><\/p>

According to reports, 1200 dead dolphins washed up on the beaches of the Bay of Biscay from December 2018 to March 2019, with possibly higher numbers expected this year. Most of these dolphins bore the markings of fishing gear and probably died in fishing nets. In the Baltic Sea, the already small sub-population of dolphins (harbour porpoise) is confronted with further danger from static fishing nets and gill-nets.<\/em><\/p>

These are just the most glaring examples, but this problem is, to some extent, present in all EU seas and we must work together to address it. Although the EU already has protection mechanisms in place with the Birds and Habitats Directive, the Technical Measures Regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, it is up to the Commission and the Member States to ensure that they are fully applied and effective.\u2019<\/em><\/p>

This is a good start but it will take time for any action to positively impact dolphin populations. In the meantime please help us to keep the pressure applied by signing and sharing our petition to stop the dolphin massacre\u00a0https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/stop-the-slaughter-of-common-dolphins-by-the-fishing-industry-in-eu-waters<\/a><\/p>

The EU Commissioner\u2019s full statement can be seen here\u00a0https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/statement<\/a>20<\/a><\/em>328<\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"eu-takes-action-on-dolphin-bycatch","url":"\/blog\/eu-takes-action-on-dolphin-bycatch\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/eu-takes-action-on-dolphin-bycatch\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/blueplanetsocietystore.com\/blog\/eu-takes-action-on-dolphin-bycatch\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1582908154,"updatedAt":1605111323,"publishedAt":1582908651,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":21385,"name":"Blue Planet Society"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e59439b0724a6.75453197.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e59439b0724a6.75453197.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e59439b0724a6.75453197.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":null,"metaDescription":null,"keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":10229,"title":"Catch and release sportfishing will kill endangered bluefin tuna","url":"\/blog\/sportfishing-will-kill-endangered-bluefin-tuna\/","urlTitle":"sportfishing-will-kill-endangered-bluefin-tuna","division":21385,"description":"If you go to the UK coast and look out to sea you may be lucky and spot one of the world\u2019s largest and most spectacular fish. The remarkable bluefin tuna has returned to UK coastal waters after an absence of over half a century and they can once again be seen leaping from the water as they chase sc","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ot2e6julk0gl8u3y8yw5qzwcohvlqtzusmnmacosyzidpcpp.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ot2e6julk0gl8u3y8yw5qzwcohvlqtzusmnmacosyzidpcpp.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":17438,"title":"It\u2019s past time to tackle bycatch in the UK","url":"\/blog\/its-past-time-to-tackle-bycatch-in-the-uk\/","urlTitle":"its-past-time-to-tackle-bycatch-in-the-uk","division":21385,"description":"Sarah Dolman, bycatch programme lead at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, reviews how much we have achieved to prevent bycatch in UK waters in the last 30 years?","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/qkxwvdhjtrnwzvrc0s4pjz5ms23ev6ojzvjzsuwmbpxpnebr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/qkxwvdhjtrnwzvrc0s4pjz5ms23ev6ojzvjzsuwmbpxpnebr.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":30610,"title":"Disinformation swells against high seas marine reserves","url":"\/blog\/disinformation-swells-against-high-seas-marine-reserves\/","urlTitle":"disinformation-swells-against-high-seas-marine-reserves","division":21385,"description":"Photo by Jean Wimmerlin on Unsplash","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bor4iezp76hrbdufckeqjzbekhtbaxvlefgqkwf7de4wvvmh.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bor4iezp76hrbdufckeqjzbekhtbaxvlefgqkwf7de4wvvmh.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}