Victory for harbour porpoise protection in Scotland

A new conservation area has been set up in waters off the west of Scotland to help protect the harbour porpoise.

One of the smallest creatures in the ‘whale and dolphin family’, WDC has been campaigning to get protection for the porpoise for many years because their numbers have been falling due to issues with catching food and breeding.

Earlier in the year we asked the public to express their opinion on plans by the governments in England, Wales, N Ireland and Scotland to create six special areas in the UK where the harbour porpoise could be protected from dangers like fishing nets and pollution. 

So, after nearly 9,000 of you responded to our campaign, we are delighted to report that one of these areas (around the Inner Hebrides and Minches) in Scotland will now be created, and will be the largest conservation area for the harbour porpoise in Europe.

We now hope that the Welsh, English/N. Irish governments will follow Scotland’s lead and create protected areas for the harbour porpoise in the Irish, Celtic and North seas.