Help us prevent deaths in nets

Globally, hundreds of thousands of dolphins, porpoises and whales die in fishing nets every year – it’s the single biggest killer of dolphins and whales. Known as bycatch, this unintentional entanglement kills more than 1,000 dolphins, porpoises, and whales in static gillnets, trawls and creel ropes in UK seas alone every year. It must stop.

Whales. dolphins and porpoises can become entangled in various types of fishing gear including nets, ropes and lines. Smaller species like dolphins and porpoises often die immediately as they are unable to reach the surface to breathe.  But for larger species like orcas and humpback whales, entanglement may not kill them immediately, but they tow heavy ropes, buoys and nets for weeks, months or even years before dying. It’s a horrific way to die.

Thank you if you have shared our action to the UK government. Work to save whales and dolphins from fishing gear costs money, but a donation from you today will help to:

• Work with the creel fishing community throughout Scotland to help them avoid whale and dolphin entanglement.
• Work with the creel fishers in Scotland to trial new sinking fishing rope which, if successful, could save hundreds of lives.
• Work with other organisations, and the fishing community, to review old fishing gear retrieval and recycling options.
• Continue to work with the UK and devolved governments to convince them to ramp up monitoring and adopt strong measures to stop these tragic deaths.

Together, we will not stop fighting until strong, effective, enforced measures are put in place which will make fishing safer and reduce dolphin, porpoise, and whale bycatch to the occasional tragic accident.

Thank you for helping to create safer seas for whales and dolphins.