300,000 whale, dolphin and porpoise deaths headline whaling conference

The startling new figures come from the first ever global estimate of cetacean deaths from fishing gear by Dr. Andrew Read and Dr. Simon Northridge, members of the IWC’s Scientific Committee. Bycatch is the single biggest threat facing cetaceans, with thousands of kilometres of nets set in the world’s oceans daily – often invisible to sight and sonar and too strong for small cetaceans to break free of – that are fatal to small cetaceans. WWF is calling on IWC member countries to support the cetacean bycatch resolution, as well as a broader conservation resolution – the Berlin initiative – which would address the variety of threats to cetaceans, beyond commercial whaling. Both of these will be tabled in Berlin and would make bycatch reduction a conservation priority for the IWC and encourage member governments to provide funding for research and mitigation.

“This level of bycatch is significantly depleting and disrupting many populations of whales, dolphins and porpoises which will lead to the loss of several species in the next few decades if nothing is done,” said Dr. Read from Duke University in the U.S., co-chair of WWF’s Cetacean Bycatch Task Force. “Where measures are taken to reduce bycatch, mortality dropped significantly. This demonstrates that it is possible to reduce bycatch while maintaining viable fisheries.”

Based on advice from IWC’s Scientific Committee – which every year brings together the largest gathering of top cetacean scientists in the world – the member countries of the IWC have passed a number of resolutions recommending actions to mitigate bycatch in previous years. Not all member nations, however, have acted on those recommendations, and cetacean populations continue to be threatened.

“More whales, dolphins and porpoises die every year from entanglement in fishing gear, especially gillnets, than from any other cause.” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Head of WWF’s delegation. “WWF calls on the IWC, as the globally recognized forum for cetacean conservation, to address this crisis and adopt a formal action plan for bycatch reduction.”