EU Commission misses opportunity to halt dolphin and porpoise deaths this winter

CCB • December 5, 2019

 

The European Commission said today that it will not take emergency measures this winter to tackle the tragic death of dolphins caught in fishing nets.

 

Last winter, around 1200 cetaceans – almost all identified as common dolphins – washed ashore along the French Atlantic coast.  85 percent of these dolphins died after being caught up in fishing nets.
The entanglement of unwanted animals caught in nets is referred to as ‘bycatch’ and it is considered the greatest threat to cetaceans in European waters, with many thousands dying each year.
In July 2019,  22 environmental NGOs formally requested that the European Commission take legal action  against 15 EU governments for failing in their legal duty to protect dolphins, porpoises and whales from bycatch.

The group also called for emergency protection measures to be introduced for Baltic harbour porpoises and North East Atlantic common dolphins to immediately prevent further deaths in these populations under imminent threat due to fishing activities.

Such emergency measures, which have a strong legal basis and are supported by comprehensive scientific evidence, should include:
• temporarily or permanently closing fisheries in key areas where bycatch is a problem,
• implementing year round on board observations and electronic monitoring,
• requiring mandatory use of acoustic devices that act as a deterrent to Baltic porpoises,

 

But at an event on bycatch today , the Commission’s DG MARE postponed its decision on emergency measures, citing a need for scientific advice that will not be available until spring 2020. In the meantime, thousands of cetaceans are at risk of dying from bycatch this winter.

 

ClientEarth Marine Habitat lawyer John Condon said:

“While it is good to see that the European Commission is taking steps to consider emergency measures, this delayed action to rescue dolphins, porpoises and whales from fishing nets could have disastrous consequences this winter, just like last year. The Commission should immediately adopt emergency measures – which it is empowered to do in these conditions by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.”

Sarah Dolman from the marine charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation says:

“We have known about poor implementation of EU laws to protect dolphins, porpoises and whales from bycatch in European waters for decades. We face a biodiversity crisis, bycatch kills more dolphins and porpoises than any other pressure, and so we need the European Commission to act now to compel Member States to halt these needless deaths.”

The event on tackling the bycatch of cetaceans was hosted by Rory Palmer MEP, chaired by Jackie Jones MEP, and organised by  ClientEarth , Whale and Dolphin Conservation , Seas At Risk , Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The Commission’s announcement follows on from a  written response  to a question submitted by Mr Palmer MEP.

Don't reopen the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Implement it.

By CCB • June 15, 2026
The European Commission's evaluation confirms what environmental NGOs across Europe have long argued: the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)'s challenge is not its design, but its implementation.

Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027

By CCB • June 10, 2026
The poor status and decline of many Baltic Sea fish populations have been thoroughly documented over several decades, indicating that the entire ecosystem is in great distress. So far, policy interventions have not reversed, or even halted, the negative trend concerning many of these populations. The European Commission itself recently recognised in its Common Fishery Policy (CFP) evaluation report that progress on stock rebuilding is lacking and the number of stocks “ threatened by collapse due to impaired recruitment has increased during the reporting period ”. Fish populations that once formed the cornerstone of the Baltic Sea fishery, such as the eastern and western Baltic cod and the western Baltic herring, are now doing so poorly that the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is advising zero catch for these stocks. Yet, even with the targeted fishery being closed for some years now, none of these three stocks are showing sufficient signs of recovery. The condition (such as size and weight-at-age) of many flatfish populations, such as plaice, also raises alarm bells. The salmon spawning migration has fallen short of the target level in the past three years5. As a result, even the healthiest salmon stocks are now unlikely to produce enough smolts corresponding to sustainable levels in the coming years. To address the crisis facing Baltic populations and the broader ecosystem, political will and ambition to improve fisheries management, alongside full implementation of the CFP provisions, are needed. The recent INI report on the Baltic Sea Multi-Annual Plan shows that the European Parliament recognises the importance of ecosystem-based fisheries management as well as the need for consideration of environmental legislation when making decisions on fishing opportunities.6 Fisheries managers must now act swiftly and decisively on the commitment the Commission and Baltic Sea Member States made at last year’s October Agrifish Council to rebuild Baltic Sea stocks. This document presents the joint NGO recommendations regarding Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027, prioritising long-term ecosystem health and sustainable fisheries management over short-term economic interests. The recommendations are based on the ICES advice, the objectives and requirements of the CFP8 and the Baltic Multiannual Plan (MAP), specifically to apply the precautionary approach and implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, and the objective of achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Last year’s overarching joint Briefing Series on TAC-setting, co-signed by almost 30 organisations across the EU and the UK, including environmental NGOs, recreational fishers, and fishing rights owners, remains valid and provides further context, background and detailed explanations on the cross-cutting issues raised in this document. Read the Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027 here .