European Commission enforces fishing closure for dolphin safety

Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU Commission takes steps to ease incidental catches of dolphins and small cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay based on Member States’ request.

The European Commission enforced a joint recommendation decided between France, Spain, Portugal and Belgium through a delegated act securing regional actions in the Bay of Biscay for 2025 to stop incidental catches of dolphins and other small cetaceans induced by fishing.

In the next steps, this act will now be presented to the European Parliament and to the Council for a scrutiny period of two months. If the European Parliament and the Council do not voice objections, the measures will enter into force on time for the closure of the Bay of Biscay to fishing vessels above eight metres, beginning on 22 January until 20 February 2025. The closure is anticipated to affect about 300 EU vessels, according to preliminary figures supplied by the concerned Member States.

What measures has the EU Commission enforced for dolphin protection?

The vessels concerned, varying from certain pelagic and demersal trawls to seiners and netters, will be needed to remain in port to avoid incidental catches of small cetaceans during the winter, which has been determined by scientists as a high-risk period for bycatches. In addition to the one-month fishing halt, measures include the compulsory usefulness of acoustic deterrent devices for all mid-water pelagic trawls and demersal twin trawls. 

Steps also include a dedicated monitoring programme for small cetaceans all year round through on-board watchers and on-board cameras, with advanced monitoring during the high-risk period on a voluntary basis.

Why are dolphins and cetaceans at high risk during winter fishing?

Winter strandings of dolphins and small cetaceans on the shores of the Bay of Biscay have been a recurring issue for the fishing sector and societies at large. Incidental catches in fishing nets, along with natural mortality, infections, and disorientation, have been influential contributors to the strandings of dolphins and small cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay.

The fishing industry and Member States are funding research and technical trials to design and test new devices, which would allow for decreased interaction between small cetaceans and fishing vessels, promoting their co-existence in the future.