Ranges of proposals, some of which are specific to individual fisheries, are being recommended to reduce the threat of by-catch. These include more widespread use of pingers and studies into alternative fishing methods including longlining. Requests are also being made to Governments for more information on net sizes and the amount of time nets are deployed in key areas.  

Sarah Jones, Marine Policy Officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which is an observer of ASCOBANS, says: "Action is needed now to address the issue of dolphin and porpoise by-catch. I hope that the Commission and eventually EU fisheries ministers will take our proposals and recommendations on board. But the response needs to be tailored to suit the conditions of each fishery where there is concern. It must also take into account the economic and social impacts on fishermen and their families.  

"Mark Simmonds of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society says, while by-catch remained the number one concern, other threats to dolphins and porpoises need to be addressed. He highlighted pollution and the possible impact of sonar, used by the military, on the health of cetaceans.  "High speed ferries, which are becoming increasingly popular on routes in the North Sea and the Baltic, are becoming another area of concern. The worry here surrounds collisions between dolphins and porpoises and these high speed vessels", says Mr. Simmonds.  

High-speed ferries are classed by the ASCOBANS Secretariat, based in Bonn, as those capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 30 knots. A survey by the Secretariat indicates that numbers of fast ferries have climbed dramatically in the past few years with "hot spots" identified as the English Channel, the Irish Sea and the Danish Sound.  "The number of vessels reported for the Baltic has risen dramatically from two to 15. The number reported for the English Channel has risen from 11 to 19", the report says.

The fastest ferry operating in the Baltic was found to be the Villum Clausen, which operates between Ronne and Ystad, at speeds of up to 50 knots. One of the fastest in the English Channel is the P&O Catalonia, which operates between Portsmouth and Cherbourg, at speeds of up to 42 knots.

Notes
The Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas was concluded in 1991 under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is known as the UNEP/CMS, or Bonn Convention. Many countries bordering the Baltic and or the North Seas have become Parties to the Agreement.  

The 8th Advisory Committee Meeting of ASCOBANS was held in Nymindegab, Denmark, from 2 to 5 April 2001.The European Commission published a draft Green Paper on Common Fisheries Policy reform in March 2001. Comments to the Commission should be made by 30 September 2001. Finalization of the reforms is scheduled for December 2002 with the new policy in place in January 2003.  

For more information, please contact:

Nick Nuttall, UNEP Media Officer, Nairobi, tel: 254-2-623084, mobile: 254 (0) 733 632755,
e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org

or Robert Hepworth, Deputy Director, UNEP Division of Environmental Conventions, tel: 254-2-623260,
e-mail:  robert.hepworth@unep.org

From United Nations Environment Programme Monday, April 16, 2001


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