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Politician urges action to halt dolphin deaths
16th January 2003
Ananova
Liberal Democrat Matthew Taylor is urging the Government and the EU to investigate the escalating death toll of dolphins and porpoises in UK waters.
The Truro and St Austell MP says "effective co-operation" is needed to address the problem. He will head a Parliamentary debate for later this month.
The move is in a response to scores of carcasses have littered UK shores, particularly in the county of his constituency, in recent months.
A total of 44 bodies have already washed ashore along Cornwall's coastline this year. Last year the count reached 180 bodies; 32 in December alone.
Huge nets slung between pairs of trawlers are thought to be a major factor in the death toll.
The Commons debate, scheduled for January 22, will follow a call from the RSPCA for the "needless killing" of the creatures in commercial fishing nets to be stopped by "urgent action" from the Government and the EU.
The animal welfare charity estimated that last year more than 700 of the creatures were bycatch victims nationwide.
Mr Taylor said ahead of next week's debate: "We need to get to the bottom of the threat facing these wonderful creatures. The Government must adopt a clear strategy to safeguard them and prevent further unnecessary deaths."
Many of the problems are believed to occur with industrial trawlers from several other European countries, despite the fact dolphins are protected by EU regulations.
Mr Taylor added the Labour government's trials using adapted nets to protect dolphins and porpoises "appear to have been a complete failure".
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