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Cetacean Strandings Report
According to a report released on 6 July 2006, by Defra, the number of
whales and dolphins stranded on UK shores has dropped between 2004 and 2005.
It is indeed true that the number of cetacean strandings recorded during
2005 have decreased, however it is premature of the UK Government to state
that recent measures implemented appear to be having an effect.
 Lissa Goodwin, Fisheries & Policy Officer for Marine Connection comments “Whilst the decrease in strandings is welcome news, it is too early to make
claims that we have in part solved the problem. There has been no formal
analysis of the variables influencing the movement of cetacean carcases at
sea to claim that we have reduced bycatch.”
“The decrease could be a consequence of varying wind direction or strength,
or a change in fishing patterns, where nets are being set in different
locations, or as the Government has introduced a 12 nautical mile ban – the
fact that the dolphins which are bycaught have further to travel to end up
on our beaches”.
Initial figures show a UK-wide decrease in strandings of around 13 per cent
(799 in 2004, 700 in 2005). In South-west England, which has one of the most
comprehensive stranding volunteers networks in the UK, there was a decrease
of 41 per cent (477 in 2004, 282 in 2005).
Whilst we were experiencing lower numbers of cetacean strandings,
consequently higher than normal levels of strandings were reported on the
northern coast of France. In addition to this cross channel trend,
preliminary figures provided by the strandings co-ordinator at the Natural
History Museum for January and February 2006 indicate that 82 animals
stranded on south west beaches during January and February (compared to 43
for the same period in 2005). By the end of March 2006, this number had
increased to 114 in Cornwall alone.
In addition the UK Government has recently announced funding cuts to the
cetacean strandings research programme, which undertook autopsy examination
of the animals. From now on the UK will only examine a sub sample of 100 for
the entire UK each year. Liz Sandeman, Director of Operations for the Marine
Connection said “With little evidence of any change in strandings figures
and new threats to cetaceans being discovered, such as the effects of
military sonar, it is of real concern that we are reducing effort in this
area of investigation”.
Cetacean Strandings Investigation and Co-ordination in the UK: report to
Defra for the period 1 January 2000 - 31 December 2004
Further reading
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