Sea Shepherd France launched in 2018 theDolphin ByCatch operationa campaign aimed at documenting and contrasting the accidental catches of dolphins in fishing networks along the French coast. In recent years, steps have been made forward in raising public awareness and in the obligation for fishermen to take measures to reduce the phenomenon.
However, the problem does not only concern France. More and more reports indicate that even the Spanish waters They are the scene of this tragedy, with an increasing number of dolphins found lifeless on the beaches. For this reason in 2025 Sea Shepherd decided to extend its operations and launch Dolphin ByCatch Spainsending the ship Walrus off the Galicia to monitor the situation. The results were immediate and upsetting.
A direct documented massacre
On March 18, during the first day of patrolling, the Walrus crew followed Two pelagic train fishing About 30 kilometers from the coast of Vigo. After hours of observation, in the afternoon the fishermen started to recover the net, revealing a chilling scene: among the captured fish, about twenty dead dolphins were pulled on board and then rejected at sea without any hesitation.
This discovery is particularly alarming because it shows The enormous impact of chewing fishing on marine fauna. If a single pair of fishing boats are able to kill so many dolphins in a day, the overall balance of this annual scale could be devastating For the species.
A problem that can no longer be ignored
Sea Shepherd has been denounced the lethal effects of industrial fishing on cetaceans for years and this new episode strengthens the urgency of regulatory interventions. In France, under the pressure of environmental organizations, some measures have been introduced to limit accidental catches. Spain, however,.
The association is determined to keep the attention high on this issue, collecting and spreading images that document the problem. The goal is to push the Spanish government to take on its responsibilities and to adopt effective measures to protect dolphins, by prohibiting or regulating in a more severe way, train fishing. Sea Shepherd will continue to monitor the situation in the coming weeks, intensifying the pressure on authorities and fishermen so that this massacre does not remain unpunished.
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