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The letter below was sent to Dr Horace Dobbs, Honorary Director of IDW
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
23 June 2000
IDW INTERNET CAMPAIGN ON DOLPHIN BY CATCH
I am writing to set out the Ministry’s position in respect of the large number of letters we are receiving regarding your organisation’s Internet campaign on the issue of dolphin by catch. I am afraid this Department is not in a position to respond individually to letters received in respect of this petition. However, you may wish to publicise our response on your Internet site in order that as many individuals with a interest in this matter can see it as possible.
I can assure you that the Government is concerned about the reports of dolphin and porpoise casualties caused by fishing. When problems of this type occur, it is however important to establish not only which fishery is responsible, but also what is going wrong in that fishery. Once that is known the Government will then work with the industry and, if appropriate, with the European Commission to find practical remedial solutions. The Parliament Secretary has already met with Brixham Sea Watch to hear their views on the current situation and is also seeking information from others.
In fact, the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) have already done limited monitoring of pelagic trawl fisheries, under a project funded by this Department last year, but no cetacean casualties were reported. However, as part of a new three-year project (which begins in July) and expands monitoring to fisheries not covered by previous studies, SMRU will also undertake additional monitoring of the pelagic trawl fisheries when they re-start in the Autumn. The research will also attempt to establish how and why porpoises become entangled in gill nets. A study of this length is necessary if we are to have information that is significantly detailed enough to lend itself to workable solutions to this problem. In the meantime, while this project progresses, the Government will take whatever action is practical in consultation with the industry to address any specific problems with casualties arising from a particular fishery.
Yours sincerely
Kevin Morris
Sea Fisheries Conservation Division
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