Turkish Fishermen Blamed by Scientists for Killing Bottlenose Dolphins on Aegean Sea

Bottlenose dolphins have been reported being killed on the Aegean Sea in recent months, according to scientists, who blame some Turkish fishermen to be the cause of the fatalities.

Researchers from a non-profit organization in Greece have linked the bottlenose dolphin deaths to the said anglers after finding the marine animals trapped in fishing gear.

In addition to the alleged killings, Turkish media has also reported deaths of the same dolphin species. However, this time, it involved a rise in beach stranding incidents along the coasts of the Black Sea.

In relation to the reports, scientists blamed the dolphin deaths were caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Bottlenose Dolphin Killings

Researchers from the Archipelagos Marine Protection Institute found two more dead bottlenose dolphins in the open sea located northeast of the Aegean Sea, according to the Greek City Times media company.

The research team linked the deaths to a large group of fishing vessels coming from Turkey but with the aim of tuna fishing as their objective.

Meanwhile on the side of Turkey, dolphin strandings have been reported along some coastal areas of the country, as mentioned earlier.

According to the Turkish-based Hurriyet Daily News, some scientists said the strandings were caused by the Russia Ukraine war since it started in February 2022.

Dolphin Deaths Worldwide

Outside the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, the deaths of bottlenose dolphins are common as one might think. The main causes of deaths have been attributed to bycatch, overfishing, or other human activities in the marine environment, this is in addition to the controversial annual dolphin-killing practice in the Faroe Islands.

One such place is Australia where several bottlenose dolphins were caught and killed in the country's western coast. In 2022, a government report estimated that between 11 and 17 dolphins are killed each year. Meanwhile, independent observers placed the figure as high as 50 deaths each year, The Guardian reported.

In France, there have been mass dolphin deaths in the country's waters in recent years.

In March 2023, the country's council of state issued a six-month deadline for French government officials. Within the period, local authorities need to implement the closure of fishing in the Bay of Biscay for "appropriate periods."

This is to limit the deaths of various dolphin species, including bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins, which are victims of bycatch during fishing, The Associated Press reported.

Dolphin Deaths Investigation

While several dolphin-related cases have been reported in different parts of the world, one of the most bizarre cases can be traced back along U.S. coasts in 2011, a year after the largest oil spill in history occurred in the Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. case involved the deaths of more than 80 bottlenose dolphins, which were found along the U.S. Gulf Coast since January of that year. In such context, marine scientists are debating if the deaths were linked to the oil spill, Reuters reported.