Harbor Porpoises Threatened By Fishing Nets Causing Species Population Decline

The population of harbor porpoises is threatened due to fishing nets, according to a recent report. Researchers raised concerns over the potential decline of said species.

Understanding the threats will be crucial in conservation and protection efforts, particularly for species in the following areas:

western portions of the Baltic
Belt Sea populations

Harbor porpoises can weigh up to 170 pounds. They are also found in the following areas in the US:

Southeast
West Coast
Mid-Atlantic
Alaska
Mid-Atlantic

The marine animal likes to travel in groups, thriving in harbors, bays, estuaries, and fjords. They consume different species, such as

schooling fish
herring
mackerel

However, the species population is threatened by the following:

Pollution
Gillnets
Fishing traps
Human disturbance

Harbor Porpoises Threatened By Fishing Nets

Fishing gear entanlement is one of the pressing threats to harbor porpoises, according to reports. The animal can likely become stuck in herring weirs and trawls.

Due to threats, experts from Sweden, Germany, and Denmark teamed up to emphasize the concerning state of harbor porpoises. The research findings were published in a Marine Science journal.

"The population shrinks by 2.7 percent annually, which is concerning for the harbor porpoises. Multiple factors contribute to this decline. By-catch due to net fishing, where porpoises become entangled and drown, is a significant issue. Additionally, deoxygenation, pollution, and a lack of fish play a role," researcher Signe Sveegaard said, as quoted in a report.

The study observed harbor porpoises in the western part of the Baltic and Danish waters. The researchers raised concerns about the decline in numbers:

In 2012 and 2016, about 40,000 were reported.
In 2022, about 14,000 were reported

The worrying numbers caused alarm among researchers. Without protection and conservation efforts, the harbor porpoises could suffer more.

"If the harbor porpoises of the Belt Sea disappear, they might never come back. Therefore, we need to do something now to protect and stabilize the population," Sveegaard added, who is also from the Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University.

Also Read : Plastic Debris in Marine Animals Can Likely Harm Humans, Study Warns

Limiting Fishing Nets

Finding solutions to limit fishing nets in the area will contribute to protecting the species' population. Commercial fishing can disrupt the harbor porpoises in the region, becoming victims of fishing gear entanglement. Young porpoises have suffered from nets.

"We mention the fishing industry and by-catch specifically because it's the only way to make a change here and now. If the politicians decide to limit net fishing, it will quickly reduce the by-catch of harbor porpoises and give the population time to heal," Sveegaard said in the same report.

The study also noted that bottom trawl can significantly harm ecosystems and harbor porpoises food. As a result, there is an urgent need to look into the limitations of fishing nets.