Fishing nets 'most common cause' of dolphin deaths in Cornwall

A Defra-funded study says fishing nets are the leading suspected cause of death for common dolphins found stranded on Cornwall’s coast. Researchers examined 175 stranded common dolphins between 2018 and 2024 and reported that more than 860 were stranded overall, with the vast majority dying. The analysis found 39% died after becoming tangled in fishing gear. Infectious disease accounted for 25% of deaths, while live stranding of healthy animals made up 10%. Non-bycatch trauma and starvation were 8% and 7% respectively. The study points to Cornwall as a hotspot for bycatch, and cites smaller vessels using gill or drift nets. Defra says it is trialling dolphin-warning measures under its Clean Catch programme.