Fishing nets named top killer of stranded dolphins in Cornwall

A new study says fishing nets are the top cause of deaths among stranded common dolphins in Cornwall. Researchers reported that almost 900 common dolphins were stranded between 2018 and 2024, with more than 860 found dead or alive around the county; most were dead. Of 175 dolphins recovered for necropsy by volunteers, the leading cause of death was “bycatch,” entanglement in fishing gear, responsible for 39%. Other causes included infectious disease (25%), live stranding of healthy animals (10%), non-bycatch trauma (8%) and starvation (7%). The study notes parasites in many infectious-disease cases and suggests starvation affected mostly young animals, likely unable to transition after nursing.