Second Joint Bycatch Working Group Meeting Highlights Urgent Need for Coordinated Action Across European Seas

The Second Meeting of the Joint Bycatch Working Group (JBWG2) of ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS, held online on 5–6 February 2025, brought together members and invited experts from across Europe and the Mediterranean to address one of the most persistent threats to cetaceans: bycatch in fisheries. Over two days, participants reviewed new scientific findings, assessed ongoing mitigation efforts, and outlined priorities for the coming years, underscoring the need for stronger, coordinated action across regions.

A major focus of the meeting was the precarious status of the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise, Europe’s most endangered cetacean. Presenters highlighted that despite years of scientific advice and an infringement procedure against Sweden, comprehensive bycatch mitigation measures remain incomplete across the population’s full range. The European Commission reported seven open infringement cases related to cetacean bycatch, reflecting widespread regulatory gaps.

Several sessions examined advances in monitoring and modelling. Researchers from Sweden showcased progress in electronic monitoring systems, which now cover more than 10% of national fishing effort and are increasingly supported by machine learning tools to automate species identification. Updated bycatch models for the North Sea and Western Baltic revealed significantly lower estimates than earlier projections—around 250 and 120 porpoises respectively—largely due to reduced fishing effort. However, incomplete logbook data and the absence of mitigation measures in some areas remain challenges.

Innovation in gear technology featured prominently. Trials of the PearlNet, a gillnet enhanced with acoustic reflectors, showed promise in improving net detectability for porpoises without reducing catch efficiency, though large-scale trials have yet to confirm its effectiveness in reducing bycatch. Similarly, studies on the Porpoise Alerting Device (PAL) provided new insights into porpoise behaviour around nets, suggesting that combining acoustic deterrents with gear modifications may offer the most effective mitigation.

From Scotland, the Scottish Entanglement Alliance presented new findings on whale entanglement, including the development of a Cetacean Bycatch Injury Impact Scoring System to better assess welfare impacts. Collaborative trials of sinking groundlines in creel fisheries demonstrated substantial potential to reduce entanglement risk for minke and humpback whales, though cost remains a barrier for fishers.

In the ACCOBAMS region, long-term monitoring in Italy revealed persistent evidence of fishery interactions in stranded cetaceans, while new projects in eastern Sicily and the Black Sea highlighted emerging risks, including those linked to geopolitical instability. Researchers also presented early results from bio-inspired acoustic beacons designed to alert dolphins to nets, a technology now included in France’s national bycatch reduction plan.

The meeting concluded with a set of recommendations and a Programme of Work for 2025–2027, emphasizing improved monitoring, expanded trials of mitigation technologies, and strengthened cross-border collaboration. Participants agreed that while scientific tools and innovative solutions are advancing rapidly, political will and consistent implementation remain essential to reducing bycatch across European and Mediterranean waters.

The meeting report will be available here in due course.