UNDER PRESSURE – The need to protect Whales and Dolphins in European Waters.
Many whales, dolphins and porpoises living in European waters are facing an uncertain future, despite being strongly protected by international, regional and national provisions.
OceanCare’s “UNDER PRESSURE. The need to protect whales and dolphins in European waters” report brings together leading experts on key issues and builds on robust scientific knowledge with the objective to provide decision-makers in governments and within international fora, as well as the information and a set of recommendations to conserve and protection these amazing marine mammals and their home, the ocean.
- Press release “Scientists warn: European whales and dolphins “Under Pressure” of extinction” (english)
- Medienmitteilung “Wissenschaftler warnen: Europas Wale und Delphine vom Aussterben bedroht” (deutsch)
- Communiqué de presse “Les scientifiques alertent: les baleines et dauphins des eaux européennes menacés d’extinction” (français)
- Comunicado de prensa “Los científicos advierten: las ballenas y delfines europeos viven “bajo presión” de extinción” (español)
Contacts
Nicolas Entrup, Co-Director International Relations nentrup@oceancare.org
Fabienne McLellan, Co-Director International Relations fmclellan@oceancare.org
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Chapter 1. Overview of Cetacean Species in European waters (including Red List Status)
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Tethys Research Institute, Milan, Italy and Laetitia Nunny, Wild Animal Welfare, La Garriga, Spain
“I am surprised and concerned that so many cetaceans in Europe are more threatened than their counterparts elsewhere. Europe has the knowledge and the means to do better. Unless dedicated action comes soon, future generations may not enjoy porpoises, dolphins and whales in European waters and that would be a terrible loss.”
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
Chapter 2. The Regulatory Framework for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises in European Waters
Andrea Ripol, Seas At Risk, Brussels, Belgium and Mirta Zupan, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and Ghent University, Belgium
“No EU citizen wants to eat fish that has been caught at the expense of iconic species like dolphins or whales. The legal framework to prevent the killing of marine mammals exists, now it is just a matter of political will to implement it.”
Andrea Ripol
“I am surprised and concerned that so many cetaceans in Europe are more threatened than their counterparts elsewhere. Europe has the knowledge and the means to do better. Unless dedicated action comes soon, future generations may not enjoy porpoises, dolphins and whales in European waters and that would be a terrible loss.”
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
“No EU citizen wants to eat fish that has been caught at the expense of iconic species like dolphins or whales. The legal framework to prevent the killing of marine mammals exists, now it is just a matter of political will to implement it.”
Andrea Ripol
Chapter 3. Benefits and Pitfalls of MPAs as a Conservation Tool for Cetaceans
Erich Hoyt, Research Fellow, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Co-chair, IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force
“I would like to see many more marine areas being highly protected such that the whales, dolphins and porpoises themselves notice the difference.”
Erich Hoyt
Chapter 4. Cetacean Strandings, Diseases and Mortalities in European Waters
Sandro Mazzariol, University of Padova, Italy
“Cetaceans are being affected by many factors in our increasingly busy seas and it has never been more important than now to monitor their health. Working together to build functional stranding networks would help us to monitor both cetacean and ocean health.”
Sandro Mazzariol
“I would like to see many more marine areas being highly protected such that the whales, dolphins and porpoises themselves notice the difference.”
Erich Hoyt
“Cetaceans are being affected by many factors in our increasingly busy seas and it has never been more important than now to monitor their health. Working together to build functional stranding networks would help us to monitor both cetacean and ocean health.”
Sandro Mazzariol
Chapter 5. Whaling in Europe: An Ongoing Welfare and Conservation Concern
Mark P. Simmonds, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and Fabienne McLellan and Nicolas Entrup, OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland and Laetitia Nunny, Wild Animal Welfare, La Garriga, Spain
“Tens of thousands of cetaceans have been deliberately killed over the last decade in the North Atlantic, in stark contrast to the high level of protection the European Union affords them”
Mark P. Simmonds
Chapter 6. Bycatch: A Serious Threat for Cetaceans in Europe
Ayaka Amaha Öztürk, PhD, Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) / Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
“Bycatch is definitely the most serious threat for some populations of cetaceans, such as Baltic and Black Sea harbour porpoises and Bay of Biscay common dolphins. Unless we take immediate action, we may not be able to see those cetaceans in the near future.”
Ayaka Amaha Öztürk
“Tens of thousands of cetaceans have been deliberately killed over the last decade in the North Atlantic, in stark contrast to the high level of protection the European Union affords them”
Mark P. Simmonds
“Bycatch is definitely the most serious threat for some populations of cetaceans, such as Baltic and Black Sea harbour porpoises and Bay of Biscay common dolphins. Unless we take immediate action, we may not be able to see those cetaceans in the near future.”
Ayaka Amaha Öztürk
Chapter 7. Whale and Dolphin Watching in Europe
Erich Hoyt, Research Fellow, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Co-chair, IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force
“What was once seen as a completely benign industry now has the potential to be a threat to individual whales or whale populations if not properly conducted and managed.”
Erich Hoyt
Chapter 8. The Threat Posed by Ocean Noise Pollution to Europe’s Cetaceans
Mark P. Simmonds, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and Nicolas Entrup, OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland and Lindy Weilgart, OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland and Dalhousie University, Canada
“Whales and dolphins live in an acoustic world, which they primarly perceive by listening. But we filling their homes with noise pollution. It is important to their health and survival that we significantly reduce noise in the ocean.”
Nicolas Entrup
“What was once seen as a completely benign industry now has the potential to be a threat to individual whales or whale populations if not properly conducted and managed.”
Erich Hoyt
“Whales and dolphins live in an acoustic world, which they primarly perceive by listening. But we filling their homes with noise pollution. It is important to their health and survival that we significantly reduce noise in the ocean.”
Nicolas Entrup
Chapter 9. The Impacts of Chemical Pollutants on Cetaceans in Europe
Tilen Genov, Morigenos – Slovenian Marine Mammal Society, Piran, Slovenia
“I think cetaceans are often remarkably resilient. Any single human activity may not appear as having a huge impact on them. But when you put these various threats together, their cumulative effects may become significant. Chemical pollutants, in particular, are invisible stressors that are very likely to act synergistically with other threats. We should strive to reduce all of them.”
Tilen Genov
Chapter 10. Marine Plastic Pollution – Sources, Sinks, and Impacts on Cetaceans
Silvia Frey, OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland
“I am seriously worried that not enough action is being taken to prevent plastic pollution from entering the oceans and having a negative impact on cetaceans.”
Silvia Frey
“I think cetaceans are often remarkably resilient. Any single human activity may not appear as having a huge impact on them. But when you put these various threats together, their cumulative effects may become significant. Chemical pollutants, in particular, are invisible stressors that are very likely to act synergistically with other threats. We should strive to reduce all of them.”
Tilen Genov
“I am seriously worried that not enough action is being taken to prevent plastic pollution from entering the oceans and having a negative impact on cetaceans.”
Silvia Frey
Chapter 11. Climate Change and Ocean Acidification – A Looming Crisis for Europe’s Cetaceans
Laetitia Nunny, Wild Animal Welfare, La Garriga, Spain and Mark P. Simmonds, Humane Society International, London, United Kingdom
“Without urgent and decisive action, the climate crisis will have dire welfare and conservation consequences for many of Europe‘s cetaceans.”
Mark P. Simmonds
Opinion Piece: On the Conservation of European Cetaceans and Life at Sea
Giovanni Bearzi, Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Italy
“The remarkable information
presented here will make stakeholders, politicians and anyone who cares aware of past management failures,
and better informed on the actions that desperately need to be taken.”
Giovanni Bearzi
“Without urgent and decisive action, the climate crisis will have dire welfare and conservation consequences for many of Europe‘s cetaceans.”
Mark P. Simmonds
“The remarkable information
presented here will make stakeholders, politicians and anyone who cares aware of past management failures,
and better informed on the actions that desperately need to be taken.”
Giovanni Bearzi
Testimonial
Hannes Jaenicke, actor, documentary filmmaker, environmentalist
“The report is an urgent call on decision makers in Europe: we, the people, expect to see whales, dolphins and porpoises, and their homes, fully and effectively protected.”
Hannes Jaenicke
Graphic “Europe’s Critically Endangered Whales”
Download this Graphic in English
Diese Graphik auf Deutsch herunterladen
“The report is an urgent call on decision makers in Europe: we, the people, expect to see whales, dolphins and porpoises, and their homes, fully and effectively protected.”
Hannes Jaenicke
