Dolphin post-mortems indicate entanglement with fishing nets

pic: Irish Examiner

Thirteen common dolphins whose carcasses were washed up along the Mayo coastline died as a result of becoming caught in trawler fishing gear.

Two Government Ministers have expressed concerns over recently released post-mortem results on five of the mammals.

The common dolphins were discovered over a period of a just one week in January at locations along the county’s coastline.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan who was responsible for commissioning a special veterinarian team to carry out the post-mortems said that he was always concerned with the killing of dolphins, even if it was believed to be accidental.

Agriculture and Marine Minister, Simon Coveny said he also shared Minister Deenihan’s concerns saying: “In addition to our own boats, many other European fleets operate within these waters and the area is intensely fished”.

“On the basis of these examinations, it is not possible for us to determine which of these fleets may have been involved in these incidents,” Minister Coveny added.

The post-mortem examinations took place in Athlone at the Regional Veterinary Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine.

Common dolphins are plentiful in Irish waters and the Celtic Sea, but are at risk of accidental ‘bycatch’ by trawling, as they may feed on fish shoals very close to boats. 

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