Cetacean bycatch is the technical term for the incidental capture of non-target cetacean species by fisheries. Species which are seriously affected by this include dolphins, porpoises, and whales. Bycatch can be caused by entanglement in fishing nets and lines or hooks, or direct capture in hooks or trawl nets. In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... A lobster boat unloading its catch in Ilfracombe harbour, North Devon, England. ... Genera See article below. ... Genera Neophocaena Phocoena - Harbor porpoises Phocoenoides - Dalls Porpoises The porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. ... A Fin Whale The term whale is ambiguous: it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the larger ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ... Fishing with a net. ... Fishing line is any cord made for fishing. ...

Fish caught in nets that are designed not to harm dolphins is marketed as "dolphin safe", though this label may not be truly indicative of the harm done to dolphins in that fishery.

Interestingly enough, cetaceans have become the bane of many long-line fishermen in areas where certain whale populations have made a significant comeback in recent years. Whales often follow the boats, devouring the catch and leaving little more for them than fish heads when it is hauled in.

See also

• By-catch

In fisheries science, by-catch refers to species caught in a fishery intended to target another species, as well as reproductively-immature juveniles of the target species. ...

External links

• Project GLOBAL: Global Bycatch Assessment of Long-Lived Species project
• European Cetacean Bycatch Campaign
• Cetacean Bycatch Resource Center
• Sea Anglers Conservation Network press release on cetacean bycatch
• Newspaper article describes an ensnared whale who seemingly thanked her rescuers