Our ship, the MY Esperanza, has just set sail from Falmouth to investigate dolphin deaths in the English Channel.
Every year hundreds of dolphins are killed by pair trawlers and other destructive fishing - their corpses are washing up on beaches in south west England right now.
In the report, Cetaceans and Pelagic Trawl Fisheries in the Western Approaches of the English Channel, researchers from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) have given a provisional estimate of 9,700 common dolphins in the part of the Channel that overlaps the main fishing ground.
The population survey, the first of its kind conducted in winter during the height of the pair trawl fishing season, was carried out by WDCS researchers onboard the Esperanza during January and February 2004.
Now our ship is back at sea investigating both UK and French pair trawlers to continue our campaign to ban pair trawling for sea bass. An independent team of researchers from WDCS are on board to further assess the conservation and welfare threats to whale, dolphin and porpoise populations.
Last week, Greenpeace launched a legal challenge in the High Court against the government seeking a ban on all fishing boats from pair trawling for sea bass within 200 miles of the UK.
The release of the report along with the legal challenge is expected to pile yet more pressure on Ben Bradshaw, the Fisheries Minister, who has consistently failed to take the necessary measures to protect dolphins around the UK.
Greenpeace oceans campaigner Sarah Duthie said: "If pair trawling is allowed to continue, then dolphins could be wiped out in the English Channel. Your children might never see dolphins off the south coast unless the government bans pair trawling for sea bass now."
You can follow Esperanza's progress, read daily reports from the crew and meet the team by visiting our ship's weblog.
