Greenpeace swimmers attempt to stop dolphin-killing fishing in Channel

Greenpeace swimmers in the Channel today attempted to prevent dolphins being caught and drowned in fishing nets by placing themselves in the path of two boats dragging a huge net between them.

The UK boats Ocean Star and Ocean Crest are part of the sea bass pair trawling fleet which is estimated to kill thousands of dolphins in the Channel every year.

The two swimmers entered the water of the Channel about 30 miles south of Plymouth shortly after 2:30pm. Clad in drysuits and holding on to buoys flying flags emblazoned 'Stop Killing Dolphins', they placed themselves in front of the trawlers in an effort to stop them fishing.

Neither the Ocean Star or the Ocean Crest altered course and the swimmers were swept off to the side of the ships in their wake before being picked up by a Greenpeace inflatable boat.

Greenpeace activists then continued their attempts to halt the dolphin-threatening boats by trying to attach buoys to the fishing net with wire and hooks.

Greenpeace's flagship the Esperanza left Falmouth on the 17 February to campaign for a ban on pair trawling for sea bass in the Channel, a fishing method that could be responsible for the deaths of more than 2000 common dolphins every year. An independent team of researchers from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) is on board to further assess the conservation and welfare threats to whale, dolphin and porpoise populations.

The environmental groups are concerned that government observers on UK sea bass trawlers last year recorded 169 dolphins killed in the huge net dragged between two boats. Government figures estimate that the UK fleet alone was responsible for the deaths of 439 dolphins last year. The UK and French fleets combined could be killing over 2000 dolphins a year.

Greenpeace argues that Ben Bradshaw, the Fisheries Minister, has consistently failed to take the necessary measures to protect dolphins around the UK.

Sarah Duthie, Greenpeace oceans campaigner onboard the Esperanza, said:

"All the evidence proves that pair trawlers are killing massive amounts of dolphins every year, yet Bradshaw continues to refuse to ban this destructive form of fishing.

"We've had to take action to stop these boats killing dolphins, because he seems perfectly happy to have dolphins around the UK driven towards extinction."

Greenpeace wants the government to investigate which other fishing methods are also killing dolphins and porpoises and take action. Worldwide, the unintentional capture in fishing nets of dolphins, porpoises and other marine species is recognised to be a major problem. It is estimated to kill some 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises a year. Overall it has been estimated that 23 percent of the global fisheries catch is returned, dead, to the sea.

For more information please contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255 or the Esperanza via Satellite phone on 00871 324 469 010.