Can Innovation protect dolphins?
Innovative solutions in cooperation with scientists in order to reduce the impact of incidental by-catches by fishing gear on common dolphins in the Bay of Biscay and the Baltic Sea
Since 2017, there has been a sharp increase in the number of common dolphins stranding in the area of Bay of Biscay in France. A large proportion of cases are attributed to incidental by-catches by fishing gear. For nearly four years, the fishing sector has been working hard to develop innovative solutions in cooperation with scientists in order to reduce their impact on common dolphins in the Bay of Biscay.
Several other initiatives have been taken in relation to this phenomenon such as implementation of the French-Spanish recommendation submitted to the Commission in October 2020. The sector is committed to understand the phenomenon and the interaction between common dolphins and fishing activities better and to respect and help realise the commitments made by the French government last year.
This phenomenon has also been seen in the Baltic Sea. To expand the knowledge on how the fishing sector can put actions behind the commitments, identifying similarities and differences as well as best practices between the two sea-basins will be important and give a foundation for explore ways forward.
The seminar will shine a light on how innovation can offer solutions to improve the situation and will do so by inviting fishers, scientists, NGO’s and the Commission. They will outline the situation today and highlight practical solutions for the future.
PROGRAMME - WEBINAR 02/03/2022 15h30-17h00
Translation: EN/ES/FR
15:30 -15:35 Welcome & Introduction
- MEP Catherine Chabaud/Emma Wiesner
15:35 -16:20 Panel discussion
Panellists gets 5-7 min to present their point of view followed by a moderated discussion.
Moderator: Izaskun Bilbao Barandica
- Julien Lamothe, Secretary general of ANOP
- Lotte Kindt-Larsen, Researcher, DTU Aqua
- Clara Ulrich, Deputy Head of Science at IFREMER
- Sarah Dolman, Whale and Dolphin Conservation
- Maja Kirchner, Head of Unit, DG MARE, European Commission
16:20 -16:55 Q&A discussion with participants
16:55 -17:00 Closing remarks
- Søren Gade, Renew PECH Coordinator