ENTANGLEMENT IN FISHING GEAR AND OTHER CAUSES OF DEATH IN CETACEANS STRANDED ON THE COASTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Between August 1990 and September 1995 the carcases of 422 cetaceans o f 12 species that had died around the coasts of England and Wales were examined, There were 234 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), 138 c ommon dolphins (Delphinus delphis), and 50 individuals of 10 other spe cies of dolphins and whales. The cause of death was diagnosed in 320 ( 76 per cent) of them. The most frequent cause of death in the harbour porpoises and common dolphins was entanglement in fishing gear (bycatc h), Of the cases in which the cause of death was established, 66 (38 p er cent) of 176 harbour porpoises, 86 (80 per cent) of 108 common dolp hins, and six (19 per cent) of 31 individuals of other species had bee n bycaught. Neonatal starvation, pneumonia and generalised infections accounted for a further 31 per cent of the diagnosed causes of death i n harbour porpoises. The proportion of stranded common dolphins that h ad been bycaught was consistently high except during 1995, but the pro portion of stranded harbour porpoises which had been bycaught increase d in each successive gear.