Dying for some fish?

Think whale and dolphin conservation is all about far-off oceans and crystal-clear waters? That, sadly, couldn't be further from the truth …

Yes, balmy waters, blue bays, and breaching behemoths may be the first things that spring to mind when the words 'dolphin' and 'conservation' appear in the same sentence. But, even here in not-so-balmy Britain, efforts to protect and defend our sea creatures and marine mammals are even more important than ever.

You may be shocked to learn, that UK government estimates show that static net 'bycatch' (the term for unwanted creatures that become trapped in commercial nets) contained around 1250-1500 porpoises last year – in UK waters alone.

Current UK laws protecting sea mammals from dying in fishing gear come from the EU. Of course, the UK will be leaving the EU over the coming years, but EU laws will be used as the base for our own, new legislation, initially.

The EU, however, is currently reviewing its laws for marine mammal conservation, so Whale & Dolphin Conservation (WDC) took its campaign to keep our whales, dolphins, and porpoises safe, to Brussels, to encourage MEPs to ensure that any new laws are stronger and better than the existing ones.

This is important, not only for the continued safety of our marine life, but also to ensure that laws created by the UK, after leaving the EU, are built on a sound, effective, scientific base. And that's where YOU come in.

English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish governments – each needs to ensure that the law is robust, fit for purpose, and policed. Of course, getting them in place won't be a quick process, and your support is absolutely vital, at every step …

Click here and sign the WDC petition and show your support 

The petition is targeted at George Eustice, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affaris (Defra), and the more signatories, the better. There are other ways to help, too, including signing up to WDCs email newsletter, or making a donation – but whatever else you decide to do, please sign the petition.

WDC has created a short film that we'd like to share with you … watch it, share it, and spread the word …

WDC is the leading charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins. Its vision is a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free, and its mission is to amaze people with the wonder of whales and dolphins, and inspire global action to protect them. 

Visit the WDC website, and find out how you can help protect these amazing animals – everywhere in the world. And you can stay up-to-date with all the latest news in the world of WDC on its blog, via facebook, or on twitter.