Hundreds of mutilated, dead dolphins which had been caught in nets have been discovered on a beach in France. 

Thousands of the animals are accidentally caught by the offshore fishing industry each year.

Many wash up on beaches on France’s Atlantic Coast, and are collected and piled up in Les Sables d’Olonne, near La Rochelle, by local authorities.

The dolphins were found by volunteers from Sea Shepherd France, who explained they are dumped there each week before being sent to a rendering plant.

Badly wounded animals

The animals had suffered fractures, snapped tails, broken flippers and deep wounds as a result of nets cutting into their flesh, the Independent reports.

The fishing nets capture everything in their path, causing the dolphins to die by drowning.

France: Hundreds Of Mutilated Dolphins Caught In Nets Found On Beach
Footage shot by Sea Shepherd in Februari 2019

Trawlermen then cut the dolphins open in an attempt to make them sink and disappear, but still many wash up on shore. But still huge amounts of dead dolphins wash up the beaches in France.

Though, according to Sea Shepherd, scientists have said only 20 per cent of the dolphins killed eventually wash up on the beach.

Over 700 dead dolphins washed up beaches in France

As over 700 bodies have been found since the end of December, it’s possible several thousand have already been killed this year.

The huge death toll caused from fishing could lead the species towards extinction.

The dolphins are cur open by the fishermen in the hope that their bodies would sink instead of washing up shore

Sea Shepherd explain scientists are concerned because dolphins are slow to reproduce their few offspring, meaning by the time the decline in their population is visible, it’s usually too late.

Attempts to resolve the issue could be made by identifying the fishing vessels responsible, by monitoring them with on-board cameras, however France gives its fishermen the choice to refuse independent observation.

Trawlers believed to slaughter up to 10,000 of the mammals each year - more than those in Taiji and the Faroes combined

Upsetting footage of dolphins being caught in nets can be seen in the video below:

Lamya Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France, spoke about the awful situation, saying:

When will the law require this? How long is the government going to let a handful of people block any progress on this issue? How can we explain the fact that fisheries committees have such power and impunity in this country?

It has to be said that apart from the declarations of intent issued by press releases every year, the government does not take the problem seriously and is mainly concerned about protecting the needs of fishermen.

Thirty years of meetings and discussions with the fisheries committees have led to the catastrophic situation we are in today. The time for discussion is over, there is an urgent need for action.

Lamya Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France
Collected dead White Sided Dolphins

French fishermen reportedly consider dolphins to be accidental catches, even though they are protected by international conservation law.

Changes need to be made to the law in order to prevent the huge toll of dead dolphins growing even larger.

Source: UniLad & Sea Shepherd

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