Cornwall Wildlife Trust Raises Concern Over Dolphin Strandings

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has raised fresh concerns after a sharp rise in dolphin strandings along the county’s coastline.

In January 2026, a total of 27 dolphins washed up dead on beaches around Cornwall. Over just eight days of that month, seven dolphins stranded and were recovered for post-mortem examination. Four of those deaths have been confirmed as the result of bycatch.

Bycatch remains one of the biggest threats to cetaceans worldwide, including in Cornish waters.

Evidence of bycatch confirmed

James Barnett, veterinary pathologist for the Cornwall Marine Pathology Team, said three of the animals “were clearly caught in monofilament nets”, with fine linear cuts found around the beak, head, fins and tail. A fourth dolphin had clean cuts into the tail fluke, which were consistent with other known bycatch cases where cuts are made to remove a dead dolphin from a net.

Fishermen efforts praised but limits remain

The trust stressed that local fishermen do not want to catch dolphins and that many have taken steps to reduce the risk.

In Mevagissey, fishermen have secured their own funding, reduced the amount of time nets are left in the water and stayed alongside their gear to prevent bycatch. These voluntary actions have proved effective locally, with no recorded bycatch on onboard cameras in the past four years.

However, Cornwall Wildlife Trust says stronger policy is still needed to tackle the issue more widely. Regulators have yet to introduce management measures that fully support these efforts across the fishing industry.

Nick West, chair of the Mevagissey Fisherman’s Association, said fishermen “are fully committed to excluding the likelihood of bycatches completely” and added that “we have not given up with our goal of being able to use pingers”, which are acoustic devices designed to deter dolphins.

Strandings more than double over a decade

Rebecca Allen from Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Strandings Network reported that dolphin strandings have more than doubled over the last decade, with an average of around 200 dolphins washing up on Cornish beaches each year.

“Of the animals we can assess, more than one in four show evidence of bycatch,” Rebecca said. She added that this figure is likely an underestimate due to decomposition and damage to many of the animals. Similar stranding levels are being reported across Europe, raising concerns about the long-term impact on dolphin populations.

Call for action

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is calling on government and regulators to introduce long overdue management measures to better protect dolphins and porpoises. The charity is also urging concerned members of the public to raise the issue with their MPs.

More information about the trust’s work can be found on the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website.