Overview
- Published on January 6, the Delmoges assessment by Ifremer, La Rochelle Université and CNRS concludes that climate-driven prey shifts draw common dolphins into coastal winter fishing grounds, increasing accidental captures.
- Researchers report roughly a 0.8°C rise in surface temperatures over two decades and a trophic cascade that coincides with a diet shift seen in 259 stomach analyses toward coastal species such as sprat and sand eels since 2017.
- Fine-scale mapping identifies high-risk zones for bycatch, offering a basis for more precisely targeted, time-bound management actions.
- Options under review include acoustic deterrents, switching from nets to lines with possible quota incentives, onboard cameras, localized closures and quota or effort adjustments, yet no approach has broad stakeholder agreement.
- France has renewed the Bay of Biscay closure for January 22–February 20, 2026 after Pelagis recorded about a 60% drop in bycatch in winter 2024/2025, with small-scale fishers bearing significant costs and relying on state support.