Waters off northern and northwest Spain are home to an extraordinary diversity of marine life, with 28 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises recorded. Yet estimates suggest at least 2,000 cetaceans are accidentally caught in fishing gear each year in Galician waters alone.
Environmental law organisation ClientEarth is now taking the Spanish authorities to court, arguing that they have failed to protect these animals. The move follows a formal request in July for stronger monitoring, better data collection and effective measures to prevent and reduce accidental capture. ClientEarth says it received no response.
Known as bycatch, the capture of animals in fishing gear intended for other species remains one of the greatest threats to whales, dolphins and porpoises. Common dolphins, the most frequently affected cetacean in the region, are among those at risk.
ClientEarth argues that Spain is failing to meet its obligations under European law. It wants authorities to establish monitoring that reveals the true scale of the problem, and put effective protection into practice wherever populations are threatened.
For ORCA, the case reinforces the importance of turning evidence into action. Understanding where cetaceans live and the pressures they face is essential. But that knowledge must lead to protection in the water, where their survival is at stake.
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