MMO highlights the importance of marine mammal bycatch reporting
What was announced
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) updates its guidance on marine mammal bycatch reporting and explains the role fishermen play in helping to protect marine wildlife.
Key points, in the publisher's words
- Since 2021, vessel owners and masters have been required, as a condition of their fishing licence to report all incidents of accidental capture (bycatch), within 48 hours of the end of a fishing trip.
- Recognising concerns from industry about the implications of reporting marine mammal bycatch, MMO wants to be clear: reporting an accidental interaction during lawful fishing activity that results in marine mammal injury, mortality or bycatch is not an offence. It is the failure to report an interaction that may lead to enforcement action.
- By reporting incidents when they occur, fishermen help build a more complete picture of marine mammal activity and the realities faced during fishing activity at sea. Every report helps improve understanding of where and when interactions occur and, just as importantly, where they do not occur.
Who and where
UK bodies of power
- Marine Management Organisation (executive non-departmental public body) · more news
Where this sits in the 10 levels of power
Topics, as GOV.UK files them: Fishing vessels, Marine fisheries, Marine.
Receipt
- Original: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mmo-highlights-the-importance-of-marine-mammal-bycatch-reporting
- Published 2026-11-10 12:33:00 UTC
- Read by this site 2026-11-10 12:45:43 UTC from GOV.UK
- Saved copy: receipt 11886, with its SHA-256 fingerprint
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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