Complaint against the breach of species protection obligations under Article 12 of the Habitats Directive in relation to cetaceans

A group of 22 environmental NGOs lead by Seas At Risk, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, ClientEarth and Coalition Clean Baltic called on the European Commission to adopt emergency measures to prevent bycatch of sensitive species in EU waters and to take legal action against 15 EU governments for failing to establish and enforce protection measures for these mammals. Fisheries emergency measure are particularly urgent to address the critical situation of the North East Atlantic common dolphin in the Bay of Biscay and the Baltic Sea harbour porpoise (see Annex 1 and 2 below).