PR Sylt Wattenmeer

Press Release – Sylt/Berlin, 27.06.2025 – M.E.E.R. e.V. and Schutzstation Wattenmeer Call for Better Protection of Whales in the North Sea

In early June, a dead minke whale washed ashore near Rantum on the island of Sylt. The animal had become entangled in a fishing line connected to a crab trap belonging to the Irish company McBride Fishing. The line had wrapped tightly around the whale’s head — a fatal trap. This alarming incident highlights that even large whales in German waters are threatened by fishing gear — sometimes even within designated marine protected areas.

Environmental organizations are raising concerns that dangerous fishing practices, such as line-based crab fishing, are still permitted in protected zones like the Sylter Outer Reef. Studies have shown that entanglement in such gear is among the leading causes of whale deaths worldwide.
M.E.E.R. e.V. and Schutzstation Wattenmeer are therefore urging the responsible federal ministries for the environment, agriculture, and fisheries to take effective action. This includes banning line-based fishing methods in protected areas and transitioning to whale-safe systems, such as line-free crab traps.

The case of the minke whale off Sylt makes one thing clear: the North Sea is not a safe habitat for marine mammals as long as economic interests are prioritized over meaningful marine protection. A fundamental shift in fisheries policy is urgently needed — both at the national and EU level.

Link to full press release (in German): https://www.natuerlich-sylt.com/aktuell/

Foto: M. Zimpel