Are readers aware of the practice of pair trawling and the damage it causes in UK waters?

Pair trawling causes the deaths of hundreds of dolphins in UK waters each year (along with other "bycatch" such as sea turtles and sharks). According to an article in The Independent newspaper recently, Department

of the Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs (Defra) observers reported that 53 dolphins were trapped in 71 days by sea bass trawlers. Canada and the US have banned pair trawling and Spain will not use the method since it depletes fish stocks.

The Nordmore Grid was originally designed for shrimp fishing to prevent larger fish being caught in the nets. It was adapted for squid fishing in New Zealand to prevent sealions being trapped but the injuries caused to the sealions were so severe the New Zealand government has banned squid fishing. Yet, despite this, the British Government has decided to trial Nordmore Grids on dolphins in the UK, even though dolphins are far less robust than sealions.

Research has shown that pair trawling is one of the most destructive forms of fishing and that the Nordmore Grid does not prevent the deaths of dolphins and other cetaceans. I ask readers to campaign to end the practice of pair trawling.

-Graham Vane-Stobbs, Heene Road, Worthing