On March 20, 2026, the team of the Wildlife Rescue Centre of Green Balkans responded to a distressing report of dead wild animals found along the Northern Black Sea coast. As previously reported, more than 300 Mediterranean shearwaters and 9 marine mammals were discovered in the area of Shabla and Durankulak. Veterinary specialists from the Rescue Centre and Trakia University conducted thorough examinations, and the results are conclusive: the animals died as a result of entanglement and drowning in fishing nets while feeding.
The necropsy findings show that:
- the animals were in generally good health;
- food was found in their stomachs (mainly anchovy), indicating they had been feeding shortly before the incident;
- traces consistent with contact with fishing gear were found on the marine mammals, including net marks on the skin and severed tails.
The examinations revealed clear signs of asphyxia (suffocation), confirming that the cause of death is related to the animals’ inability to surface and breathe. In addition, the presence of diatoms in the parenchymal organs following acid digestion is a definitive indicator of drowning.
This case once again highlights the need for more sustainable fishing practices and improved protection of marine species to prevent similar incidents in the future. Such events not only result in the loss of wildlife but are also distressing for nature lovers and fishermen alike.
We would also like to remind you that our organization has been working for years on the issue of bycatch of marine mammals in bottom-set gillnet fisheries targeting turbot. In 2022, the results of tests on various models of acoustic deterrent devices (pingers), designed to prevent cetaceans from becoming entangled in fishing nets, were summarized in a report submitted to the relevant authorities – the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
The necropsy findings show that:
- the animals were in generally good health;
- food was found in their stomachs (mainly anchovy), indicating they had been feeding shortly before the incident;
- traces consistent with contact with fishing gear were found on the marine mammals, including net marks on the skin and severed tails.
The examinations revealed clear signs of asphyxia (suffocation), confirming that the cause of death is related to the animals’ inability to surface and breathe. In addition, the presence of diatoms in the parenchymal organs following acid digestion is a definitive indicator of drowning.
This case once again highlights the need for more sustainable fishing practices and improved protection of marine species to prevent similar incidents in the future. Such events not only result in the loss of wildlife but are also distressing for nature lovers and fishermen alike.
We would also like to remind you that our organization has been working for years on the issue of bycatch of marine mammals in bottom-set gillnet fisheries targeting turbot. In 2022, the results of tests on various models of acoustic deterrent devices (pingers), designed to prevent cetaceans from becoming entangled in fishing nets, were summarized in a report submitted to the relevant authorities – the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
