On 8 March 2021 a harbour porpoise got stuck in an illegally placed gill net or entanglement net on the beach of Oostduinkerke (Koksijde). Harbour porpoises that get stuck in such nets drown at the rising tide. This animal (see first picture and subsequent video links) could be rescued just in time by an alert beach visitor. Another porpoise found on the beach in the same area on 4 March appeared to have died very recently and was probably killed in this way (photo at the bottom of the page).
Video 1 – harbour porpoise Koksijde 8 March 2021 © Filip Van Bellinghen
Video 2 – harbour porpoise Koksijde 8 March 2021 © Filip Van Bellinghen
The type of net in question was already banned in Belgium for recreational use at sea in 2001. In 2015, following a court procedure against our country by the European Commission, their recreational use on the beach was also banned. The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences takes infringements very seriously, and systematically reports violations to the competent authorities. They then take action against the people who placed the illegal nets on the beach.
