Short-beaked Common dolphin records between 2018 and 2020

The Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis is widely distributed along the Atlantic coast and in the Channel-North Sea, but remains rare in the Mediterranean, where the population has experienced a major decline.

The situation of the species along the shore of metropolitan France is still poorly understood and scientists are wondering about the existence of a neritic population in the Bay of Biscay.

The mortality linked to catches in fishing gears is high. According to a 2016 scientific paper, around 4,000 individuals are killed each year in the Bay of Biscay and in the Western Channel.

Image: The common dolphin can be recognized by its black V-shaped design under the dordal fin © Marc Le Moal

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