Marine Mammal Reporting Requirements
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-30)

This page details the requirements for the Marine Mammal Reporting licence condition which has been in all fishing vessel licences since 2021.

In 2021, the MMO placed a condition into all fishing vessel licences requiring vessels to report incidents where a vessel’s fishing activities have caused or contributed to marine mammal injury or death, or where marine mammals have been caught as bycatch, within 48 hours of the end of a fishing trip.

As well as bycatch, this includes any interactions with marine mammals resulting in injury or death whilst searching for fish, shooting or setting gear, towing and hauling gear, taking catch on board, or from entanglement in ropes or lines.

Reason for collection

To continue to export fisheries products to the United States (US), and to assist conservation efforts in mitigating marine mammal bycatch, the UK needs to comply with international standards for the conservation of marine mammals. This licence condition was introduced to help gather the relevant information to help the UK demonstrate compliance with these standards.

Use of information

The information provided by fishers in compliance with this licence condition is reported by the MMO to the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bycatch information may also be shared with DEFRA and wider MMO teams, working on initiatives to try and reduce marine mammal bycatch within fisheries.

In line with the MMO’s statutory responsibilities in relation to fishing vessel licensing, data reported via this form will be shared with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (‘DEFRA’) as well as the other UK Fishing Authorities of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. This is to increase understanding of the incidence of bycatch in UK waters. The MMO will retain such information for 4 years. Further information on how the MMO processes personal data and information on your rights under the Data Protection Act 2018 can be found on our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/marine-management-organisation/about/personal-information-charter

Reporting requirements

Any incidents of incidental mortality, injury, or bycatch of marine mammals must be reported to the MMO within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip. The reporting form asks for the following information:
- Vessel name
- Vessel PLN
- Interaction Date (DDMMYYYY)
- Approximate time of interaction with the marine mammal – in 24-hour format
- Approximate location of the interaction – in latitude and longitude
- Species of marine mammal killed or injured – using the species code
- Number of marine mammals killed or injured (if known)
- Gear type – using the gear code
- Target species of fishing vessel – using the target species code
- If an observer was present on the vessel – yes or no
- Any additional information relating to the interaction which could include: - description of injury to the marine mammal - length of interaction - activity or behaviour of the marine mammal prior to interaction
- If any actions were taken in reaction to the interaction e.g. moved fishing grounds, hauled gear… etc
A list of species, gear, and target species codes to assist with providing requirements 6, 8, and 9 can be found within the excel based template, and are available as selectable options within the web form submission method.

Submission methods

There are two methods that you can use to submit the required information to the MMO. Both methods ask for the same information.

Excel based template

You will need to download a copy of the excel based form, complete, and submit to the MMO at the following email address: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679b5b19abe77b74cc146c1e/Marine_Mammal_Bycatch_Reporting_Template_v3.xlsx)

Marine Mammal ByCatch Reporting Template (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679b5b19abe77b74cc146c1e/Marine_Mammal_Bycatch_Reporting_Template_v3.xlsx)

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 30 KB

You may also print a hard copy of this reporting form and submit it via post to MMO Statistics, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE4 7AR, United Kingdom.

Online reporting form

We are trialling the use of an online gov.uk form to collect this information, which when submitted will be sent to the MMO Statistics team. The form has an additional optional question allowing for feedback to be given in respect of your experience using this method.

Click “Submit a Marine Mammal Report” below to access the online form.

Submit a Marine Mammal Report (https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/5396/marine-mammal-reporting)

Other bycatch initiatives e.g. Clean Catch Trial

It is a requirement within all fishing vessel licences that any marine mammal injury, mortality, or bycatch relating to a vessel’s fishing activities is reported to the MMO via the reporting form. Whilst there are other bycatch initiatives ongoing, including Clean Catch, participation in these does not remove the requirement to comply with this licence condition. Therefore, fishing vessels which are part of the Clean Catch trial should continue to submit this information via both routes. Care will be taken when assessing these records to ensure no duplication.

FAQs:

Do I need to submit a return if my activities have not caused or contributed to injury or death of a marine mammal or resulted in bycatch of a marine mammal?

No, vessels do not need to submit nil returns if they have not incidentally injured, killed or bycaught any marine mammals.

Will reports be used to inform enforcement action?

Where the injury, mortality, or bycatch reported has occurred within the course of legal fishing practices, then no action will be taken in relation to the action of injury, mortality, or bycatch itself. If the injury, mortality, or bycatch is found to be as a result of non-compliant fishing practices, for example, failure to correctly use or deploy pingers where required, enforcement action may be considered relating to that offence.

Reporting marine mammal injury, mortality or bycatch is a requirement of the fishing vessel licence, therefore failure to submit these reports within the 48h period is an offence, and vessels could face enforcement action for late submission or non-compliance.