Pollution, trawling and dwindling fish stocks have led to the decline of porpoise numbers in the North Sea ALAMYBritain is being dragged into court by the European Commission for its “continued failure” to protect the harbour porpoise. Sometimes called the puffing pig, the elusive mammal is the most common species from the whale and dolphin family in the North Sea, which is home to about half of the world’s 700,000 population. Conservationists claim the porpoise has suffered a substantial decline in British waters because of pollution, trawling and dwindling fish stocks. The government has struggled to fulfil its duty under the EU habitats directive to set up safe zones for the species. An attempt to create a 14,000…

Source: The Times September 29, 2016 15:56 UTC