Italian fishermen shoot DOLPHINS, blaming them for wrecking their livelihoods because they are 'eating too many fish' 

  • Sicilian fisherman have launched a two-day strike over the 'greedy' dolphins
  • They say dolphins are following boats, raiding their nets and eating their catch
  • The battle between fishermen and dolphins is fierce in the Aeolian Islands
  • Some fishermen have started to shoot the dolphins with spear guns and rifles 
  • Fishermen are calling for a state of natural disaster declaration and are seeking compensation from the government 

By Kelly Mclaughlin For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Sicilian fisherman have started shooting dolphins with spear guns and rifles, claiming that the protected species it eating too many fish and destroying their nets.

The Italian fishermen have launched a two-day strike over the 'greedy' striped and bottlenose dolphins, claiming they're ruining their livelihood around the Aeolian Islands.

Filicudi Wildlife Conservation estimated that there are approximately 100 dolphins in the region. Fishermen say revenues from sales have dropped by 70 per cent in some areas.

Giovanni Basciano, the vice-president of a local fishing cooperative that represents 119 fishing boats, said the fishermen are calling for a state of natural disaster declaration and are seeking compensation from the government.

Sicilian fisherman have launched a two-day strike over the 'greedy' dolphins, claiming the animals are following boats, raiding nets and eating their catch around the Aeolian Islands (file photo of dolphins swimming through the Mediterranean) 

Sicilian fisherman have launched a two-day strike over the 'greedy' dolphins, claiming the animals are following boats, raiding nets and eating their catch around the Aeolian Islands (file photo of dolphins swimming through the Mediterranean) 

'Every night, there is a war for survival,' he told Repubblica Palermo. 'We must clarify, we don't have anything against dolphins, but a we must find a solution: It's either fishermen or them [dolphins].'

The fishermen say that the dolphins have learned to follow their boats and raid their nets of fish.

As the dolphins eat up the fish in the area, fishermen are going to extreme measures to get rid of the mammals.

'The majority of fishermen don't wish to harm the dolphins but it is not by chance that there are increasing numbers of animals washing up on the beaches having been shot with spear guns,' he said.

Another fisherman, Ignazio Spataro, said that his catch has decreased.

'I used to bring home 5kg of fish. This morning I came back with five bream and a cod. The dolphins are intelligent – they follow the boats,' he said.

The battle between fishermen and dolphins is particularly fierce in the Aeolian Islands (pictured), an archipelago of volcanic islands in the bay between Sicily and Italy's mainland

The battle between fishermen and dolphins is particularly fierce in the Aeolian Islands (pictured), an archipelago of volcanic islands in the bay between Sicily and Italy's mainland

As the dolphins eat up the fish in the area, fishermen are going to extreme measures to get rid of the mammals by shooting them with spear guns and rifles

As the dolphins eat up the fish in the area, fishermen are going to extreme measures to get rid of the mammals by shooting them with spear guns and rifles

The battle between fishermen and dolphins is particularly fierce in the Aeolian Islands, an archipelago of volcanic islands in the bay between Sicily and Italy's mainland.

But a spokeswoman from Filicudi Wildlife Conservation said that the number of dolphins is not any larger than it was 15 years ago.

'Fishermen think the number is increasing, but that's not the case,' Monica Blasi, a biologist working at the organisation, told IBTimes. 

'The problem is that fish has decreased in the sea and cetaceans swim closer to boats to eat,' she added. 

One solution to keep dolphins away from boats is to provide devices with 'pinger' devices, that will emit a frequency that will repel dolphins but not fish.

The device will be trialed on some boats in May.

Italy

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