Dead dolphin calf found on Cornwall beach after getting caught up in fishing gear

The dead dolphin calf was discovered on Trevellas Beach on Friday Credit: Abby Crosby/Cornwall Wildlife Trust/Marine Strandings Network

A dolphin calf was found dead on a beach in Cornwall after getting caught up in fishing gear.

The Marine Strandings Network (MSN) said the mammal was discovered on Trevellas Beach, St Agnes, on Friday 18 November.

The organisation said the common dolphin, measuring 1m long, was "incredibly fresh" when found.

Fin edge slices on the mammal led to a post-mortem examination, which concluded it "'succumbed to bycatch' - accidental entanglement in active fishing gear causing death", the MSN said.

The common dolphin calf had some potential fin edge slices but was otherwise in immaculate condition according to the MSN Credit: Abby Crosby/Cornwall Wildlife Trust/Marine Strandings Network

The dolphin is believed to have been caught up in fishing nets just off the Cornish coast.

Bycatch takes place when animals are accidentally or unintentionally caught or entangled in fishing gear.

The government began a wildlife bycatch mitigation initiative in August.

It aims to reduce bycatch and said the remedy to the issue is "complex and likely to require solutions that are tailored to different needs in different fisheries".

Trevellas Beach, St Agnes in Cornwall where the dolphin was found Credit: Abby Crosby/Cornwall Wildlife Trust/Marine Strandings Network

The Cornish Wildlife Trust, which is part of the MSN, said: "No-one wants bycatch to happen - not us and not fishermen, so the trust continues to work alongside other agencies and stakeholders to find solutions."

Anyone who discovers a dead stranded animal around the Cornish coast is urged to call the Cornish Wildlife Trust's 24-hour hotline on 0345 201 2626.

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