Organohalogenated contaminants in harbour porpoises

Study context

The harbour porpoise is a vulnerable species in European waters. During the past decades the number of observations of this cetacean have decreased in the Baltic sea. Observations along the coast of the Netherlands have been increasing since 1990. It's however unclear whether this trend reflects a shift in distribution of harbour porpoises or an actual increase of the population. One of the main threats to the harbour porpoise is accidental capture by fishing gear. High levels of contaminants, declining fish stocks and other anthropogenic stress factors (wind mills, sonar, shipping,... ) are also considered possible threats.