The interaction between fisheries and cetaceans is a serious problem with negative consequences for the fishing economy and the conservation of several species of cetaceans. These interactions result in the bycatch, with high levels of mortality and cetacean and/or predation by cetaceans on fishing gear. This leads to to economical losses with damaged fisheries and on the fishing arts.

In Portugal, this problem has begun to be studied with the SafeSea project, which is responsible for the first national campaign for the census of cetaceans in order to understand the distribution and abundance of coastal cetaceans. It is also a pioneering project in the use of mitigation measures in cooperation with fisheries sector. This effort stems from a voluntary partnership with the fisheries sector, which allowed that part of the Portuguese fishing fleet and fishing nets to be equipped with acoustic devices (pingers) that contribute to a reduction of interactions between fisheries and cetaceans, in an unprecedented effort to reduce mortality of endangered species. "