A total of 12 dead dolphins had washed ashore along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Tuesday.

After reports that three dead dolphins had been found at the northern seaside, media now reported that more drowned dolphins had been discovered, bringing the death toll to a dozen.

Five bodies were found at the Shabla campsite, near Varna, three more were near the Chernomorets hut, and two were at the beach of Krapets village. Authorities also picked up a body from a beach in the Golden Sands resort, and another one from Varna's Asparuhovo district.

The dolphins most likely drowned after they got tangled up in fishing nets, experts say. They couldn't collect biological samples, because of the bodies' advance state of decomposition.

Environment Minister Dzhevdet Chakarov and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Nihar Kabil issued a joint decree, banning the use of fishing nets, came into effect on Tuesday.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!