Finland seeks porpoise spotters

HELSINKI, Finland, April 1 (UPI) -- Finland is not having much luck in its quest to hire porpoise spotters, but then again, the country rarely gets any porpoises to spot in its waters.

The Helsingin Sanomat reported that due to a European Union mandate, Finland will have to take porpoise spotters on its fishing boats as of 2006. However, only three or four porpoises pass through Finnish waters each year. In the past 50 years, only five porpoises have ever been caught in Finnish fishing nets.

It is unknown how many porpoise spotters the EU will want Finland to have on the job, but they have to find workers before they can assign them. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry says it has not gotten a single applicant for the job nor for the preparatory training.