Dorset Wildlife Trust
DWT Warns Against Marine Wildlife Disturbance
Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) has received reports of dolphin sightings off the Dorset coast in recent weeks and wants to raise awareness of the care that water users should take to avoid disturbance and distress caused when coming into close contact with marine wildlife.
Concerns have been raised over a young, possibly male, solitary bottlenose dolphin, which has been sighted on a few occasions, including on the recent DWT Oceans Cruise in Purbeck. On a separate occasion, DWT has received reports of jet skis and boats approaching and circling it near Swanage.
Some dolphins may approach boats and people, bow-riding, and breaching out of the water repeatedly, but watercraft should keep back a good distance and avoid surrounding dolphins to prevent any risk of collision or prop injury. If a dolphin approaches, it is recommended to maintain a slow and steady course and not to make sudden or erratic movements.
Emma Rance, DWT’s Marine Conservation Offi cer said, “Every dolphin I have had the pleasure of seeing in Dorset is a marvel and I would love every person to share that experience. However, we must all be mindful that these mammals are highly sensitive; one wrong move in a boat can have catastrophic consequences, not just physically but psychologically for them. Most people just want to get a closer look or a photo, and do not intentionally want to harm these creatures, so I urge everyone to familiarise themselves with the Code of Conduct and share it far and wide.”
All cetaceans are protected by law under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. For more information on the Cetacean Watching Code of Conduct or how to report dolphin harassment, visit
www.dorsetwildlifetrust.
org.uk/dorsetdolphins. Please send any sightings of dolphins or other marine mammals to DWT via facebook (/DorsetWildilfe) or Twitter @DorsetWildlife.
Six New Marine Conservation Zones Designated In Dorset
DWT is delighted to learn that all 41 of the proposed Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in England, have been designated. This includes six sites in Dorset. MCZs are marine nature reserves, which contain a range of our most important species and habitats.
The sites are: Albert Field; Purbeck Coast; South of Portland; Southbourne Rough; Studland Bay and West of Wight-Barfl eur. These cover a wide range of underwater habitats, from deep, tide-swept rocky cliffs to sheltered seagrass meadows.
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DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST
Female spiny seahorse Studland © Alex Mustard
This good news comes after many years of
campaigning by The Wildlife Trusts and others to get support for MCZs across England. In 2013, three were designated in Dorset: Chesil Beach & Stennis Ledges, South Dorset and Poole Rocks.
Designation of these sites will allow the important features of each site to recover from damaging activities, such as trawling and dredging. The resulting protection of these sites that designation should lead to will allow marine wildlife such as black bream, spiny seahorses and peacock’s tail seaweed to thrive in Dorset and create a ‘blue-belt’ of protected places for marine wildlife in Dorset, and England.
DWT Chief Executive, Dr Simon Cripps said, “Today’s announcement is a fantastic win for both marine conservation and all those who earn a living from the sea as it is an important step to help restore the health and productivity of our seas. In particular we are delighted that Studland Bay has been designated as part of a network of protection as we have for many years led the push for its inclusion into the network. If properly managed these MCZs will help protect marine life and livelihoods for years to come.”
Studland Bay, with its seagrass meadow, is home to both species of native seahorses, all fi ve species of pipefi sh and is a nursery area for a number of commercial fi nfi sh such as pollack, black bream and bass. South of Portland includes the Portland Deep – recognised as a nationally important geological feature and arguably Dorset’s most dramatic underwater landscape.
For more information visit:
www.wildlifetrusts.org/ marine-protected-areas-england-2
To advertise, please contact 01202 657317 or email
harriet@broadstonelink.co.uk
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