Bottlenose Dolphin Death - Appeal for information

[Razorbill RIBs]

[Moderator edit: - there are 3 different threads running on this so I merged them all]


Sure other forum members / FB users may have seen this yesterday /today.... It has been attracting (quite rightly) a lot of attention..... I also understand there has been an offer of a substantial reward for information (from Sea Sheppard.... forum politics aside on this one).

A genuinely sad indictment of irresponsible boat handling leading, ultimately, to a very sad outcome /crime..... Spread the word please.

Some extracts from posts relating to the incident:

"I have just had some terrible news from the North Coast. The bottlenose dolphin pod was in Padstow this afternoon, and they were surrounded by about 25 boats. One of the dolphins has been run down and killed. I can't believe it. Would people be so stupid as to drive their cars around children who are playing? Of course they wouldn't. So why on earth do people carry on like this around dolphins? We're hoping to goodness it wasn't one of the breeding females (though any loss in a pod this size could have serious implications for its viability), and will be trying to find out some more details."

"British Divers Marine Life Rescue are putting together a press release. If anyone has any information i.e. a witness today or find the carcass please call the police on 101 and ask for the wildlife crimes officer or 0345 2012626 if the carcass is found. This is a wildlife crime and your help would be appreciated."

[IanT]

I had just come here to post a similar message! Terrible reckless behaviour.

I understand the reward has now been doubled by dive master scuba insurance.

Let's hope some information is forthcoming soon.

Ian

[havener]

APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ON DOLPHIN BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED DUE TO HARASSMENT

This is an urgent appeal from the CWTMSN and BDMLR for information following the death of a juvenile bottlenose dolphin. Please see below. If you or anyone you know witnessed this incident or any others like it in other areas, please contact the number given in the statement below. Ideally, the Police need a description of the vessels (colour, registration, etc) involved and/or photos or video.

If you hear of a dolphin stranding in that area, please ring the Hotline immediately.

As harassment appears to be increasing, please could you keep an eye on the coast near you on a regular basis and take notes, footage/photos and report anything immediately by calling 101 and asking to speak to the Police Wildlife Crimes Officer. Information given will be kept confidential.

Thank you.

Jan Loveridge & Faye Archell, Dave Jarvis BDMLR

CWT Strandings Network
Hotline: 0345 201 2626 (please note new number)
Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network

----------------------
Yesterday afternoon (Saturday 20th July) at approximately 3.30-4pm in the Camel Estuary, near the Port Hand buoy, off Daymer Bay and Trebetherick Point, reports were received of as many as 25 small vessels harassing a pod on Bottlenose dolphins. Very soon after, a carcass was reported to have been found at the scene. The death is believed to be as a result of the harassment.

There is a general appeal for information as it is believed that there were a number of private, commercial and sightseeing vessels in the area at that time. The Padstow sightseeing vessels are all trained in how to behave responsibly around wildlife and there is no insinuation that they are involved, however passengers may have been witness to the harassment by other vessels.

Harassment of dolphins is a serious wildlife crime under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If you saw anything please call 101 and ask to speak to a Devon and Cornwall Police Wildlife Crime Officer.

The carcass was unable to be recovered so if anyone finds it please report it immediately to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network on 0345 201 2626.

This is a joint appeal from British Divers Marine Life Rescue and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network
Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network is the official recorder for all marine strandings in Cornwall.
P

[C2 RIBS]

BBC News - Cornwall dolphin 'boat death' investigated

were followed by up to 20 pleasure boats!

Perhaps a few need to read the rules again-

Dolphins, porpoises and whales

Dolphins, porpoises and whales belong to a group of marine mammals known as cetaceans. The UK Government has long worked to protect and conserve cetaceans both around the UK and internationally.

There are 28 species of cetacean that have been recorded in UK waters, of which 11 appear regularly.

All cetaceans are legally protected throughout Europe under the Habitats Directive, and specifically in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under UK law it is illegal to:

kill or injure a cetacean intentionally
‘recklessly disturb’ a cetacean - for example to cause it distress by chasing it in a boat

The UK has signed up to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). This agreement aims to restore and maintain populations of small cetaceans through the co-ordination and implementation of conservation measures.

[PeterM]

This is shocking. But not surprising. The time Steve I and his full time helm(who you meet?) Spent learning about this is so worth it, but then to read this is so soul destroying.

I've posted before about what I've seen.....

I've purposely stayed off the water this weekend as its stressful just fighting my way down the slipway.

[Razorbill RIBs]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

BBC News - Cornwall dolphin 'boat death' investigated

were followed by up to 20 pleasure boats!

Perhaps a few need to read the rules again-

Dolphins, porpoises and whales

Dolphins, porpoises and whales belong to a group of marine mammals known as cetaceans. The UK Government has long worked to protect and conserve cetaceans both around the UK and internationally.

There are 28 species of cetacean that have been recorded in UK waters, of which 11 appear regularly.

All cetaceans are legally protected throughout Europe under the Habitats Directive, and specifically in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under UK law it is illegal to:

kill or injure a cetacean intentionally
‘recklessly disturb’ a cetacean - for example to cause it distress by chasing it in a boat

The UK has signed up to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). This agreement aims to restore and maintain populations of small cetaceans through the co-ordination and implementation of conservation measures.

Ian...see here also: http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/bottleno...ion-56735.html

This has quite rightly attracted a lot of attenton.

[Boatnomad]

£2,000 reward to find dolphin killer | Western Morning News

[kerny]

Originally Posted by Boatnomad

£2,000 reward to find dolphin killer | Western Morning News

People seem to think more of animals than human beings 2k reward ....


Compensation for abused and murdered children don't get much more than that

Don't get me wrong I love animals and I'm certainly against cruelty and unnecessary killing of them but for me human beings come first.

I would rather give 2k to the NSPCC than pay a reward to find out who was responsible for killing that dolphin.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Awful events.

I don't quite understand who they want to catch?

Are they after all 20 or one in particular. If the dolphin died through harassment, you ant really pin it in a particular boat.

They should all be ashamed of themselves. If the dolphins don't come to you, stay the **** away from them. A great analogy someone wrote, if it were cars circling kids and driving at them, they'd be strung up!

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by kerny

People seem to think more of animals than human beings 2k reward ....

Compensation for abused and murdered children don't get much more than that

Don't get me wrong I love animals and I'm certainly against cruelty and unnecessary killing of them but for me human beings come first.

I would rather give 2k to the NSPCC than pay a reward to find out who was responsible for killing that dolphin.

Fair point too. Lots of injustice but its all relative. Genocide gets ignored but does that mean we can't help children who are poor? Nope.

[Steve_B]

Re-posting info from an email we received;-

Sea Shepherd UK together with Bob Archell’s Dive Master Insurance is offering a reward totalling £2000 for information leading to an arrest and successful conviction of the persons responsible for the suspected killing of a young Bottlenose dolphin yesterday. Information can be confidentially submitted to report@seashepherduk.org
Location was the port hand buoy in the Camel Estuary (near Daymer Bay, Trebetherick Point) at 3.30-4pm. Up to 25 small vessels involved. BDMLR and Cornwall Wildlife Trust are appealing for witnesses. Please call 101 and ask for Devon and Corwall Police Wildlife Crime Officer. If carcass found report immediately to the Strandings network on 0345 2012626.
We would like to thank Bob Archell & Dive Master Insurance for matching Sea Shepherd UK’s £1000 reward offer!

Steve

[thomas]

We went out looking for dolphins in Oman and nearly died, leave them alone!

This is terrible but one dolphin had been killed needlessly and the media are going nuts about it, what about the thousands of miles of sea bed that's been destroyed by dredging and the fish that are on the brink of extinction because of over fishing, it would not be as bad if it was just our shores that we were destroying, but not content with that we do it all over the world.

Don't they still have dolphin clubbing in Denmark? I'm sure I saw a campaign against it recently.

[Dhf]

I love Dolphins and I think its totally discracfull if someone has purposly aimed at this poor Dolphin with intent of causing injury, or death in this case, but what if it was an unavoidable accident, all those boats close together trying to work out who's got right of way, or it could have been something else like shark attack, they are about and the sea temp is still rising.
I think its great a reward is being offered for information, maybe extra money could also be raised to try and stop this.


New Japanese method for killing dolphins is inhumane - life - 12 April 2013 - New Scientist

[boristhebold]

Is there any training available for leisure boaters around how to observe marine wildlife safely ? I would be interested in attending if you know of any ?

[Dirk Diggler]

Originally Posted by 250kts

Re-posting info from an email we received;-

Sea Shepherd UK together with Bob Archell’s Dive Master Insurance is offering a reward totalling £2000

Steve

So if it wasn't for the death of a dolphin, the majority of us wouldn't have heard of these 2 wonderful companies.....

No such thing as bad advertising I spose!

[lightning]

do we know if the dolphin was killed deliberately or did somebody accidentally hit it with a propeller etc?

[mister p]

We don't know. Has the carcass been recovered?

[TheKommandant]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Is there any training available for leisure boaters around how to observe marine wildlife safely ? I would be interested in attending if you know of any ?

I'd be quite interested in that. I'm going to Google some general advice for now I think. We often get basking sharks, dolphins etc over here and a couple of friends are desperate to see them so I wouldn't mind knowing a bit better how to behave properly around them.

Off the top of my head I'd guess limit movement of the boat as much as possible just float until they get bored and swim off perhaps? If there is a crowd of boats I would hope they would be sensible enough to give them enough space and provide a decent escape route for the animals.

[Boatnomad]

Correct procedure when encountering whales and dolphins in inshore waters.

Whalewatching

[Kraken999]

Try http://www.wisescheme.org/ for courses regarding cetacean watching. Wildlife Crime Officers currently investigating this incident arranged such a course for commercial operators in the Padstow area last year which was well supported.