Protect Our Dolphins

The Moray Firth dolphins are anamazing group of animals, anda much loved part of Scotland’snatural heritage… but they arealso incredibly vulnerable.

Our Protect Our Dolphins campaignaims to ensure that these animalshave a future. And that requires

change: in how we protect the dolphinslegally, in how we regulate industry and inhow we behave around them.

These dolphins have a future…if we act now.Chris Butler StroudWDCS Chief Executive

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Protect Our Dolphins is WDCS, the Whale andDolphin Conservation Society’s campaign toprotect the bottlenose dolphins that live inScotland’s Moray Firth.

These dolphins face a broad range ofthreats. Activities such as oil and gasexploration and production, largemarina development, chemical pollution,fisheries interactions and more areincreasingly putting pressure on thedolphins and their environment.

Yet, in spite of evidence that the populationmay be in decline, little is being done to protect this

unique, vulnerable and important group of animals.

Our vision is that the whales and dolphins of the Moray Firth,including the bottlenose dolphins, will survive and in duecourse thrive in a clean and safe environment.

This booklet is about the animals, the threats they faceand most importantly what WDCS, with your support,can do for them.

Protect Our Dolphins

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Bottlenose dolphins are one of the best knownandmost loved of all dolphin species.

A small population of around 130 of these veryspecial animals lives in Scotland’s Moray Firth.But for howmuch longer? Such a small, isolatedpopulation is extremely vulnerable.

These highly sentient animals, which make up theonly surviving population of its kind in the NorthSea, need protection from the many threats theyface. In recognition of their special status andvulnerability, in 2005 part of theMoray Firth wasdesignated a bottlenose dolphin Special Areaof Conservation (SAC) one of only two suchprotected areas in the UK.

Yet the SAC only covers a percentage of thearea the dolphins make their home, and whilstsome of the dolphins seem to spend their entirelives within the SAC, others range along the coastof theMoray Firth to Aberdeen, Tay, the Firth ofForth and possibly beyond!

Wemust ensure the dolphins have a future,both by protecting the SAC and the dolphins’wider habitat, and by carefullymonitoring andregulating activity that threatens these amazinganimals. We can only protect the dolphins byeffectively protecting their habitat!

The Moray Firthbottlenose dolphins

Oil and gas exploration and development cangenerate intense noise pollution and habitatdegradation over long time periods spanning manydecades. Such activities should be unacceptablewithin an area so important to such a vulnerabledolphin population and especially an area whichthe government has made a safe-haven for them.

The lifetime of an oil and gas platform is measured,not in years, but in decades. In that time oil and gasproduction can affect the dolphins in a whole rangeof ways.

Dolphins are highly sensitive to sound. Theintroduction of loud noise into their environmentcan impact their ability to navigate, find food andcommunicate with each other. It can cause them toflee from areas important to their survival and mayharm or in extreme cases even kill.

Oil and gas deposits are found through seismicsurveys which use air guns to send bursts of intense

sound through the water in all directions. Later,noisy drilling and production commence includingthe transportation of supply vessels and pipelines.At the end of a production facility’s life, decom-missioning may involve removing structures fromthe seabed using explosives.

There are already oil and gas platforms in theouter Moray Firth, adjacent to the Special Areaof Conservation (SAC). Whilst no production hasoccurred within the SAC, considerable boat trafficassociated with the industry does travel throughit and oil pipelines and an oil terminal lie withinthe SAC. There is a small, but ever present, riskof an oil spill.

The greatest risk comes from future explorationand the production of new sites in areas importantto the dolphins. Blocks of seabed within thedolphins’ habitat have been included in recentoil and gas licensing rounds.

“We must be satisfied that there will be no adverse effecton the integrity of the special area of conservation in theMoray Firth and its local bottlenose dolphin population.”Richard LochheadMSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment

ThreatsOil and gas explorationand development

“The Moray Firth is such a wonderfulspot, and made all the more magicalby the bottlenose dolphins and othermarine life that depend on the areafor their survival. It’s unthinkable that

anyone would even consider oil exploration andproduction there, we need as many people aspossible to support WDCS and their campaignto protect these amazing animals for good!”Miranda Krestovnikoff, BBC Presenter, Coast and the One Show

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Threats

Tourism is expected to increase in Scotlandin coming years. This is a positive thing – if it isdone with protection of the marine environmentat its heart.

As Scotland moves towards its target to increasetourism revenue by 50% by 2015, the Moray Firthis undergoing a transformation. This includesexpansion and development of harbours andmarinas and increases in numbers of recreational,racing and commercial boats. Unregulatedincreases in recreational boat traffic and poorlyco-ordinated inshore developments will lead toincreases of boat users in the habitats importantto dolphins.

WDCS has been instrumental in funding,supporting and operating the Dolphin SpaceProgramme (DSP) to ensure that the dolphin-watching boats in the Moray Firth sign up toa code of conduct that is set out to protect thedolphins. WDCS is working towards educatingall other boat users who need to be aware ofthe dolphins’ presence and their vulnerability.

Evaluation of how such development can beundertaken whilst ensuring compliance withenvironmental legislation is now required. Thesolution is coordinated planning of all marineactivities and real, long-term consideration forthe dolphins’ requirements.

Increasing and uncoordinatedcoastal development

Bottlenose Dolphins

Chemical

pollutionHarbourdevelopment

FisheriesDevelopment

of MarinasOil and Gasdevelopment

Increased

boat traffic

Marinelitter

Marine renewableenergy

Threats

The Moray Firth is a busy place. In their day to day lives, dolphinsmay encounter many threats: boat traffic, oil spills, chemical pollution,entanglement in fishing nets, coastal developments, disturbance fromincreasing commercial and recreational activities. All of these threatscombine to impact heavily on the dolphins and the other whale anddolphin species that make Scottish waters their home.

They all add up!

The Moray Firth contains a rich diversity ofmarine life all year round, including EuropeanProtected Species such as harbour porpoisesand otters. It is also important habitat for anumber of important seabirds, harbour and greyseals and a host of seasonal visitors includingvulnerable basking sharks, humpback and finwhales, as well as white-beaked and Atlanticwhite-sided dolphins.

Harbour porpoises are a highly vulnerablespecies, and seem to be in decline in the outerMoray Firth. They are deserving of Special Areasof Conservation under European legislation, yetwe have none designated for them in the UK.Minke whales, common and white-beakeddolphins, and numerous other important whaleand dolphin species are also found in the watersof the Moray Firth. Yet there are few, if any,protection measures provided for these species.

Marine wildlifeof the Moray Firth

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LegislationSince the massive exploitation of marine resourcesbegan, there has been little effort to regulate theswelling tide of activities carried out in our seas andwe are now at a critical stage where we risk losingsome of the best-loved of all our marine species.We need better, stronger, co-ordinated andenforceable laws to protect our dolphins and allother marine wildlife, plus proper co-ordinationof marine activities which takes into account theircombined impacts on the animals, includingwithin Special Areas of Conservation.

Precaution in the face of uncertainty: The onusis on the competent authorities to determine nosignificant impact to the Moray Firth bottlenosedolphin population from development, evenoutside the SAC. This is required under the EUHabitats Directive that protects the dolphins andshould be enforced.

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StrandingsStranded whales and dolphins have animportant role to play in increasing ourunderstanding of the animals, their generalhealth and the threats that they face.Information collected from stranded animalscan often provide us with an indication ofa bigger problem within a population.WDCS leads and supports the work of theUK’s Marine Animal Rescue Coalition (MARC).

If you find a stranded whale or dolphin inScotland, you can help by calling:

Live animals British Divers Marine Life Rescue:

01825 765 564Dead animals Scottish Agricultural College:

01463 243 030

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Professor Paul Thompson (centre) andthe team from the Aberdeen University

Lighthouse Field Station. WDCS hassupported their research since 1993.

Our vision is that the whales and dolphins of the MorayFirth, including the bottlenose dolphins, will survive andin due course thrive in a clean and safe environment.

We campaign for better protection, lobby decision-makers, support andconduct research, run education initiatives and bring the world of whalesand dolphins alive for thousands through our visitor centres. Here’s asnapshot of our work:

We contribute funding to the University of Aberdeen to study theMoray Firth dolphins (since 1993). Critical research which led tothe designation of the dolphins’ Special Area of Conservation.

We conduct our own surveys to find out about the habitatrequirements of all the whale and dolphin species that makethe Moray Firth their home.

We have been instrumental in funding, supporting and operatingthe Dolphin Space Programme, which works with commercial boatoperators in the Moray Firth to ensure that they follow a set ofguidelines designed to protect the dolphins.

We research the potential impacts of all threats, provide expertadvice to governments, and industries and work hard to effect realchange for the animals.

We conduct land-based dolphin watching and listening andenable visitors to see and hear the dolphins for themselves atour Wildlife Centres.

We operate a schools activity programme in Scotland designedto enthuse and educate children about whales and dolphins.

We run exhibitions and events at our Moray Firth Wildlife Centresto engage people in the world of whales and dolphins.

We campaign for better protection.

Together we can protect our dolphins.

What WDCS is doing

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Best shore-watching locations for dolphins

WDCS Wildlife CentresWhilst this is one of the best places in the world to watch for bottlenosedolphins from land, and many visitors are rewarded with wonderful memories ofthese and other magnificent marine animals, sightings can not be guaranteed.

Balintore

BanffCullen

Portknockie

Buckie

Spey BayLossiemouth

Burghead

NairnFort George

Inverness

North Kessock

Aberdeen UniversityLighthouse Field Station

Chanonry Point

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If you do choose to watch dolphins from a boat,please choose a Dolphin Space Programmeaccredited operator: www.dolphinspace.org

Where to watch dolphinsin the Moray Firth

WDCSWildlife CentreSpey BayFREE ADMISS ION

DirectionsThe A96 runs between Inverness and Aberdeen andSpey Bay lies about half way along. Turn off the A96between Mosstodloch and Fochabers onto the B9014which branches off along the River Spey. Turn whereyou see the brown Tourist Information sign for theMoray Firth Wildlife Centre. Follow this road all theway to the end where it forks and the right fork willlead you to the WDCSWildlife Centre car park.

Postcode: IV32 7PJTel: 01343 820339Email: wildlifecentre@wdcs.org

Opening timesApril to October, 7 days a week 10.30am to 5pmNovember to December, Weekends only

WDCS Dolphin and SealCentre North KessockFREE ADMISS ION

DirectionsTake the A9 Northbound across the Kessock Bridge,100m after the bridge take the slip road to the left,signposted Tourist Information Centre & Dolphinand Seal Centre.

Postcode: IV1 3XBTel: 01343 820339Email: wildlifecentre@wdcs.org

Opening timesJune to September, 10.30am to 5pm

“Scotland is one of the best land-based dolphin watching hot spotsin the world.”Says BBC Springwatch’s Simon King

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We need to act now, together, to protect the bottlenosedolphins in the Moray Firth. Their future can only be securedif the ‘Special Area of Conservation’ is exactly that – ‘special’and aimed at ‘conservation’ of the dolphins. You can seethat we have some hard work ahead to achieve this!

You can support our campaign by adopting a Moray Firth dolphin at

www.adoptadolphin.comOr become a WDCS Pod Protector at

www.podprotection.orgTo find out more about how you can help us protect our dolphins visit

www.protectourdolphins.org

Join our campaign

Your supportreally does makeall the differenceYour donation will help us pay for:

• More people and equipment, including high qualitybinoculars to monitor the dolphins from shore.

• Meetings with government officials, industryand other stakeholders.

• Acoustic equipment so you can hear theunderwater world at our Wildlife Centres.

• Maintenance of the WDCS Wildlife Centre andNorth Kessock Dolphin and Seal Centre.

• Educational materials to help more people toprotect the dolphins.

• The essential research undertaken by AberdeenUniversity and WDCS.

To make a donation please visitwww.protectourdolphins.org/donate

Thank you!

www.protectourdolphins.orgWDCS is the global voice for the protection of whales,dolphins and their environment.WDCS is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No.2737421.Registered Charity No. 1014705. All photos ©WDCS/Charlie Phillips unless otherwise credited.